March 26, 2016 (Craftsbury, Vermont) – Jessie Diggins of Stratton SMS T2 was unstoppable in the women’s 30km CL race as she skied away from the field during the first of nine laps to take the victory by 1:03 over Craftsbury Green Racing Project’s Ida Sargent in second and Caitlin Patterson in third.

 

In the men’s 50km CL competition it was Erik Bjornsen of APU Nordic Ski Center taking charge on the penultimate lap as he skied away from Tad Elliott (Ski and Snowboard Club Vail) for a decisive win by massive 1:39 margin. David Norris of APU Nordic Ski Center was third in a slushy, slow day of skiing in which the top male finished the course in 2:43:56. “It was won of the hardes races I’ve ever done,” said Norris at the finish.

Noah Hoffman accelerated on both the third and twelfth lap to take the sprint premes, worth $150 dollars a piece. After the second preme, Hoffman and Elliott came through with a 15-second gap over Bjornsen, but by the next lap, Bjornsen had made contact again. “I think he burned himself out a little going for those preems,” said Bjornsen who accelerated, and finished with a big gap over Elliott. “It was probably my best classic race ever.

“I saw I was making a gap on Tad and Noah so I decided to fake it a little bit and ended up skiing away with the victory,” said Bjornsen after the race, “I didn’t expect to come away with the win today.”

Elliott, the 28-year-old from Durango, Colorado credited his skis for his performance. “Our skis were off the hook,” he said, “Bjornsen is skiing so well now, when he decided to go there was no way I could stay with him.” Norris, the winner of this year’s American Birkebeiner, said it was his first championship podium finish since 2012 when the US Nationals were in Soldier Hollow. “This race means way more,” he said, “It was way harder and the competition was way steeper.”

Diggins said her strategy was to go from the gun. “My strategy was to get as many kilometers in before the whole thing breaks down, and just go for it,” said the 24 year old Minnesota skier, “We were extremely lucky to be able to go first. We had a hard, icy track.”

Sargent, wearing bib #31, said that her starting position didn’t allow her to try her hand at hanging with Diggins, but said she was happy to be skiing with her teammates, Caitlin Patterson and Kaitlynn Miller, who ended up fifth. “The C/Kaitlins have been the top two classic skiers on the circuit this year,” said Sargeant, “It was super fun to be able to ski with them.”

Caitlin Patterson skied into third and secured her overall SuperTour title, which gives her Period 1 starting rights for the World Cups next year. Eric Packer, finishing fifth, accomplished the same for the men.

Results here.

Women

Men