March 16, 2014 (Corner Brook, Newfoundland) – Race Day 1 at the Haywood Ski Nationals got underway on Saturday (Mar. 15) with Team Sprints at the Blow Me Down ski trails in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. The classic event was run on great tracks considering there was a full day of freezing rain 48 hours before.

The races were a tale of two parts of the country as the North and West dominated the older age categories and the East was on top in most of the younger races.

In the Open Women’s class it was Whitehorse ski club that dominated capturing a gold and bronze medal. For gold it was an easy ski as junior Dahria Beatty and Olympian Emily Nishikawa led most of the way for a 20 second victory over Foothills skiers Marlis Kromm and Olympian Heidi Widmer. It was the Whitehorse #2 team in 3rd, Anna Hanthorn and Kendra Murray, 3 seconds later.

Open Women's Podium © CCC

The Open Men’s race was a tight battle for the podium positions between Foothills, Canmore and Whitehorse.  The lead changed many times and at the finish it was Foothills Olympian Jesse Cockney who edged out Phil Widmer for the victory by .8 seconds. Foothills and Canmore had led out with Kevin Sandau and Russell Kennedy, Whitehorse picked up a 3rd medal with Colin Abbot and Knute Johnsgaard just .5 seconds later.

Open Men's podium © CCC

The college/university races saw Lakehead University gain a commanding 18 second victory in the woman’s race led by Erin Tribe and Alannah Maclean. U Laval were 2nd with Camille Pepin and Myriam Paquette and Lakehead picked up another medal with Jennifer Jackson and Annie Mathews.

NST/Olympian Perianne Jones (right) visits Martine at the CCC tent © CCC

The men’s CCUNC race was a bit tighter as Laval and Lakehead battled it out for the title. Vincent Roseberry and Frédéric Touchette prevailed for Laval at the finish with a .3 second photo finish victory over Greg Kilroy and Harry Seaton. Carleton’s André Marchand and Steffan Lloyd came 3rd, in another very close finish over Lakehead 2 with Scott Hill and Victor Hopper.

The Challenge Boys race was a tight competition with 3 Skibec teams challenging for the lead with Team Hardwood and Chelsea Nordiq.

Challenge Boys relay start © CCC

It was a 3 way sprint to the finish and it took a long look at the photo finish to determine that Chelsea’s William Dumas and Aaron Fahey had outlunged Skibec’s Olivier Hamel and Philippe Boucher by a fraction of a second.  Joey Foster and Ryan Jackson came 3rd just 2 seconds later.

Chelsea ekes out the victory over Skibec © CCC

The Challenge girls event was a little more clear cut as Hollyburn with Katie Weaver and Annika Richardson had a 3 second victory over Montériski’s Delphine Duvernay Tardif and Gabrielle Sarthou. Laurence Dumais and Dafné Théroux Izquierdo of Fondeur Laurentides came 3rd narrowly beating Big Thunder’s Camille Hamm and Mia Serratore for bronze.

Results

There a reason for the  Blow Me Down club’s name and predicted 100 km/hr winds overnight should introduce the visitors to the local weather. It is doubtful the wax tech’s will sleep much before Sunday’s individual classic races as the weather is supposed to be sub zero with some snow early in the morning, changing to rain and +4 in the middle of the races and then changing back below zero with snow later in the afternoon.