February 7, 2010 (Lake Placid, New York) – It was a cold, clear, beautiful day, and Alpina teammates Jake Hollenbach and David Cahill, with Benjamin Lannin, set a blistering pace for the demanding Lake Placid Loppet 50km freestyle race. After two loops of the demanding Olympic course, it was Hollenbach first, with a time of 2:28:18.0, followed by Cahill six seconds later, and Lannin at 1:04 back. The men’s 50km classic event was won by Eric Seyse of Scotia, NY, with a time of 3:10:51.4

Molly Housman (Ford Sayre/Cornish, NH) was just two seconds ahead of Katherine Linton (Coventry, VT) to win the women’s 50km freestyle race, with a time of 3:33:06.6. Covering the same course in the classic technique, Ursula Posl, of Conway,MA, finished with a time of 4:36:25.3.

Local skier, Matt Cook, from Saranac Lake, NY, won the 25km freestyle race, in 1:17:06.0, twenty seconds ahead of Eric Darling of Shelburne, VT. Stowe’s Eric Phaneuf was 3rd. Mario Paradis, of Sainte-Adele, Quebec, skiing in the classic event, was less than nine minutes behind Darling, finishing with a time of 1:26:04.1

Heidi Underwood, of Kattskill Bay, NY, won the women’s 25km freestyle race in a time of 1:29:26.9, followed two minutes later by Sarah Pribram of Shelburne, VT. Maggie Ryan of Northampton, MA was 3rd. Skiing the 25km loop in classic technique, Ja. Penwright-Holmes, of Oshawa, Ontario, won with a time of 1:58:53.6.

The award ceremony was held at the Crowne Plaza. Awards were donated by High Peaks Cyclery. The Lake Placid Loppet Founders Trophy, presented in memory of Dr. Francis B. Trudeau, the original Lake Placid Loppet race organizer is presented to the oldest finisher of the 50km Lake Placid Loppet. This year, Buddy Majernik, of Greensboro Bend, VT and skiing in the 60-64 age division, won the award, having finished with a time of 3:32:00.2.

The Lake Placid Loppet is a chance to ski a course that follows-almost exactly-the course laid out for the 1980 Winter Olympics. Since 1981, thousands of skiers have enjoyed skiing and racing on the challenging Mt. Van Hoevenberg trails at the Olympic Sports Complex. Skiers can chose to ski either 25 (one loop) or 50km (two loops), in either the classic or the freestyle technique. It’s tough and demanding but the beautiful course winds through stands of Adirondack forest.

Results (brief)

Men’s 50km Skate – full results here
1. Jake Hollenbach (Team Alpina/SkiRack) 2:28:18.0
2. David Cahill (Team Alpina/FastWax) 2:28:24.1
3. Benjamin Lannin (Traverse City, MI) 2:29:22.9

Women’s 50km Skate – full results here
1. Molly Housman (Ford Sayre) 3:33:06.6
2. Katherine Linton (Coventry, VT) 3:33:08.5
3. Rose Long (Burlington, VT) 3:53.00.7

Men’s 50km Classic – full results here
1. Eric Seyse,of Scotia, NY, 3:10:51.4

Women’s 50km Classic – full results here
1. Ursula Posl, of Conway, MA, 4:36:25.3

Men’s 25km Freestyle – full results here
1. Matt Cook (Saranac Lake, NY) 1:17:06.0
2. Eric Darling (Shelburne, VT) 1:17:26.0
3. Eric Phaneuf (Stowe, VT) 1:18:21.2

Women’s 25km Freestyle – full results here
1. Heidi Underwood (Kattskill Bay, NY) 1:29:26.9
2. Sarah Pribram (Shelburne, VT) 1:31:26.8
3. Maggie Ryan (Northampton, MA) 1:33:33.3

Men’s 25km Classic – full results here
1. Mario Paradis, of Sainte-Adele, Quebec, 1:26:04.1

Women’s 25km Classic – full results here
1. Ja. Penwright-Holmes, of Oshawa, Ontario, 1:58:53.6