March 03, 2011 – After last weekend’s NCAA Regional Championships hosted by Bates College, EISA announced the end of year awards. For full awards info, NCAA Regional Championships results and NCAA Schedule visit www.eisaskiing.org.

2011 EISA Award Recipients

Alpine Men
First Team
– Jonathan Nordbotten, UVM
– Kevin Drury, UVM
– Tim Kelly, UVM
– Robby Kelley, UVM
– Paul Atkinson, UNH

Second Team
– Rob Cone, Middlebury
– Hig Roberts, Middlebury
– Zach Clayton, UNH
– Sean Higgins, UVM
– Trevor Leafe, UVM

Alpine Women
First Team
– Kate Ryley, UVM
– Meg Ryley, UVM
– Courtney Hammond, Dartmouth
– Annie Rendall, Dartmouth
– Geordie Lonza, Williams

Second Team
– Nicole Dvorak, Middlebury
– Lyndee Janowiak, UVM
– Bryana Park, UVM
– Ashley-Kate Durham, St. Lawrence
– Laurel Carter, Williams

Nordic Men
First Team
– Eric Packer, Dartmouth
– Sam Tarling Dartmouth
– Scott Patterson, UVM
– Nils Koons, Dartmoutn
– Franz Bernstein, UVM

Second Team
– Alex Howe, UVM
– Scott Lacy, Dartmouth
– Dimitri Luthi, Williams
– Erik Flagstrom, Dartmouth
– Fritz Horst, UVM

Nordic Women
First Team
– Caitlin Patterson, UVM
– Rosie Brennan, Dartmouth
– Lucy Garrec, UVM
– Erika Flowers, Dartmouth
– Amy Glen, UVM

Second Team
– Clare Egan, UNH
– Stephanie Crocker, Dartmouth
– Annie Hart, Dartmouth
– Caitlin Curran, UVM
– Elizabeth Guiney, UNH

Points Leader
– Alpine Men’s SL – Tim Kelley, UVM
– Alpine Men’s GS – Jonathan Nordbotten, UVM

– Alpine Women’s SL – Annie Rendall, Dartmouth
– Alpine Women’s GS – Kate Ryley, UVM

– Nordic Men’s – Eric Packer, Dartmouth
– Nordic Women’s – Caitlin Patterson, UVM

Rookie of the Year
– Alpine Men’s – Jonathan Nordbotten, UVM
– Alpine Women’s – Kate Ryley, UVM

– Nordic Men’s – Scott Patterson, UVM
– Nordic Women’s- Annie Hart, Dartmouth

EISA Coach of the Year
– Patrick Weaver, UVM
– Johnny Davidson, UVM

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.

January 30, 2011 (Otepaa, Estonia) – If you looked closely at today’s results for both men and women at the World Junior Championships in Estonia, Sunday was a fine day for the young junior skiers coming from Germany that is rebuilding its program – the men’s event especially so.

Joining the exclusive club of world junior winners was Germany’s Markus Weeger who took the gold medal in the 10km+10km Pursuit event and finished with a lead of 19.5 seconds over runner up Konstantin Kuleev of Russia. The talented Perttu Hyvarinen of Finland scored the bronze medal with a brilliant skating leg. Weeger’s time was 53:31.1.

The top North Americans in the field were Andy Shields of Canada in 31st in 56:29.0, with the USA’s Scott Patterson in 35th in 56:40.0.

Weeger, who skis for the strong and long-respected Nordic club in Hirschau, has had an impressive week indeed, winning silver as well at this week’s JWC in the 10km free race.

As the race got underway the field remained close together for nearly the entire 10km classic leg. About 20 athletes came into the exchange zone with nearly the same time.

In the first loop of the 3.3km skating leg Weeger tested his opponents daring them to match his tempo, and on the second loop he attacked on an uphill and no one was able to respond to his torrid pace. He continued to build precious seconds all the way to the finish line to take the win.

The battle for second and third was another matter entirely. Thomas Wick (GER) tried to make a break and was chased down, while Slovenian Rok Trsan pushed the pace as well. Then the Finn Hyvarinen moved up and gained ground, settling into a battle with Russian Kullev. At the finish Kuleev had just enough left to take second.

Weeger told the FIS Press Service that he felt very good today. “The wind was very strong, but the race was amazing. The win was a surprise for me, I didn’t (really) understand how I won. I didn’t have any tactics for this race. I just wanted to see, how does it go and now I am a champion.”

Rounding out the North American finishers included Russ Kennedy (CAN) in 42nd, George Cartwright (USA) in 43rd, Andrew Dougherty (USA) in 51st, Tyler Kornfield (USA) in 56th and Canada’s Jordan Cascagnette in 70th. Patrick Stewart-Jones did not finish for Canada.

Full results HERE.

