Men's CL Sprint podium © Bryan Fish

December 08, 2015 (Sun Valley, ID) – Dakota Blackhorse-Von Jess of Bend Endurance Academy got revenge for last weekend’s sprint upset by the Hanneman brothers by winning the USSA Classic sprint Supertour in Sun Valley Idaho on Dec. 5 over Reese Hanneman, while APUNSC’s Becca Rorabaugh skied away from top qualifier Katlynn Miller to take the women’s title.

Race winner Blackhorse-Von Jess finished the qualification a full five seconds ahead of runner-up Reese Hannemen (APUNSC) and third place qualifier Eric Packer (APUNSC). “I knew Dakota would be hard to beat with the big downhill finish,” said Hanneman, “I just gave it full gas on the second climb. I knew it would be close because I could hear him from behind.”

It was Hanneman’s second straight second-place finish after being out-sprinted by his brother in the opening West Yellowstone Supertour. Third place went to eighth-place qualifier Tyler Kornfield, also of APUNSC. “As long as I stay on my feet I know I can make it through [the rounds],” said Kornfield, “I think my shape is just getting better and better.”

Women's podium © Bryan Fish

In the women’s, the surprise qualification winner was Kaitlynn Miller of Craftsbury Green Racing Project. Miller won the qualification over teammate Caitlin Patterson. It was her first qualification win ever and she proved it was no fluke by winning her quarter and semifinals. In the final it was Becca Rorabaugh who showed the fitness to open a slight gap on the final climb and work the downhills better than her competitors. “Honestly I think I got lucky in the final,” said Rorabaugh after the race, “Caitlin [Patterson] or Chelsea [Holmes] didn’t sprint over the first climb.”

Women's CL sprint action © Bryan Fish

Rorabaugh skied most of the final in the lead despite a hard charge from the Craftsbury ladies on the final climb. Miller ended up in second, and despite falling to second for the first time of the day, was pleased with the result. “I was pretty psyched just to make the final,” she said. Craftsbury ended the day with second and third place finishes, as well as an eighth place result from Heather Mooney, a rookie on the team.

Holmes (r) battles with Patterson (l) on Sunday. © Bryan Fish

The top finishers universally praised the course, which offered long striding sections and plenty of places to pass. Though the area has not received a lot of snow this year, volunteers shoveled low snow areas on the Wednesday before the race, and a small snowfall on Thursday evening added another few inches of cover. Despite the hilly course, several racers double poled the qualification, including Petter Reistad of Colorado University, who made it all the way through to the final, where he finished 6th.

Stroem leads the Men's 15k CL pack © Bryan Fish

Day 2 – 10/15km CL Mass Start

Chelsea Holmes of APUNSC skied away with a long-awaited Supertour win in the women’s 10km classic in Sun Valley, Idaho on Sunday, while Scott Patterson (APUNSC) broke away with five kilometers to go to take a convincing 31-second victory over Colorado University’s Mads Stroem.

Holmes led after the first uphill, and, despite falling back on the descents of the first lap, held her lead until the finish. Holmes, who was out-finished last weekend in West Yellowstone in the first Supertour distance race, pulled away from the main pack on the first full lap with Craftsbury Green Racing Project’s Caitlin Patterson in tow.

Patterson, who after the race admitted her skis were faster but slicker than Holmes, said that she never thought twice about following Holmes’ breakaway. “I really had to focus on the uphills,” she said, “but I could relax on the flats.”

On several of the downhills, Patterson glided by Holmes, but Holmes’ determined skiing finally broke Patterson on the last lap. Holmes’ teammate and Saturday’s classic sprint winner Becca Rorabaugh, meanwhile, had broken from the main pack and skied the majority of the race by herself, ten or fifteen seconds behind the two leaders. Ahead of her she saw Patterson struggling on Big Biathlon hill. “I could tell her skis were a little slick,” said Rorabaugh, “I gave it a little bit extra over the last hill.” Patterson, struggling near the finish with her slick skis was fading. “I hit a wall one kilometer from the end,” she said. Rorabaugh strode by Patterson with less than a kilometer to go to finish second, having put seven seconds on Patterson.

In the men’s 15km race a large pack stayed together for three of six laps when a breakaway charge, led by APUNSC teammates Scott Patterson and David Norris pushed the pace over Big Biathlon Hill. Patterson continued the pressure over the next lap while Norris faded. CU’s Mads Stroem and Patterson’s teammate Eric Packer stuck with the pace for a few kilometers, but could not keep up with Patterson’s steady grinding tempo. Packer pulled away from Stroem briefly before being caught in final kilometers. “I was a little worried,” said Patterson about skiing from the front, “I had a race in Soldier Hollow a couple years ago where was out front for most of the 30 kilometer race I died seven kilometers to the finish.”

West Yellowstone’s distance winner, Brian Gregg did not race, nor did Matt Liebsch who finished second last weekend. Gregg is preparing for a World Cup start in Davos, while Liebsch returned home to his family and full-time job in Minneapolis. “I think I still could have gotten them,” said Patterson, who ostensibly will be given World Cup starting rights for the Period 2. “It’s not just about making it-I want to do well,” he concluded.

Results

Women Sprint CL here
Men Sprint CL here
Junior Women Sprint CL here
Junior Men Sprint CL here

10k CL/15k CL here