March 14, 2008
Boys Provide Exciting Finishes
at Junior Olympics
By Dean Woodbeck
Less than two seconds separated the top three OJ boys at today’s 15km classic race at the 2008 Junior Olympics. In the J1 boys 10km category, the top four were just five seconds apart. Alaskans took the gold in both races.
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| The mass start for one of the classic races at the 2008 Junior Olympics
(click on the photo for a larger version). |
At the unique Kincaid Park layout, skiers emerge from a tunnel, then barrel through the last 200 meters in the stadium to the finish line. Three OJ boys came through the tunnel together, making for a fast and furious sprint at the end. Reese Hanneman took the gold by 1.5 seconds over Noah Hoffman, who crashed at the start and worked his way back to the front over the 15km course. Max Treinen finished third, just 1.7 seconds back and only a boot behind Hoffman.
 The boys J1 race presented almost a carbon copy, but with four skiers involved. Eric Packer turned on the juice at the end and scored a 2.9 second victory over David Norris. Andrew Dougherty and Lex Treinan were 3.0 and 4.7 seconds back, respectively. All four ski for Team Alaska.
The girls OJ race had an exciting finish, as well, with Becca Rorabaugh winning by 0.8 seconds over Wednesdays champ, Mali Noyes. Parker Tyler from New England took third. In the girls J1, Amy Glen won her second gold medal, beating Sophie Caldwell by about 10 seconds. Minnesota state champ Jessie Diggins was third, 28 seconds back.
Conditions at Kincaid were fast today with the course in excellent shape. The jury’s decision to switch the freestyle and classic races turned out to be the right move, as colder temperatures the last two nights allowed groomers to prepare both the course and stadium. For the first time this week, all of the racers enjoyed below-freezing temperatures during their competition.
Scott Patterson of Anchorage won his second gold medal of the week in the boys J2 category, beating his Alaska teammate Eric Ryan by about 15 seconds. Logan Hanneman of Fairbanks made it an Alaska podium sweep by taking third.
Joanne Reid from the Far West and New England’s Elizabeth Anderson emerged from the Kincaid tunnel together, but Reid hammered home on the straight, double-poling for a 1.7 second victory. Kinsey Loan of Alaska was third, just 2.3 seconds back from Reid.
Saturday’s team relay races will close out the 2008 Junior Olympics, with the J2 boys and girls competing in a 3 x 3km race and the J1/OJ boys and girls racing a 5 x 5km format. |
