February 11, 2009 (Alaska) – Marius Korthauer won the men’s 10Km but younger sister Aurelia failed in her bid to duplicate the feat as Kate Fitzgerald of APU overtook Korthauer on the Tower Direct climb and skied to a clear victory. As they returned to the stadium on White Bear and approached the finish, Eiben was making a move to catch Korthauer, but it wasn’t enough, as a visibly drained Korthauer held on for a second-place finish to go with her win on Saturday.

Fitzgerald used a big move to catch and then drop Korthauer, who had led for the first 7 Km. Korthauer led out of the gate, with Fitzgerald and APU teammate Ky Eiben skiing about 10-15 seconds back as they completed the first lap. As the skiers finished up the Blue Loop, descended the ramp headed up the East Ramp on the Tower ascent, Korthauer appeared to be slowing a bit, and Fitzgerald and Eiben had begun to nibble away at Korthauer’s lead.

At the bottom of the Tower it was Fitzgerald who appeared first, with Korthauer right behind, but Eiben had not been able to bridge the gap with Fitzgerald. After re-entering the stadium, the course took the skiers down to the Biathlon Range and back. Fitzgerald used this loop to build a sizable lead on Korthauer. At the finish Fitzgerald had a 29 second lead over second, and 32 seconds over third.

ANR skiers Kaily Mucha and Alyson McPhetres came in about a minute later, then it was another minute back to agroup of five skiers that included Sara Tegeler (UAA), Christina Knapp (East Anc HS), Rebecca Mamrol (AWS), Morgan Bender (ANR) and Heather Edic (FXC).

In the men’s race, eventual winner Marius Korthauer and team FAST skiers David Norris and Reese Hanneman pulled away to an early lead. Korthauer and Norris dropped Hanneman decisively on the Black Funk climb but skied together around the Blue Loop. At the entrance to the Tower Direct, about a third of the way up the Tower Climb Norris and Korthauer were still skiing together. At that point, or shortly thereafter, Korthauer turned on the jets, as he had a huge lead on Norris at the exit from the Tower.

Those three skiers remained in the top three places at the finish, with Norris 24 seconds back and Hanneman a further 16 seconds behind. APU teammates Erin Phillips and Bobby Miller skied together most of the race to take 4th and 5th. Aaron Fletcher (South Anc HS) was a clear 6th, but at the finish was getting reeled in rapidly by a six-man group consisting of Lars Arneson (ANR), Jordan Buetow (FXC), Kelsey Boyer (FXC), James Crimp (AWS), David Besh (AWS) and Donald Haering (APU). From Arneson to Haering was 4.2 seconds.

Logan Hanneman (FAST) walked away from the J2/J3 Boys 5K field, winning easily by 17 seconds over Travis Semmens (ANR). Forrest Mahlen rounded out the J2 podium. Jack Parke (APU) was tops in the J3 field over Alex Loan (ANR) and Tanner Ramey (APU).

Celia Haering of APU won a group finish in the J2 Girls 5K by 1.5 seconds over Kryston McPhetres (ANR), Maranda Merkes (Soldotna HS), Bree Mucha (ANR) and Hannah Boyer (FXC). APU’s Jane Hoefler won the J3 Girls class by two minutes over Jade Hajdukovich (FXC) with Erica Barnhart (APU) third. Hoefler was a repeat winner from Saturday.

Other class winners: J6 Boys – Ethan Hamlin, Weller; J6 Girls – Amber Hajdukovich, Salcha; J5 Girls – Jenna DiFolco; J4 Boys – Max Donaldson (FXC) with Joe Bue (FXC) second; J4 Girls – Kiana Hamlin (FJC)

Complete results available here.