In the early stages of this Olympic year, the cream of the American crop of ski racers is obvious. It was the same two names on the top of the results list again today, as Kris Freeman and Kikkan Randall tamed a grueling course for the second day in a row. Today was a free technique, individual start event.
The women did three laps of a 1.9 kilometer loop. Like yesterday's sprint, the course consisted of a monster climb, this time with a brief extra loop at the top before plummeting back down to the stadium.
Kikkan Randall (APUNSC) continued her hot start to the season by winning for the third time in four races. Today she posted a 40 second victory in the 5+ kilometer free technique race. Her nearest competitors were two juniors: Liz Stephens of Burke Mtn Academy and Tazlina Mannix, Randall's teammate at APUNSC. Randall said after the race that she tried not to push it too hard on the uphill, and hte conservative strategy paid off as she was able to ski strong the whole way. So far, the only person to beat Randall this year is Olympic Gold Medalist Beckie Scott. Not bad company.
On the men's side, Kris Freeman (USST) has been even more dominating. Today he won for the fourth time in four races, as the men raced five times around the Alyeska loop. Even to casual observers watching today's race, it was clear that Freeman was the strongest, smoothest skier out there. He was the only skier who never broke form, seemingly unfazed by the long hills. Freeman started a minute behind Lars Flora, and thirty seconds behind Andrew Johnson and passed both of them along the way. After Freeman passed Flora, Lars hung tough and was able to secure second place, 1:20 back. Justin Freeman took third.
The next stop on the Nor Am SuperTour will be in West Yellowstone during Thanksgiving weekend.
Anchorage Winterstart November 13, 2005 Alyeska Resort Free Technique Place Bib First Name Last Name Gender Age Group Finish Time 1 30 Kris Freeman M Senior USST 32:13.1 2 28 Lars Flora M Senior Subaru Factory 33:34.9 3 24 Justin Freeman M Senior Fischer/Salomon 34:07.6 4 29 Andrew Johnson M Senior USST 34:21.0 5 11 Andrew Hunter M Senior APUNSC 34:42.1 6 27 David Chamberlain M M1 Atomic 34:58.4 7 26 Chad Giese M Senior Subaru Factory 35:12.0 8 3 Eli Enman M Senior Rossignol 35:20.8 9 13 Justin Easter M Senior Subaru Factory 35:30.3 10 5 Anders Haugen M Senior TorbjornSport/F 35:33.2 11 4 Brian Gregg M Senior UAA 35:45.6 12 14 colin rodgers M Senior MWSC/ FSx//MWSC 35:47.8 13 21 Brayton Osgood M Senior MWSC/Alpina-Mad 35:49.7 14 16 Nathan Schultz M M1 FSx//Boulder No 35:51.3 15 17 Erik Flora M M1 APUNSC//APUNSC 36:02.1 16 9 Marshall Greene M Senior Alpina/Madshus/ 36:14.3 17 34 Adam Verrier M M2 Atomic Team/GNB 36:31.7 18 6 Brent Knight M Senior UAA 36:33.9 19 20 Zachary Violett M Senior FSx 36:37.7 20 8 Benjamin Sonntag M Senior UAA 36:47.0 21 2 casey ward M Senior Alpina//Aspen V 37:01.0 22 45 Max Treinen M J1 West Anchorage 37:02.4 23 25 Leif Zimmermann M Senior BSF/Alpina Raci 37:13.4 24 31 tom keefe M Senior MWSC//MWSC 