February 28, 2011 (Rumford, Maine) – Skiers reconvened at Black Mountain on Sunday for the second day of NCAA Eastern Regional Championships. The mass start classic races saw exciting action at the finish line, with skiers sprinting for top five positions and finishing within a few seconds of each other.

In the women’s race, a sprint finish saw Rosie Brennan (DAR) upset series leader Caitlin Patterson (UVM), securing the win by three seconds, finishing in a time of 52:35.6 for the 15km mass start classic race. Patterson narrowly out-sprinted her UVM team mate Amy Glen, who settled for third by half a second. With Brennan’s team mates Erika Flowers and Annie Hart sprinting for fourth Dartmouth put three skiers in the top five, Flowers crossing 4.8 seconds ahead of Hart.

Eric Packer (DAR) repeated his performance on Saturday, taking the win in 1:01:33.2 for the men’s 20km race. On Packer’s heels were UVM’s Scott Patterson in second place, down 8.3 seconds, and Dimitri Luthi (WIL), 12 seconds down. Packer’s Dartmouth team mate David Sinclair was fourth, crossing in a time of 1:02:11.9, Benjamin Lustgarten (MID) picking up fifth in 1:02:47.6.

UVM lead the weekend with 501 points squeaking by Darmouth with 500 in second followed by UNH in third with 327 points.

Skiers are gearing up for NCAA Championships which will be hosted by the University of Vermont with the Nordic events running from March 9-11.

Women’s results HERE.
Men’s results HERE.

Women’s Overall XC Ranking HERE.
Men’s Overall XC Ranking HERE.

Top Combined Nordic Team Scores HERE.

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.