March 9, 2008
Weatherman Not Cooperating,
but Organizers Ready
By Dean Woodbeck
When you look at the U.S. Weather Service three-day history of the temperature in Anchorage, it does not paint a pretty graph for a Nordic skier. After more than a week of above-freezing temperatures and rain, the organizing committee for the 2008 U.S. Junior Olympics (JOs) continues to review its contingency plans.
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The view from the Kincaid Park chalet. |
The JOs will open Monday, March 10, with the sprint competition at Kincaid Park in Anchorage. Organizers say there is plenty of snow, despite a 42-degree reading on Sunday and expectations for more klister weather on Monday.
Wax techs will work overtime Sunday night in preparation for the classic sprints that kick off at 10 a.m. on Monday.
The organizers have done their best, organizing a shoveling party on Saturday to move snow from the side of the trail onto the trail.
“Actually, there is quite a bit of snow on the trails,” said organizing committee chair Diane Moxness. “The problem is that there is also water.”
Moxness said the distance courses planned for Wednesday will almost certainly be moved.
“Our operations staff have been living out there [at Kincaid], watching the weather and all of the trail conditions. We know which trails go first when the weather gets marginal. The distance races will almost certainly move off of the Lekish system.”
The Lekish system accounts for about 2km of the 7.5km course that will be used for the J1/OJ boys 15km classic race on Wednesday. “We’ll move to trails more protected in the trees,” Moxness said.
The Junior Olympics attracts more than 400 skiers from around the country, competing in seven regional teams. Besides the individual trophies, there is also a team competition. Team Alaksa, which last took the team trophy four years ago, is hunting for bear on their home turf this year.
After the sprint races on Monday, skiers will compete in a distance classic race on Wednesday and a distance freestyle on Friday. Team sprints will conclude the competition on Saturday.
Monday’s sprint qualification rounds begin at 10 a.m., with the quarterfinals beginning at 1:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, the forecast shows lows dipping below freezing on Monday night and staying there for the rest of the week. That should allow groomers to fire up Kincaid’s new Pisten Bully and chew up some of the ice and smooth out the ruts. Highs all week, though, are predicted to be above freezing.
For schedules and information about the 2008 JOs, go to http://www.anchoragenordicski.com/jo2008.
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