March 16, 2010 (Presque Isle, ME) – Following Friday’s 5/10km freestyle events, Alaska division had pulled within three points of the New England division in the race for the Alaska Cup. Saturday’s relays provided six opportunities to pull ahead but New England’s J2s threw down the gauntlet with the boys team of Caldwell, Hoenig and Hegman winning by 10.6 seconds over Intermountain. with Rocky Mountain in third. The New England girls team of Mooney, Pfeifer and Stock also won, again over an Intermountain team, with Alaska reaching the podium in third.

Alaska’s J1 team retaliated, with a win each for the boys team of Mahlen, Novak, Patterson and the girl’s team of Kanady, Boyer, Liotta. Alaska’s boys garnered 2nd place, while New England’s girls team also earned 2nd place.

Finally, however, it was New England’s OJ teams that nailed it to take the overall. New England’s boy’s teams placed first and third, with Alaska 2nd. And the Midwest’s girls team of Magnuson, Duijndam and Malcom won, taking key points away from Alaska in 2nd place, with New England in 3rd place.

When the dust finally settled New England won the overall and the Alaska Cup with 370 points over Alaska in second with 350 points, and a late-charging Intermountain team pulling close with 310 points to claim third.

Alaska Cup Points here.
Full results here.

Results (brief)

J2 Men
1. New England (Caldwell, Hoenig, Hegman) 24:43.0
2. Intermountain (Burkemo, Jackson, Morgan) 24:53.6
3. Rocky Mountain (Scrimgeour, Hill, Pastore) 24:58.4

J2 Women
1. New England (Mooney, Pfeifer, Stock) 27:33.3
2. Intermountain (Storey, Williams, Miller) 27:46.4
3. Alaska (Woods, Kirk, Haering) 28:13.3

J1 Men
1. Alaska (Mahlen, Novak, Patterson) 35:34.4
2. Alaska (Talbot, Smith, Lammers) 36:04.2
3. Intermountain (Wicherski, Sundali, Springer) 36:17.4

J1 Women
1. Alaska (Kanady, Boyer, Liotta) 44:48.0
2. New England (Caldwell, VanDyke, Stitt) 45:16.3
3. Rocky Mountain (Jortberg, Pastore, Frias) 45:20.1

OJ Men
1. New England (Marston, Vermeer, Tarling) 35:12.8
2. Alaska (Buetow, Liotta, Norris) 35:19.0
3. New England (Ramsey, Barton, Grald) 36:02.3

OJ Girls
1. Midwest (Magnuson, Duijndam, Malcolm ) 44:27.8
2. Alaska (Mucha, Yeaton, Rorabaugh) 45:07.5
3. New England (Prevot, McDermott, Attwood) 45:39.1