PARK CITY, Utah (Jan. 28) – Dave Chamberlain (Bethel, ME), Rebecca Dussault (Gunnison, CO) and Andy Newell (Shaftsbury, VT) are the big winners in the 2004 cross country SuperTour and will be headed to Europe in a few weeks to race in the final World Cups.
The SuperTour concluded over the weekend at Wisconsin's Telemark resort. The series included 21 races from Alaska to Maine; there were five sprint events.
Dussault, who returned to racing this season after getting married and having a baby in the last three years, won 10 of the 21 SuperTour races and easily took the women's SuperTour title with 428 points – 185 ahead of Olympian Kikkan Randall (Anchorage, AK), a U.S. Development Team skier who won twice, with Olympic teammate Wendy Wagner (Park City, UT) third at 232 with a lone victory. Dussault also breezed to the women's SuperTour sprint title compiling 117 points (two wins) to 81 for Randall.
On the men's side, Chamberlain had four victories and 329 points. Chris Cook (Rhinelander, WI), anoterh U.S. Development Team member, was runnerup with one win and 249 points. Chad Giese (St. Paul, MN) was third with 231 points.
Among the men sprinters, Newell won once and had 97 points to 91 for Chamberlain (also one win) and 72 for Leif Zimmermann (Bozeman, MT).
U.S. Nordic Director Luke Bodensteiner said the three would levae in about three weeks for the final sweep of World Cup races, which include three sprints. They'll compete Feb. 26 in classic technique sprints in Drammen, Norway; Feb. 28 in the Holmenkollen Skifestival in Oslo, March 5-7 in the Finnish Ski Games in Lahti; and World Cup Finals March 12-14 in Pragelato, Italy.
The SuperTour was recognized by the International Ski Federation as the Continental Cup series for North America, which opened the door for inclusion of the champions with automatic start rights in the final World Cup races, Bodensteiner said.
“This is a great opportunity for Dave, Rebecca and Andy to get some more World Cup exzperience,” he said. “They've had an outstanding winter and this will be a rewarding way to end their season…and, we hope, the lay the foundation for more international racing from all three of them.”
2004 CROSS COUNTRY SuperTour
Overall Standings – Final (21 races – wins in parentheses)
Men
1. Dave Chamberlain, Bethel, Maine, 329 points (4 wins)
2. Chris Cook, Rhinelander, Wis., 249 (1)
3. Chad Giese, St. Paul, Minn., 231
4. Leif Zimmermann, Bozeman, Mont., 185 (2)
5. Ivan Babikov, Canada, 182 (4)
 –
Women
1. Rebecca Dussault, Gunnison, Colo., 428 (10)
2. Kikkan Randall, Anchorage, Alaska, 243 (2)
3. Wendy Wagner, Park City, Utah, 232 (3)
4. Aubrey Smith, Seward, Alaska, 223
5. Katrin Smigun, Estonia, 183
 —
Sprint Standings (5 races)
Men
1. Newell, 97 points (1)
2. Chamberlain, 91 (1)
3. Zimmermann, 72 (1)
4. Tim Weston, Fairport, N.Y., 71 (1)
5. Cook, 65
 –
Women
1. Dussault, 117 (2)
2. Randall, 81 (2)
3. Wagner, 73 (1)
4T. Smith and Sandra Gredig, Switzerland, 43 each
<Complete Final SuperTour Standings
Source: US Ski Team