January 26, 2011 (Otepaa, Estonia) – While it was a mixed nation podium today in the men’s junior 10km free race, the top step again belonged to Norway. On a cool day with powdery snow conditions the winner delivered a world cup worthy performance. The victor was Sindre Bjoernestad Skar of Norway with a time of 24:05.2. Second place went to Markus Weeger of Germany, who was back 16 seconds while third went to Perttu Hyvarinen (FIN) at 17.5 seconds.

While the course is getting positive reviews, it is a tough one. Following the event Skar said, “I knew this race was my best chance at Otepaa to be the champion. I knew I had to fight from the very first 100 meters to the end. It am very happy to be the champion. That’s amazing,”.

Weeger was not disappointed by winning the silver medal. “I began this race slowly (and built into it)….My skis were very fast. I didn’t expect to be on the podium,” he commented.

The top American was Alaska skier, Scott Patterson, now racing for UVM, in 28th. Head coach of the US Junior Ski Team squad in Estonia, Matt Whitcomb, described Patterson’s race to SkiTrax in a phone interview. “I just talked with him,” said Whitcomb, “Scott said he felt off the mark in today’s race. He said he went out poorly, it was cold and that he felt flat. But, I’ll tell you, to be flat and off the mark and still finish in the top thirty is pretty good. He can be in the top ten in this event.”

Denver’s Andrew Dougherty placed 49th, Erik Bjornsen from Mazama, WA was 57th and George Cartwright (NMU) was tied in 76th.

Andy Shields from Waterloo lead the Canadian men in 49th with a time of 26:20.3, followed by Canmore Nordic’s Russ Kennedy in 50th, Jordan Cascagnette (Team Hardwood) in 64th, and Adam Gillmor from Rocky Mountain Racers in 68th.

“Overall, I think our men had an average day,” Canadian coach Eric de Nys told SkiTrax by email. “There are tough shoes to fill with our last crop of juniors and the likes of Alex Harvey and Fred Touchette. Our target is still the podium but we’re not at that point yet.

“Andy started very fast but just couldn’t maintain the pace. After skiing the 17th fastest on the first lap, he started to fade and ended up 49th and wasn’t happy with his effort. His favourite race is the pursuit and he’s looking forward to it. Russell skied consistently  and overall was happy with his effort while Jordan said he felt okay about his race. Aaron wasn’t overly pleased with his day and feels he can do better. The focus now is the upcoming races.”

Thirty-five nations are taking part in the FIS World Junior and U-23 World Nordic Championships. This year’s championships mark the first time they have live television coverage on EuroSport 2.

Full results HERE.

January 14, 2011 (Lake Placid, NY) – It was a busy day at the Mackenzie Interval Ski Jumping Complex with over 400 skiers competing in three events, headlined by the third stop of USSA SuperTour series. Both fields raced around a challenging 2-kilometer loop with a consistent 1-kilometer climb from the base of the Olympic ski jumps almost to the take-off. The men completed five laps for 10km classic style racing and the women contested three loops for 6km. The weather wasn’t too much of a factor for this classic race, with overcast skies, calm wind, and temperatures in the mid-teens

The SuperTour points leaders in both fields – Alaska’s Lars Flora and Holly Brooks – both won their races maintaining APU’s dominance on the trails. Flora finished 11 seconds ahead of US Ski Team member, Noah Hoffman from Aspen, Colorado, his teammate for the World Championships in Oslo, Norway this coming February. Rounding out the men’s podium was Scott Patterson, a University of Vermont skier, who claimed the SLU Carnival college division victory as the race was hosted by St. Lawrence University.

Brooks led an APU podium sweep in the women’s race as her teammate Kate Fitzgerald claimed 2nd and Morgan Smyth grabbed third. Brooks is another top level skier that will be racing at Worlds in Olso. Just off the podium for the women was Caitlin Patterson, skiing for UVM, who matched her brother’s win in the college race of the season. Both Patterson’s will be racing for the USA in Oteppa, Estonia at the end of January – Scott in Junior Worlds and Caitlin in U23 Worlds.

It was a great day for skiers of all experience levels to compete with some of the best athletes in the country. College racers were  on course with the top open athletes from the SuperTour rankings, and juniors and masters skiers competing in the Harry Eldridge Memorial race also got to rub shoulders with the nation’s best. Despite all the abuse, the tracks stayed strong throughout the event.

Full women’s results HERE.
Full men’s results HERE.

January 14, 2011 (Lake Placid, NY) – Lars Flora (APU) won the Men’s 10km classic race on Friday as Lake Placid SuperTour got underway, with a venue change as athletes competed at the Olympic Jumping Complex on a 2km loop with Noah Hoffman (Aspen/USST) gliding into second place 11s behind Flora, and Scott Patterson (UVM) in third at 20s back. Skies were overcast with great snow conditions and no snowfall or wind – final results HERE.

Unofficial (brief)

Men’s 10km Classic
1. Lars Flora (APU) 26.13
2. Noah Hoffman (Aspen/USST) 0:11
3. Scott Patterson (UVM) 0:20
4. Sam Tarling (Dartmouth)
5. Franz Bernstein (UVM)