December 15, 2008 (Sovereign Lake, BC) – Despite dropping temperatures and patches of darkness Canadian National Team member Dave Nighbor and Kristina Strandberg of the Saab Salomon Factory team battled the elements and skied to victory in the third and final Haywood NorAm event Saturday evening hosted by the Sovereign Lake Nordic Ski Club.

Due to the relocation of the 3-day event to Sovereign Lake from Whistler Olympic Park the classic distance event held on Saturday was staged at 5 pm as the facility’s trails were reserved during the day. Portable lighting units spotted the race trail where the course deviated from existing lights and in one spot snowmobiles were used to light up a dark downhill corner.

At 30 minutes to racing time a jury decision let the event go as temperatures were holding a -16 C. The women were first to go at 5 pm in their 10km race, completing 3-laps of a 3.3km course. Strandberg was fastest around stopping the clock at 31:09.7. Just under 13 seconds behind was Madeleine Williams of Edmonton Nordic in second and following her for third was National Team member Brittany Webster. Behind Nighbor in the men’s 15km race, was Saab Salomon’s Andre Golovko in second and Olympian and APU-Elite team member James Southam took third.

For complete results click here.

Results (brief)

Women

1. Kristina Strandberg (Swe) 31:09.7
2. Madeleine Williams (Can)
3. Brittany Webster (Can) 31:22.4
4. Milaine Theriault (Can) 32:00.1
5. Becca Rorabaugh (USA) 32:01.6

Men

1. Dave Nighbor (Can) 45:29.7
2. Andre Golovko (Kaz) 45:42.3
3. James Southam (Can) 46:05.9
4. Alex Harvey (Can) 46:10.6
5. Graham Nishikawa (Can) 46:21.6