February 9, 2008 (Aspen, Colorado) – Noah Hoffman wrote a new chapter to the “Local boy makes good” series Saturday as he won the 21st 25km Owl Creek Chase by nearly a minute. Evelyn Dong was the women’s champion by just over a minute in the USSA Cross Country SuperTour race.

Hoffman, 18, who hails from Aspen but trains with the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation program in Idaho, had a winning time of 1:05.21.5. Second place went to Tad Elliott, 19-year-old son of former Olympian Mike Elliott, who finished in 1:06.17.4. Zack Simons was third in the field of 36 elite skiers; his time was 1:08.03.4.

Olympian Andrew Johnson was fourth, less than two seconds back of Simons in the mass start race with Lars Flora, Johnson’s teammate in the 2002 and ’06 Olympic squads, was fifth and ’06 Olympian James southam sixth.

Also in the pack: three-time Olympic Nordic combined skier Johnny Spillane, who was ninth. Three others on the nation combined team also raced: Alex Glueck was 15th, Alex Miller finished 16th and Davis Miller was 20th.

Dong ended the two-year winning streak by Swede Kristina Strandberg, the onetime University of New Mexico racer. Dong was clocked in 1:17.29.9 with Strandberg runner-up in 1:18.38.0. Both women live in Bend, Oregon.

Abi Larson finished third in the women’s race (1:19.02.3), just ahead of 2006 Olympic teammate Sarah Konrad (1:20.14.6).

The Owl Creek Chase links Snowmass Village to Aspen. It starts at the Snowmass Cross Country Center and finishes at the Aspen x-c center.

Full SuperTour results here.