FasterSkier’s coverage of the 2013 U.S. Cross Country Championships is brought to you through the generous support of The Memory Clinic in Bennington, Vt.
MIDWAY, Utah — Torin Koos (BSF/Rossignol), back to full health, lived up to his sprint reputation at Soldier Hollow and added another national title to his resume on Wednesday. Click through the photos below to see how the race unfolded in each heat. For more photos of the qualifier, senior heats and junior heats, check out Bert Boyer’s gallery.
Quarterfinal 1: Cole Morgan (UVM) and Reese Hanneman (APU) get out in front.
Hanneman and Morgan leading over the top of the plateau. Photo: Bert Boyer.
Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess (Bend Endurance Academy) gains on the inside; Reese Hanneman stays close while his brother Logan closes in behind. Photo: Bert Boyer.
Quarterfinal 2: Niklas Persson (UU) takes the lead before the first climb.
Mark Iverson (APU), Trygve Markset (DU) and Miles Havlick (UU), evenly matched over the plateau. Photo: Bert Boyer.
Quarterfinal 3: Alex Schulz (Dartmouth) and Ryan Scott (SSCV/Team HomeGrown) get a strong start.
Sam Naney (MOD) and Mark Iverson (APU) take over the lead. Photo: Bert Boyer.
Naney and Scott swing around the corner. Photo: Bert Boyer.
Quarterfinal 4: Skyler Davis (SMS T2/USST), Sylvan Ellefson (SSCV/Team HomeGrown), Gordon Vermeer (CGRP) and Tucker McCrerey (UU) fight for position.
Davis and McCrerey lead two trains. Photo: Bert Boyer.
Quarterfinal 5: Torin Koos (BSF/Rossignol), second from right, takes to the course.
Erik Bjornsen (APU/USST) commands his quarterfinal on the far side of the course. Photo: Bert Boyer.
Semifinal 1 gets off the line. Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess tripped and fell a few moments later.
The first semifinal, led by Trygve Markset (DU), heads under the bridge. Photo: Bert Boyer.
Markset (DU) continues leading up to the high point.
Ryan Scott moves to the front down the hill. Photo: Bert Boyer.
A close semifinal 1 approaches the line. Mike Sinnott (SVSEF), Blackhorse-von Jess, and Ben Saxton (F.A.S.T.) advance in the top three.
Semifinal 2 heads out on course.
Davis and Koos lead into the first downhill. Photo: Bert Boyer.
Davis and Koos matched stride for stride on the last climb.
Davis and Koos.
The rest of the field chases.
Semi2.3
The B-final: Markset and Scott lead over the hill. Markset and Matt Gelso (SVSEF) ended up taking first and second in the heat to place seventh and eighth overall. Photo: Bert Boyer.
The men’s A-Final leaves the start line. Koos and Davis create a slight lead as they leave the tracks.
The A-final heads out on course.
Davis and Koos in control. Photo: Bert Boyer.
Koos moves in front of Davis for a track he thought was kicking better. Photo: Bert Boyer.
Koos begins to pull away up the final hill.
Koos and Davis.
Koos swinging wide down the hill. Photo: Bert Boyer.
The men’s field enters the stadium.
Torin Koos a few inches ahead of Sinnott and Davis. Blackhorse-von Jess keeps himself in contention for third.
Torin Koos (BSF/Rossignol) takes the clear victory; Sinnott and Blackhorse-von Jess fight for second while Davis fades to fourth.
Torin Koos with the BSF service team after winning another national title.
The men’s classic sprint podium: 1. Torin Koos (BSF/Rossignol 2. Mike Sinnott (SVSEF) 3. Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess (Bend Endurance Academy).
