March 7, 2005 – Eli Enman of Huntington Vermont skied to victory at the fourth annual Banknorth Great Glen to Bretton Woods Nordic Adventure on Sunday, March 6. A 50 km and 25 km classical ski event, the course rounds the northern half of 6, 288 ft. Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast. The winning time was 3 hours, 3.8 seconds. Enman placed third in last year’s event and skis for Rossignol. This year’s field had 418 skiers participating. “Oh man, it was great. What an adventure. A little bit of everything on the course,” Enman said. Rounding out the top spots were second place finisher Eben Sargent of Orleans, VT with a time of 3 hours, 1 minute 22.6 seconds, and placing third was Jon Arne Enevoldsen, of Waitsfield, VT, with a time of 3 hours, 2 minutes, 40.7 seconds.

In the women’s division, Anne Rasmussen, of Plymouth, NH, finished first with a time of 3 hours, 22 minutes, 44.8 seconds. She placed third in the event last year. Finishing second was Kathy Maddock, of Wilton, NH in 3 hours, 23 minutes, 57.4 seconds, and Joann Hanowski, of Duluth, MN took third place in 3 hours 31 minutes 5.7 seconds.

In the 25 km option, Chris City of Belmont, MA took top honors with a time of 1 hour 33 minutes, 40 seconds. Finishing second in the men’s division was Jim Fredricks with a time of 1 hour 34 minutes, 25 seconds, and Nicolas DeFrancis, of Norwich, VT took third in 1 hour 34 minutes, 47 seconds. First place in the women’s division went to Marilyn Hickey of Concord, NH finishing in 1 hour 50 minutes and 33 seconds.
Jenna Maddock, of South Berwick, ME finished second in 2 hours 15 minutes and 8 seconds and Crystal Ward of Cambridge, MA placed third with a time of 2 hours 15 minutes and 27 seconds.

A point-to-point event similar in format to the Canadian Ski Marathon or Birkebeiner of Wisconsin, the Banknorth Great Glen to Bretton Woods Nordic Adventure began with a mass start at Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center in Pinkham Notch, NH. The course utilized the trails of the Great Glen and Bretton Woods Nordic Centers, a narrow connector trail into the White Mountain National Forest, trails of the U.S. Forest Service Dolly Copp system, forest roads not plowed during winter, and part of the Presidential Range Rail Trail. The use of the trails was made possible by working in coordination with the U.S. Forest Service, the NH Department of Transportation, the NH Bureau of Trails, NH Fish & Game, and the local snowmobile clubs.

The greatest climb of the event took skiers to the top of Jefferson Notch, at an elevation of 3000 feet. A long descent took the participants to the final kilometers on the Bretton Woods Nordic system, at the western base of Mt. Washington. An awards party with refreshments was provided for those participating in the Nordic Adventure. Timing was provided by Jackson Ski Touring Association.

From the panoramic views of the Northern Presidential Mountain Range on the Great Glen side to the grand Mount Washington Hotel coming into view as adventurers skied out of the wooded trails and crossed finish line adjacent to Bretton Woods’ Nordic Center, the course traveled through some of New Hampshire’s most scenic terrain. Both Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center and the Bretton Woods Nordic Area are part of historic New Hampshire properties. Great Glen Trails is the partner company of the 144-year-old Mt. Washington Auto Road. The 8-mile road to the summit of the Northeast’s highest peak, 6, 288 ft, Mt. Washington is America’s oldest manmade attraction. Bretton Woods is on the grounds of the Mount Washington Hotel, one of the last of the region’s grand hotels of the past. This National Historic Landmark opened in 1902 and was the most luxurious hotel of its day.

The change of terrain accompanied by potential extreme weather variations on the journey from Great Glen Trails to Bretton Woods can involve dramatic changes in temperature, wind, and conditions lending an element of the unknown to the challenge. Event Director Sue Wemyss, a 1984 Nordic Ski Olympian, said, “Every year has a new twist, a new challenge. Between Great Glen and Bretton Woods there are so many variables in the weather, terrain, and snow that every year will be different. Conditions can change suddenly and without warning.”

On the first year of the Adventure, the event had to be was moved entirely to the Bretton Woods Nordic trail system due to lack of snow at critical sections of the course. The second year was characterized by continuous condition changes. With rain, then heavy snow at the start, sunshine and freezing temperatures as the event progressed, then fresh snow on the other side of Mt. Washington, it was very difficult for those choosing the right wax. This year the weather was not an issue at all, but there were some thin spots along the way where some skiers actually removed their skies and walked a short distance. “That’s why we call it an adventure,” says Wemyss. This year featured partly sunny skies and temperatures in the 20s at the start and overcast with temperatures in the 30s and snow at the finish for the later finishers.
A special “Double Marathon Challenge” award was presented to those who skied both the 50K Banknorth Great Glen to Bretton Woods Nordic Adventure and the Banknorth Rangeley Lakes Loppet on March 5, a skate discipline event held the day before. Making his victory even more impressive, overall winner Eli Enman also won the Banknorth Rangeley Lakes Loppet event. “I thought maybe it’s brave or maybe it crazy but it was something I really wanted to do,” said Enman. Joann Hanowski, the third place finisher in today’s Nordic Adventure, won the Rangely event in the women’s division.

The title sponsor for the event was Banknorth. Other sponsors included LL Bean, Buderus, RSN TV 16, Atomic, Rossignol, Swix, Salomon, Toko, Maxiglide, Sporthill, Fischer, Craft, Red Parka Pub, Patagonia, Hammer Gel, Clif Bar, Ragged Mountain, PowerAde and Dasani.

Harpoon Brewery and Hershey provided refreshments for the awards ceremony. Sysco Foods provided food for the awards ceremony and aid stations. Annie’s Homegrown provided pasta for the awards ceremony
This is the fourth event in the New England Nordic Ski Association’s New England Marathon Series. Other events in the 2005 Series include: The Banknorth Craftsbury Marathon held on January 29 in Craftsbury, VT, the Banknorth Sugarloaf Ski Marathon on February 12 in Sugarloaf, ME, and the Banknorth Rangeley Lakes Loppet on March 5 in Rangeley, ME.

Final results, photos, and information are available at the event website www.GreatGlentoBrettonWoods.com. Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center is located on Rt. 16 in Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire. For more information about them visit www.GreatGlenTrails.com. Bretton Woods Nordic Ski Area is on Rt. 302 in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. Their website is www.mtwashington.com.