January 19, 2019 (Sherbrooke, Que.) – Temperatures for this morning’s Haywood NorAm classic distance races were -19 deg. C., just above the legal limit, as the racers headed out on the course at Bishop’s University. It was Race Day 2 the second of three World Championship trials events. The women were skiing 10k, and the men 15km, in an interval start Classic format.

In yesterday’s sprint, Nakkertok’s Katherine Stewart-Jones had been edged out of a World Championships berth, by a fraction of a second, so in this 2nd trial race, she decided to leave nothing to chance with a blazing fast start.

On the first lap Katherine had built up a 10 second gap over Cendrine Browne of Fondeurs Laurentides and increased that to half a minute by the end of the race. This unofficially qualifies Katherine for the World Championships in Seefeld, Austria next month. Nakkertok’s Zoë Williams finished 3rd, claiming her first career NorAm podium.

In the Junior race, Bronwyn Williams (Zoë’s sister) claimed gold, ahead of Tove Halvorsen another Nakkertok skier and local favourite Alexander Racine of Orford.

Hardwood’s Scott Hill has had a bit of a rough year with illness, since claiming gold and silver at last year’s Nationals. Today he put that behind him with a 8 second win over Canmore’s Russell Kennedy in the 15k trials event. In 3rd was “veteran” Whitehorse skier Graham Nishikawa.

As with Stewart-Jones, this result unofficially qualifies Scott for the World Championships.

In the Jr. Men’s event Felix-Olivier Moreau of Mont Ste-Anne was the winner, by 6 seconds over Tallon Noble of Strathcona Nordic. Local Orford skier Olivier Léveillé was 3rd.

Sunday’s race will certainly be interesting, as the athletes look to grab a final berth on the World Championship team in a mass start, skate race. The confounding factor, the call for 25 cm of new snow in the morning, after a significant fall overnight.

Results