ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. Three inches of fresh snow drifted down on Kincaid Park, greatly improving the courses for the Freestyle Interval Start today at the 2008 USSA Junior Olympics Cross Country Ski Championships in Anchorage, Alaska. Competition continues through March 15, 2008.
“We received the snow we desperately needed,†says Steve Patterson, Junior Olympics race secretary. “The groomers were out late yesterday and the courses have firmed up due to the lower temperatures. It’s going to be a great day of racing.â€
For the past week, Anchorage has been a city plagued by warm temperatures and melting snow and ice. The Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage (NSAA) has been battling the elements to keep the Junior Olympic ski trails in shape for racing. The new snow is providing a welcomed respite from the fight.
“We’ve pumped water, shoveled and moved snow this week,†says Diane Moxness, executive director of NSAA. “Our volunteers really went all-out making sure that the races went off without a hitch. Now, Mother Nature is doing her part and that makes life a lot easier.â€
The forecast for Anchorage calls for another inch of accumulation this afternoon, with temperatures expected to hover around freezing for the remainder of the competition.
