January 8, 2014 (Midway, UT ) – An overnight snow storm that tumbled into the morning and early afternoon made for challenging conditions but Sylvan Ellefson (Team Homegrown), Caitlin Gregg (Team Gregg) took no prisoners on their way to claiming the men’s 30km and women’s 20km FR titles respectively on Day 3 at the the 2014 US Cross Country Championships.

Caitlin Gregg © Ian Harvey/Toko

Katherine Ogden (Stratton Mountain School) and Patrick Caldwell (Dartmouth College) skied their way to the 5/10km junior crowns as the Championships completed three of four rounds at a snowy Soldier Hollow, Utah. Conditions resulted in an array of wax and ski changes throughout today’s four mass start events.

Early in the 30km race, two competitors attempted to gap the pack, one managing to gain over 30 seconds on the 20+ person chase group, but both efforts could not be sustained. In the end, it was a surge in the fifth of six laps around the Olympic 5km course by Ellefson that lasted until the finish line as he won his first national gold title.

“It was the culmination of ten years of training and everything,” said Ellefson of the win. “I couldn’t be happier right now. The only thing I’ve ever wanted to do is to win a National Championship and I’m glad it happened finally. I can’t tell you what it means to have all the support out here from my family, friends and the people who have believed in me since I started this journey.

Sylvan Ellefson (l) and Miles Havlick © Ian Harvey/Toko

“My race went exactly how I wanted it to go. My plan was to see how the race was going to unfold through the first 15k, and through 15k I still felt really good and like the race hadn’t quite began yet. Coming into that last lap I felt totally rejuvenated and ready to go. I knew the guys behind me knew that I was going for it and they’d be trying to close down. My skis were amazingly fast and on a day like today with variable conditions that’s what makes the day. I’m just glad I had a good body to compliment it today.”

Brian Gregg (Team Gregg) and Kris Freeman (Maine Winter Sports) followed Ellefson on the podium. Gregg went directly from the race to the airport to fly to compete for the US in the second period of the World Cup circuit, earning a berth on the team as a privilege of being the current SuperTour Leader.

On the women’s side, no amount of falling snow could slow the break that Caitlin Gregg managed from the start. She broke from the pack midway through the first of four laps and continued to gain time until she finished roughly three and a half minutes ahead of second place finisher Chelsea Holmes (Sun Valley Gold Team) and third place Rosie Brennan (Alaska Pacific University). It was the fourth career national title for Gregg.

Brian Gregg is on his way to the World Cup © Ian Harvey/Toko

“The 20K skate is my favorite,” Gregg commented earlier in the week, “Love distance racing, love the hills here, love skate skiing.” She, along with her husband, Brian, is en route to the Czech Republic for her first World Cup starts of the year.
In order to designate rankings for the Junior Worlds teams, the junior races split from the senior races today, with a 5k for the women and a 10k for the men. Both Ogden and Caldwell won handily, finishing solo in the final 100-meter stretch. Both racers were later named to the US World Juniors team.

Elite men's podium (l-r) Gregg 2nd, Ellefson 1st, Freeman 3rd © Annie Pokorny

“It was a fun day of racing, for sure,” said Caldwell, fresh off his win. Both Ogden and Caldwell made their victories definitive on the final hill of the course, taking their leads midway up Hermod’s Hill.

The final race of the competition, a classic sprint, will be held on Friday, Jan. 10. Shortly thereafter the U23 World Championships team will be named.

Women’s live results here with splits here.
Men’s live results here with splits here.
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