Torin Koos collected his first National Title on Saturday by winning the classic sprint at US Nationals. Kjetil Dammen (UAA) was second, Andrew Newell finished third while Zack Simons was fourth in the A Final.
Conditions at Soldier Hollow were rugged for the 216 racers from the qualifying time trial to the final heats. In sprints, the entire field skis the course and is timed, then the top 24 moved into quarterfinal heats of six racers apiece.
Koos, who made his World Cup debut at Soldier Hollow in January 2001 – finishing 12th in a World Cup sprint, said he was especially pleased to finally collect his first national championship. “Absolutely,” he said with a look of relief. “I felt like I've been in the game since the sprints came out but things haven't gone my way. So, I knew I was healthy and things were going well. I felt a lot of pressure that I put on myself to show what I can do…and I showed it today.
“I just wanted to control it and see what I could do on that last hill,” he said, adding that in the wind conditions “the pack accordions [stays closer together] more, which makes it hard to race the way I was racing – from the front and trying to really dominate everybody.
 and Chris Cook (Rhinelander, WI) for helping improve his skiing – Zimmerman in freestyle and Cook in classic technique.<br />
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<p>The championships conclude Monday with pursuit races. Final berths on the 2005 World Championships Team and the Junior World Championships Team will be determined from these title races. The teams will be announced next week.<br />
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<a href=http://www.summit-systems-timers.com/us_nationals/)
FULL RESULTS: http://www.summit-systems-timers.com/us_nationals/Source: US Ski Team
| Class: SM – Senior Men 1.3 km Final A Heat Number: 22 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Bib | Name | Nation | Time | Time Back |
| 1 | 4 | KOOS, Torin | US Ski Team | Â | Â |
| 2 | 1 | DAMMEN, Kjetil | University of Alaska Anchorage | Â | Â |
| 3 | 2 | NEWELL, Andrew | US Ski Team | Â | Â |
| 4 | 11 | SIMONS, Zachary | Atomic/Swix | Â | Â |
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| Class: SM – Senior Men 1.3 km Final B Heat Number: 21 | |||||
| Rank | Bib | Name | Nation | Time | Time Back |
| 1 | 23 | GIESE, Chad | Subaru Factory Team | 3:23.1 | 0 |
| 2 | 17 | RODGERS, Colin | Maine Winter Sports Center | 3:25.0 | +1.9 |
| 3 | 3 | OYBERG, Thomas | University of Alaska Fairbanks | 3:26.3 | +3.2 |
| 4 | 5 | KIESEL, Jess | University of Utah | 3:26.7 | +3.6 |
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| Class: SM – Senior Men 1.3 km Semifinal 2 Heat Number: 18 | |||||
| Rank | Bib | Name | Nation | Time | Time Back |
| 1 | 2 | NEWELL, Andrew | US Ski Team | 3:18.3 | 0 |
| 2 | 11 | SIMONS, Zachary | Atomic/Swix | 3:18.9 | +0.6 |
| 3 | 23 | GIESE, Chad | Subaru Factory Team | 3:19.3 | +1.0 |
| 4 | 3 | OYBERG, Thomas | University of Alaska Fairbanks | 3:21.2 | +2.9 |
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| Class: SM – Senior Men 1.3 km Semifinal 1 Heat Number: 17 | |||||
| Rank | Bib | Name | Nation | Time | Time Back |
| 1 | 4 | KOOS, Torin | US Ski Team | 3:04.2 | 0 |
| 2 | 1 | DAMMEN, Kjetil | University of Alaska Anchorage | 3:06.4 | +2.2 |
| 3 | 17 | RODGERS, Colin | Maine Winter Sports Center | 3:07.0 | +2.8 |
| 4 | 5 | KIESEL, Jess | University of Utah | 3:14.7 | +10.5 |
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| Class: SM – Senior Men 1.3 km Quarterfinal 4 Heat Number: 12 | |||||
| Rank | Bib | Name | Nation | Time | Time Back |
| 1 | 11 | SIMONS, Zachary | Atomic/Swix | 3:17.0 | 0 |
| 2 | 3 | OYBERG, Thomas | University of Alaska Fairbanks | 3:18.3 | +1.3 |