37:57.5 25 18 Robert Whitney M Senior Subaru Factory 38:07.1 26 7 Owen Hanley M Senior Team Rossignol 38:08.2 27 43 Patrick Johnson M J1 Alaska Winter S 38:29.9 28 19 David Stewart M Senior FSx/XC Oregon// 38:54.6 29 62 Ben Byrne M Senior US Biathlon//Mt 39:18.2 30 67 Mark Brady M Senior AK Winter Stars 39:33.0 31 51 Jan Spurkland M Senior XC Oregon//XC O 39:41.0 32 56 Lex Treinen M J2 West High/AWS 39:44.7 33 40 Steve Scott M Senior Maine Winter Sp 39:46.3 34 42 Paul Schauer M Senior UAA 39:50.6 35 61 Herbert Cool M Senior Dutch National 40:33.8 36 53 Cole Talbot M J2 AK Winter Stars 40:34.8 37 47 Casey Fagerquist M Senior UAA 40:40.8 38 60 Eric Packer M J2 Alaska Winter S 41:00.7 39 54 Benji Uffenbeck M Senior 41:18.8 40 58 Zachary Wetherell M OJ Burke Mtn. Acad 41:39.5 41 49 Seth Downs M M2 APUNSC 42:10.6 42 52 Steven Buklis M J1 Alaska Winter S 42:14.7 43 57 Chester Fehrmann M Senior APUNSC 44:55.8 44 55 William Ross M J1 Alaska Winter S 45:02.0 45 69 Robel Teklemarian M M1 Ethiopian Natio 45:04.9 46 59 Lukas Stutzer M J1 Alaska WInter S 46:36.9 Place Bib First Name Last Name Gender Age Group Affiliation Time 1 96 Kikkan Randall F Senior APUNSC/APUNSC/A 23:38.8 2 102 Liz Stephen F OJ Burke Mountain 24:19.1 3 89 Tazlina Mannix F OJ APUNSC/Alaska P 24:26.8 4 98 Brooke Baughman F M1 Rossignol//Sun 24:42.4 5 93 kate whitcomb F Senior MWSC / FSx 24:44.0 6 100 Wendy Wagner F M1 Atomic 24:51.9 7 99 Abigail Larson F Senior Subaru Factory 24:56.2 8 95 Karin Camenisch F Senior Rossignol/BSF 24:56.5 9 88 Morgan Arritola F OJ Sun Valley 25:01.5 10 97 Alison Crocker F Senior Dartmouth 25:19.9 11 92 Anna McLoon F Senior Atomic/ Go!Trai 25:34.4 12 84 Aubrey Smith F Senior Atomic 25:35.3 13 103 Caitlin Compton F Senior Subaru Factory 25:42.9 14 134 Rachel Steer F Senior AK Winter Stars 25:56.8 15 109 Carolyn Treacy F Senior 26:04.7 16 86 Kristina Strandberg F M1 Subaru Factory 26:12.0 17 91 Kate Pearson F Senior Rossignol//Alas 26:18.4 18 101 kelly milligan F M3 torbjorn sport/ 26:42.6 19 82 Hilary Patzer F Senior Rossignol 26:46.4 20 85 Shayla Swanson F Senior BSF 26:58.1 21 87 Erin Hood F Senior APUNSC 27:07.9 22 94 Nicole DeYong F Senior UAA 27:23.3 23 104 Ida Sargent F J1 Burke Mountain 28:00.0 24 108 Aleta Phelps F OJ Alaska Pacific 28:08.5 25 122 Hanna Johnson F J1 alaska winter s 28:08.6 26 136 BethAnn Chamberlain F Senior 28:12.7 27 105 Corey Coogan F Senior Alpina 28:21.5 28 121 Alice Nelson F OJ Burke Mtn. Acad 28:34.5 29 137 Sonne Nordgren F Senior US Biathlon Tea 28:35.7 30 115 Brittany Greer F OJ UAA 28:36.7 31 123 Jaime Bronga F J2 ANR/East High/N 29:02.1 32 117 Camilla Brinchmann F Senior Alpina/Madshus 29:12.0 33 114 Lauren Fritz F J1 Eagle River/APU 29:25.7 34 132 Brynden Manbeck F OJ US Biathlon//Mt 29:35.2 35 127 Amy Glen F J2 West/Steller/Al 29:39.4 36 125 Rachelle Kanady F J1 AK Winter Stars 29:41.5 37 113 Krista Rader F Senior UAA 30:00.0 38 133 Jillian Richie F J2 Alaska Winter S 30:21.0 39 118 Ky Eiben F J1 Service High Sc 31:15.7 40 116 Kelsey Coolidge F OJ AK Winter Stars 31:34.4
