January 06, 2011 (Rumford, ME) – Tad Elliott (CXC) took no prisoners as he claimed the senior men’s 30km skate mass start title at the 2011 US XC Nationals at Black Mountain in Rumford, ME edging out yesterday’s 15km classic winner, Lars Flora (APU) by 1/10th of a second for win in a final lunge at the line. USST member Noah Hoffman, who is back from his first kick at European World Cup racing, snagged the final podium spot. It was a beautiful crisp, sunny day and conditions for today’s races were great with a pretty fast course that held up well.

For Elliott, the son of two-time US Olympian Mike Elliott, it was his second national title – his first was last spring at Ft. Kent, Maine where he won the national 50km freestyle. Flora was second in that race as well.

Elliott got good information while he was racing which helped him out. “I was getti

ng a lot of great information out on the course. I knew it was going to be close, and I knew that my good friends Lars and Noah were close. Lars has been so good this year, and he’s a hero of mine. It just been awesome to ski with him.”  Elliott said that he had a good feeling when he awoke this morning. ” I just felt great and I put on my race skis from CXC and they were just crazy fast, which was so sweet.”

Full results HERE.

Results

1. Tad Elliot (Central Cross Country Skiing), 1:10:16.2
2. Lars Flora (Alaska Pacific University), 1:10:16.3
3. Noah Hoffman (Aspen Valley Ski Club/U.S. Ski Team) 1:10:19.2
4. Leif Zimmerman (Bridger Ski Foundation), 1:11:9.0
5. Michael Sinnot (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation), 1:11.13.5
6. Brian Gregg (Central Cross Country Skiing), 1:11:13.7
7. Alexander Treinen (University of Alaska Fairbanks), 1:11.39.6
8. James Southam (Alaska Pacific University), 1:12.10.3
9. Garrrott Kuzzy (Central Cross Country Skiing), 1:12:14.4
10. Sylvan Ellefson (Ski and Snowboard Club Vail), 1:12.25.9