| 3 | 22 | IVERSON, Mark | Montana State University | 3:21.9 | +4.9 |
| 4 | 14 | MAHOOD, Coiln | XC Oregon/Rossignol | 3:26.0 | +9.0 |
| 5 | 6 | WESTON, Timothy | Maine Winter Sports Center | 3:33.7 | +16.7 |
| 6 | 19 | SONNTAG, Benjamin | University of Alaska Anchorage | 3:36.7 | +19.7 |
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| Class: SM – Senior Men 1.3 km Quarterfinal 3 Heat Number: 11 | |||||
| Rank | Bib | Name | Nation | Time | Time Back |
| 1 | 2 | NEWELL, Andrew | US Ski Team | 3:14.3 | 0 |
| 2 | 23 | GIESE, Chad | Subaru Factory Team | 3:15.6 | +1.3 |
| 3 | 7 | GRIMM, Dirk | University of New Mexico | 3:17.7 | +3.4 |
| 4 | 10 | STENE, John | University of Denver | 3:18.1 | +3.8 |
| 5 | 15 | KEEFE, Tom | Maine Winter Sports Center | 3:22.5 | +8.2 |
| 6 | 18 | WOODBURY, Tim | Team Rossignol / XC-Oregon | 3:24.6 | +10.3 |
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| Class: SM – Senior Men 1.3 km Quarterfinal 2 Heat Number: 10 | |||||
| Rank | Bib | Name | Nation | Time | Time Back |
| 1 | 4 | KOOS, Torin | US Ski Team | 3:13.6 | 0 |
| 2 | 5 | KIESEL, Jess | University of Utah | 3:14.2 | +0.6 |
| 3 | 12 | BAILEY, Lowell | University of Vermont | 3:14.8 | +1.2 |
| 4 | 20 | KORTHAUER, Marius | University of Alaska Fairbanks | 3:23.4 | +9.8 |
| 5 | 21 | ENMAN, Eli | Team Rossignol | 3:23.9 | +10.3 |
| 6 | 13 | KJERSTAD, Thomas | University of Nevada | 3:26.3 | +12.7 |
| Â | |||||
| Class: SM – Senior Men 1.3 km Quarterfinal 1 Heat Number: 9 | |||||
| Rank | Bib | Name | Nation | Time | Time Back |
| 1 | 1 | DAMMEN, Kjetil | University of Alaska Anchorage | 3:08.8 | 0 |
| 2 | 17 | RODGERS, Colin | Maine Winter Sports Center | 3:09.1 | +0.3 |
| 3 | 9 | STEWART, David | Subaru Factory Team | 3:09.5 | +0.7 |
| 4 | 16 | SCOTT, Steven | Maine Winter Sports Center | 3:22.3 | +13.5 |
| 5 | 8 | HAUGEN, Anders | Team Torbjorn Sport | 3:22.6 | +13.8 |
| 6 | 24 | BABIKOV, Ivan | Subaru Factory Team | 3:11.8 | +3.0 |
JUNIOR MEN
| Class: JM – Junior Men 1.3 km Final A Heat Number: 6 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Bib | Name | Nation | Time | Time Back |
| 1 | 202 | BLACKHORSE-VON JESS, Dakota | Mount Bachelor Ski Education Foundation | Â | Â |
| 2 | 209 | SINNOTT, Michael | Dartmouth | Â | Â |
| 3 | 203 | MACKUGLER, Cameron | Stratton Mtn School | Â | Â |
| 4 | 204 | BRODA, Brett | Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks | Â | Â |
| Â | |||||
| Class: JM – Junior Men 1.3 km Final B Heat Number: 5 | |||||
| Rank | Bib | Name | Nation | Time | Time Back |
| 1 | 205 | GELSO, Matt | Auburn Ski Club | Â | Â |
| 2 | 211 | FLAHARTY, Tyson | University of Alaska Fairbanks | Â | Â |
| 3 | 208 | GOODPASTER, Joaquin | Auburn Ski Club | Â | Â |
| 4 | 206 | TRUE, Ben | Dartmouth | Â | Â |
| Â | |||||
| Class: JM – Junior Men 1.3 km Semifinal 2 Heat Number: 2 | |||||
| Rank | Bib | Name | Nation | Time | Time Back |
| 1 | 202 | BLACKHORSE-VON JESS, Dakota | Mount Bachelor Ski Education Foundation | Â | Â |
| 2 | 203 | MACKUGLER, Cameron | Stratton Mtn School | Â | Â |
| 3 | 211 | FLAHARTY, Tyson | University of Alaska Fairbanks | Â | Â |
| 4 | 206 | TRUE, Ben | Dartmouth | Â | Â |
| 5 | 207 | JOHNSON, Matthew | Middlebury College | Â | Â |
| 6 | 210 | SMITH, Marty | Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club | Â | Â |
| Â | |||||
| Class: JM – Junior Men 1.3 km Semifinal 1 Heat Number: 1 | |||||
| Rank | Bib | Name | Nation | Time | Time Back |
| 1 | 209 | SINNOTT, Michael | Dartmouth | Â | Â |
| 2 | 204 | BRODA, Brett | Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks | Â | Â |
| 3 | 205 | GELSO, Matt | Auburn Ski Club | Â | Â |
| 4 | 208 | GOODPASTER, Joaquin | Auburn Ski Club | Â | Â |
| 5 | 201 | KOONS, Ben | Dartmouth | Â | Â |
| 6 | 212 | TREINEN, Max | Alaska Winter Stars | Â | Â |
