Posted on 21 February 2011
Tags: Cate Brams, competition, Corey Stock, Craftsbury Green Racing Project, David Sinclair, Dylan McGuffin, Hamish McEwen, Hannah Benson, Hannah Dreissigacker, Heather Mooney, Heidi Halvorsen, Jack Schrupp, Janice Sibilia, Junior Olympic Team, Justin Freeman, Matt Boobar, NENSA, NH, Patrick O'brien, Plymouth, Racing, TD Bank Cheri Walsh Memorial, TD Bank Eastern Cup, Tim Reynolds, Tyler Foulkes, XC skiing
February 21, 2011 (Plymouth, NH) – Even though Patrick O’Brien and Corey Stock fell just short of victory in today’s TD Bank Cheri Walsh Memorial, they each grabbed enough points with their 2nd place finishes to win the 2011 TD Bank Eastern Cup title. Stock’s victory is especially remarkable considering that she did not return to the race course until the final weekend of January because of injury.
Craftsbury Green Racing Project skiers were stacked at the top of the results sheet today and Hannah Dreissigacker started it all off with her 10-second victory in the women’s 5K. Stock (CSU / Lincoln, MA) was second with Heather Mooney (SMS / Peru, VT) another 10 seconds back in third. Heidi Halvorsen (GMVS / Waitsfield, VT) was the top J2, finishing an impressive 6th overall. Hannah Benson (MWN / Jackson, NH) was 10th overall and the second J2, with overal J2 leader Cate Brams just a few seconds back in 13th overall.
Former Olympian, now school teacher Justin Freeman (New Hampton, NH) showed his strength in the classic technique and won the men’s 10K. He was followed closely by a trio of Craftsbury GRP skiers: O’Brien, Tim Reynolds, and Dylan McGuffin. The race’s top junior was David Sinclair.
For J2 Boys, season-long leader Tyler Foulkes (SMS / Jamaica, VT) won over Jack Schrupp (Gunstock / Gilford, NH) and Hamish McEwen (CSU / Weston, MA.)
At the conclusion of today’s events, the 2011 New England Junior Olympic Team was named in front of a packed crowd at the Holderness School auditorium. The team will head to Minneapolis, Minnesota in two weeks to defend its two-year hold on the Alaska Cup awarded to the nations strongest regional team. The TD Bank Eastern Cup series this season featured the presence of Olympians like Justin Freeman, top collegiate skiers from the east, and incredible competition for all ages; with these races behind them, the New England JO Team skiers are well-prepared for the competition they will face in Minneapolis. They are also well-guided by trip leader Janice Sibilia and head coach Matt Boobar.
Link to all TD Bank Eastern Cup Finals results HERE.
Link to final Junior Olympic Qualifier Standings, Final Eastern Cup Standings, and more HERE.
Posted on 20 December 2010
Tags: Caitlin Patterson, Craftsbury Green Racing Project, Dartmouth College, Sophie Caldwell, TD Bank Eastern Cup, Tim Reynolds, UVM
December 20, 2010 (Jericho, VT) – The Ethan Allen Firing Range hosted today’s TD Bank Eastern Cup. The original host, the Craftsbury Outdoor Center, had enough snow to pull of yesterday’s freestyle sprint on their own trails, but felt that moving to Jericho for the longer mass start classic races would provide the best possible racing conditions for the athletes. They were right. With temperatures in the mid-twenties, easy waxing, and a beautiful race course, smiles were everywhere at today’s events.
The biggest smiles might have been from Tim Reynolds (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) and Sophie Caldwell (Dartmouth College) who completed sweeps of the weekend’s racing. Each won both today’s 12K classic and yesterday 1.3K freestyle sprint.
The day began with the J2s, athletes aged fifteen and younger. In the boys race it was the experience of Hamish McEwan (CSU) and Tyler Foulkes (Stratton Mountain School) edging out Ben Hegman (Mansfield Nordic) who enters his first year in the age group. The girls were next and once again, it was the 2nd year J2s Heidi Halvorsen (GMVS) and Cate Brams (CSU) taking first and second with 1st year J2 Brooke Mooney (Stratton) taking third. The sprint to the finish between Halvorsen and Brams was one of the most intense of the day.
Collegiate standouts Sophie Caldwell (Dartmouth) and Caitlin Patterson (UVM) dueled at the front of the women’s race. In the end, it was Caldwell gliding to a 2.6 second victory. About 20 seconds later, Heather Mooney (Stratton) crossed the line to take the top junior spot and third on the podium.
The men’s race stayed in a pack until Reynolds, his teammate Patrick O’brien, and UVM’s Scott Patterson broke away on the third of four laps. While the break was not huge, it was enough to decide the podium. Reynolds stretched across the line 1.6 seconds ahead of O’brien with Patterson another 4.5 seconds behind. In grabbing third, 2010 World Junior Championship standout Patterson also grabbed top junior honors.
The first weekend of TD Bank Eastern Cup racing concluded and will be remembered for excellent conditions despite general lack of snowfall so far this winter. It will also be remembered for attracting very strong fields on both the men’s and women’s side. Momentum from this event will help carry New England athletes to success at the upcoming US Nationals January 2-8 in Rumford, Maine and the next Eastern Cup on January 30th at Weston Ski Track, just outside of Boston.
TD Bank Eastern Cup events are sanctioned by the International Skiing Federation (FIS), the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and NENSA; it is widely recognized as the premiere regionally skiing circuit in the United States, attracting strength of fields second only to the Super Tour in this country.
Full results HERE.