WEST YELLOWSTONE, Mont. — Highly anticipated SuperTour racing kicked off Friday in West Yellowstone, Mont. with a weekend of freestyle races. Friday’s freestyle sprint saw Canadians Alysson Marshall (AWCA/NST) and Heidi Widmer (AWCA/NST) claim the top two spots on the podium with Bridger Ski Foundation’s Jennie Bender earning third by just 0.05 seconds.
In the men’s sprint, Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess (Bend Endurance Academy) skied a smart race to overcome a pair of tactical Norwegians from the University of Colorado, Mads Strøm and Rune Odegård, who finished second and third.
In Saturday’s 10/15 k freestyle individual start the two victors, Rosie Brennan (APU) and Matt Gelso (SVSEF), skied to convincing wins after pushing hard from the start. Rounding out the women’s podium was Katharine Ogden (SMS) and Chelsea Holmes (APU).
Unlike the Gleso, Brian Gregg (Team Gregg/Madshus) started the 15 k conservatively and reduced a 23 second deficit to 9 seconds in the last 2.5 k to earn second place. Mads Strøm earned his second podium of the weekend in, finishing third.
Check out our photo gallery of the weekend below, and if you haven’t already, make sure to read our SuperTour preview and recaps of each race.
Ben Saxton (SMST2) en route to a first place finish in the qualifier of Friday’s sprint. Saxton ended the day in 11th.
Eric Packer (APU)
Andy Shields, Thunder Bay
Alysson Marshall (AWACA/NST) racing to a 4th place finish in the qualification round of Friday’s SuperTour freestyle sprint in West Yellowstone, Mont. Marshall went on to win the event.
Rossie Brennan (APU)
Heidi Wtmer (AWCA/NST)
Chalesea Holmes (APU)
Alysson Marshall (AWCA/NST)
Heidi Widmer (AWCA/NST) racing to a first place finish in Friday’s SuperTour freestyle sprint qualification round. She finished second in the A-final behind teammate Alysson Marshall.
Rebecca Rorabaugh (APU)
West Yellowstone SuperTour: 1.5 K Freestyle Sprint
Sun Valley’s Miles Havlick leads (from l-r) Brian Gregg (Team Gregg), Matt Gelso (SVSEF), and Forrest Mahlen in Friday’s B-final at the 2014 SuperTour freestyle sprint in West Yellowstone.
West Yellowstone SuperTour: 1.5 K Freestyle Sprint
West Yellowstone SuperTour: 1.5 K Freestyle Sprint
West Yellowstone SuperTour: 1.5 K Freestyle Sprint
West Yellowstone SuperTour: 1.5 K Freestyle Sprint
Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess of Bend Endurance Academy (r) leads (from r-l) Mads Stroem (CU), Rune Oedegaard (CU), and Eric Packer (APU) in the A-final of Friday’s Super Tour freestyle sprint in West Yellowstone.
West Yellowstone SuperTour: 1.5 K Freestyle Sprint
West Yellowstone SuperTour: 1.5 K Freestyle Sprint
West Yellowstone SuperTour: 1.5 K Freestyle Sprint
West Yellowstone SuperTour: 1.5 K Freestyle Sprint
West Yellowstone SuperTour: 1.5 K Freestyle Sprint
West Yellowstone SuperTour: 1.5 K Freestyle Sprint
Alyson Marshall (AWCA/NST) in bid four and Heidi Widmer (AWCA/NST) in bib one lead (from l-r) Rosie Brennan (APU), Eva Severrus (UNM), Chelsea Holmes (APU) and Jennie Bender (BSF) in the women’s A-final of the 2014 West Yellowstone SuperTour freestyle sprint. Marshall won the event with Widmer and Bender finishing second and third.
Bridger Ski Foundation juniors gather around Bender to congratulate her for the 3rd place.
Matt Gelso (SVSEF) en route to a 9.6 second win over Brian Gregg (Team Gregg/Madshus) in Saturday’s 15 k freestyle in West Yellowstone, Mont.
Brian Gregg (Team Gregg/Madshus) finished second in Saturday’s SuperTour 15 k freestyle in West Yellowstone, Mont.
Mads Strom (CU) fought for first but ultimately ended third in the 15 k freestyle in West Yellowstone, Mont. as part of the opening SuperTour weekend.
Kris Freeman had a strong first lap in West Yellowstone but ultimately finished fourth in the SuperTour 15 k freestyle.
Tad Elliott (SSCV) progressed from 9th to 5th over the course of three laps in Saturday’s SuperTour 15 k freestyle in West Yellowstone, Mont.
Ben Lustgarten (SVSEF) leads Paddy Caldwell (SMST2/USST)
Miles Havlick (SVSEF)
Matt Liebsch, (XC United)
Ben Saxton (SMST2) skiing to his second 11th place in two days.
West Yellowstone SuperTour: 15 K Freestyle Individual Start
Lex Trienen leads Rune Ødegård in Saturday’s SuperTour distance race.
Rosie Brennan (APU) took the lead in the first of two laps and held on to win the women’s 10 k individual start freestyle in West Yellowstone, Mont.
Rosie Brennan (APU)
Katharine Ogden (SMST2) posted the fastest second lap in the field en route to a second-place finish in the women’s 10 k individual start freestyle in West Yellowstone, Mont.
Chelsea Holmes (APU) is pursued by Heidi Widmer (AWCA-NST) in the women’s 10 k individual start freestyle in West Yellowstone, Mont. Holmes finished in third while Widmer would finish in ninth place.
Mary Rose (Sun Valley SEF) conquered the hills and managed a fifth-place finish in the women’s 10 k individual start freestyle in West Yellowstone, Mont.
West Yellowstone SuperTour: 10 K Freestyle Individual Start
Rebecca Rorabaugh, (APU)
Joanne Reid (ATLAS)
Makayla Cappel (SVSEF)
Heidi Widmer, formerly of the Alberta World Cup Academy and Canadian national team, racing at the 2014/2015 SuperTour opener in West Yellowstone, Mont.
Aja Starkey (MSU)
Annie Pokorny (SMST2) skiing to a 13th place finish.
