January 07, 2017 (Heber City, Utah) – The women’s 10km Freestyle interval start race at the 2017 L.L.Bean US Cross Country Nationals in Park City, Utah was a battle between two pre-race favorites, with Caitlin Gregg of Team Gregg racing to a narrow win over Chelsea Holmes of APU Nordic Ski Center.

Gregg was 13 seconds behind Holmes after the first lap, but managed a 2-second victory with a time of 27:00. Caitlin Patterson, coming back from illness she contracted on the World Cup earlier this year, finished third at 14.5 seconds behind.

Gregg, who won bronze in the distance at the 2015 FIS World Championships in Falun, Sweden, said she started conservatively due to the high altitude. “I told myself before the start that I need to make sure I maintain level three,” she said after the race. “But up here it never is truly threshold. Thinking about that just gives you the room to put the hammer down when you need to.”

Gregg needed to on the last climb, where she said she was just behind some Canadian women whom she had caught. She added that her sprint to the finish may have been what gave her the two seconds she needed to overtake her fast-starting APU rival.

Holmes, who had bested Gregg in their last encounter this season at the NorAm / Supertour in Silverstar, said that she usually starts fast. “I got tired near the end,” she said, “but that’s to be anticipated.” Holmes, one of the strongest longer distance skiers in the US in the last few years, was coy about her chances to qualify for the upcoming FIS Nordic World Championships, in Lahti, Finland. “That’s not for me to decide,” she said, “and I try not to think about that.”

Gregg was also reticent to talk about her chances at qualifying. According to the selection criteria, athletes are judged on their two best races in each discipline, ie. sprinting and distance, so Gregg, whose previous best finish this season is 4th, still has to make a strong point in the 20km classic to secure a spot. “I can only do what I can do and it is what it is – I feel good about accomplishing my goals today,” she said, “It’s a tough position for everybody here to be in for the best reasons – we have such a strong national team who are on the podium all the time.”

Third-place finisher Caitlin Patterson, of Craftsbury Green Racing Project, was clearly disappointed with her performance at 15 seconds from the win. “I’m not that stoked about it. I really didn’t feel very good, but I just had to keep myself moving,” she said, “I got back from Europe and I got a bad cold so I’ve been struggling with health for the last three weeks. I didn’t get in the lead up intensity I wanted to.”

On her chances of making the US Worlds team, one of her season goals, she said that she will have to wait and see. “My chances are still alive but I’ll have to do something big in the 20km,” she said, “Today’s effort should help me shake out some of those feelings.”

Many Canadians are also on site contending for spots on their Nordic Worlds’ national team as well. World Cup veteran Emily Nishikawa led the Canucks in 11th just outside the top 10 on the day.

In NCAA action Petra Hyncicova picked up her first collegiate victory on Saturday in the women’s 10K freestyle, as the top U23 women’s finisher with a time of 28:23.6. She also placed in the top 10 of the L.L. Bean U.S. Cross Country Championships – 9th overall – which was being held in conjunction with the Utah Invitational at Soldier Hollow. It was the first women’s Nordic win by a Buff since 2013.

Katherine Ogden (Stratton Mountain School) was the top Junior woman finishing 4th overall.

Races were delayed by an hour due to unexpectedly cold temperatures which prevented the generators from starting.

Races continue on Jan. 8 with a Classic Sprint.

Results here.