Rocky Mountain Nordic Names Men’s and Women’s State Champions
The Colorado Cup series of cross-country ski races ended its second season of successful racing around Colorado and its first season as an integrated part of Rocky Mountain Nordic’s operations. On the men’s side, Michael Brothers, Ph.D. candidate and former U.S. Army biathlete, was named champion while Maria Wik, Swede by birth and former University of Colorado standout, took the women’s title.
Racers competed in events in classic, freestyle, and pursuit formats in distances ranging from 10 to 42 kilometers at the state’s premier nordic ski areas including Breckenridge Nordic, Gold Run Nordic, Devil’s Thumb Ranch, Snow Mountain Ranch, Steamboat Ski Touring Center, The Owl Creek Chase, Crested Butte Nordic, and Vail Nordic Center.
The 2006-07 season marked the Colorado Cup’s second successful season of cumulatively scored nordic competitions and its first season of ownership under Rocky Mountain Nordic, the region’s official governing body. RMN hopes to continue to offer racers, ski areas, and organizers a higher quality and more efficient series of events while, at the same time, generating revenue for its own junior and elite development programs. Everyone involved, from the board of RMN, to its director Ivana Radlova, and on through to racers has been happy with the developing role of the Colorado Cup and hopes to continue its positive growth in combination with the Colorado Cross-country Ski Areas Association. Colorado Cup spokesperson Matt Muir says, “we are all aware the Colorado Cup is still growing and we are all also working hard in order to make the Colorado Cup serve the sport better.”
On that “still growing” note, this year’s Owl Creek Chase race was a Supertour and Colorado Cup event at the same time which ended up throwing a wrench in the cumulative scoring of the Colorado Cup because of some unexpected wave starts at that race. Alternatively, the top three overall men whom were affected more than anyone by this problem all showed some great sportsmanship: Long time elite Nathan Schultz, Vail strongman Stephen White, and champion Michael Brothers each took the mix-up in scoring in stride and kept it fun and positive at every race despite it all. These three racers among others really demonstrate the best of citizen racing and the Colorado Cup.
The 2007-08 Colorado Cup is already being planned and aims to take another step towards the ultimate goal of high quality events for racers, efficiency for organizers, ease and profitability for areas, and support for elite talent development in the Rocky Mountain region. Thank you for helping towards that end!
More information can be found at www.rmnordic.org .
