Early Season Racing

Perfect tracks on Saturday 

Isaiah racing the 1.4k sprint

I'll be darned, nordic racing on man made snow, who'd of thunk it!! That's just what happened over the past weekend. The SMC gang loaded up the ski gear and headed northeast to Craftsbury for a great weekend of ski racing. The Craftsbury folks put on a first class event on an 1.5 K loop that was a spectator's dream.  Well over 400 of the northeast's top nordic skiers showed up for the first Eastern Cup of the 2011/12 season.  The competion was non-stop with a 1.5 K sprint and 3K prologue on Saturday and a 4.6K and 9K skate race on Sunday.

Colin heading up the hill in the 9k

Gabby, Sam and Isaiah jump-started their seasons by racing all three events. Colin tested the waters on Sunday after missing most of the 2010/11 season. At one point as Colin ripped past several skiers through the stadium the announcer declared "St. Mikes, has a real gun this Colin Delaney kid!!"  Sam-Dan, a mid-western freshman wastreated to the fast, hard, ice typical of eastern-type skiing in the 9K skate on Sunday. Sam-Dan looked good in the climb and had a great time througout the race. Mostly he seemed happy just to see klister being applied...freshman.

Sam-Dan in his first race in Big Purple uniform

Sam and Gabby while cheering the boys on

Lary looking quite stoic.
(This post was actually published by Sam and I couldn't
let this incredible picture go unseen...)

I hung out for the weekend visiting with old freinds and watching some of the most exciting nordic ski racing I have ever seen. Cold sunny days filled with fast ski racing and no cell service. What more could I ask for?

-Lary Martell