January 10, 2017 (Heber City, Utah) – Ben Lustgarten, competing in his first year with the Craftsbury Green Racing Project, raced to his first national title in the men’s 30km CL mass start competition despite more challenging and sloppy conditions at the 2017 L.L.Bean US Cross Country Nationals in Soldier Hollow, Utah.

David Norris, of APU Nordic Ski center, finished second for the silver at 20 seconds behind, while multi-decorated veteran, Kris Freeman (Ski Club Vail), grabbed the final podium spot in third, another 45 seconds back.

Leading the Canadian charge was Whitehorse skier, Knute Johnsgaard, of the Alberta World Cup Academy, who finished 6th. Renowned para-Nordic skier Brian McKeever (Canadian Para Nordic Team) placed 12th leading a small group of fellow Canucks including Patrick Stewart-Jones (AWCA), Bob Thompson (NTDC Thunder Bay) and Erik Carleton (Canadian Para Nordic Team).

Lustgarten’s stellar performance adds another strong bid for selection to the World Championships, as the 24-year-old Middlebury College graduate also had a second-place finish at the West Yellowstone Supertour in December.

Full results here.