January 14, 2012 (Farmington, ME) – Fresh from strong performances at US Nationals Corey Stock and Dakota Blackhorse von-Jess skied away from their respective fields to win the TD Bank Eastern Cup here today.

Behind Blackhorse von-Jess (Bend, OR / Bend Endurace Academy) the Craftsbury Green Racing Project showed its strength under the guidance of coach Pepa Miloucheva, taking 2nd and 3rd place for the men with Tim Reynolds (Craftsbury Common, VT) and Patrick O’Brien (Craftsbury Common, VT) as well as Maria Stuber (North Petersburg, NY) and Clare Egan (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) in 3rd and 4th in the women’s race.

On the women’s side, Corey Stock (Lincoln, MA / Cambridge Sports Union) took the win followed closely by Rosie Brennan (Anchorage, AK / Alaska Pacific University). Maine Winter Sports Center’s Hilary McNamee was 5th and Hannah Miller (Craftsbury) was 6th.  Youngster Julia Kern, a first year J2, won the B-final in impressive fashion.

For the men, Cumberland, Maine’s Sam Tarling (Dartmouth) was 4th followed by nearby Sidney, Maine’s Nils Koons in 5th.  UNH’s Eric Lindgen took the final place in the final.  A semi-final crash pushed Harvard’s Chris Stock into the B-final which he won skiing away from the field.

Freeport Maine’s Jack Elder was the champion of the J2 boys field, winning the J2 heats for his new Cumberland County Nordic Club and coach Nick Kline.  He edged Ben Hegman (Mount Mansfield / Huntington, VT) and Henry Harmeyer (Mount Mansfield / Underhill, VT) for victory in the final.

While several J2 women qualified into the open heats, including 7th place overall finisher Julia Kern, the other J2 girls went head to head in heats of their own.  Emerging at the top was Charlotte Cole (CSU / Chestnut Hill, MA) followed by Lauren Gillott (Craftsbury NSC / Waterford, VT) and the winner’s CSU teammate Hadley Moreau (Falmouth, ME)

The race took place on mostly artificial snow at Titcomb Mountain where volunteers worked tirelessly this week to prepare for the big event.  Chief of Competition Rose Hines was pleased with the outcome as were the hundreds of competitors, coaches, parents and spectators that found their way to Titcomb today.

Tomorrow’s action gets started at 10AM with a 5 kilometer freestyle event for J2s followed by an 8 kilometer women’s race and a 12 kilometer men’s event.  The women and men will ski 6 and 8 laps around the 1.5 kilometer course creating another amazing day for spectators as long as they are prepared for the cold temperatures.

Dress warmly and we look forward to seeing you back at Titcomb Mountain in Farmington tomorrow!

Full results HERE.