Team SOLDA had “blistering fast skis†and posted the fastest time of the day in the Utah Nordic alliance 3 x 5-kilometer relay on Saturday. Despite being the fastest on all three legs, we still didn’t win! Here is the story:
The first leg is classic and the next two legs are skating. Our relay team of Anders Haugen, 8th in the sprint at last year’s US nationals, myself (Torbjorn Karlsen) “fit for his age, but could loose some weight and need more races†and former National champion and “always in good shape†two-time Olympian John Aalberg all posted the fastest leg time on our respective legs.
Anders was the fastest classic skier of the day and John had the fastest skate time. But despite this we didn’t “winâ€. This is due to this relay’s particular handicap system — the faster you skied last year the bigger is you handicap — So we placed 11th overall.
For years I have tried to “beat the system†and win both ways — being on the fastest team and also win after the handicap is added. I have decided that you can’t beat the system.
