CSU Fall Classic Rollerski Race

Once again I got very lucky with the weather.  I woke up to a steady drizzle, checked the radar and it looked like the weather might just clear and clear it did!  By race time it was a beautiful fall day.  And, for a change, it was shorts and t-shirt weather.

With some new pavement, which much improved the course, 22 people came ready to race, including many CSUers, much of the Harvard team and even one person down from Ford Sayer territory.  The start went smoothly until Erik Brote dumped himself halfway up the hill for the only fall of the day during the race that I heard about.  Erik recovered quickly and duked it out with Rion O’Grady in the 1 lap Jr race, taking the victory by one second.  In the men’s race several races within the race developed.  Up front, Jackson Rich and Andy Milne had a hammerfest with Jackson winning in 39:58, 1 second up on Andy.  That may be a course record in classic on this course.  I’ll have to look back at past years to see.  Caught in no-man’s land was Tony Ryerson, all alone in 3rd, followed by Trevor Petach in 4th.  Bob Burnham, Rob Bradee and Alex Jospe was the next group.  I caught up to Rob and Bob and dragged Alex up with me in the early going and then for being such a nice guy I got dropped on the 2nd half of the 1st lap.  Bob finally pulled away from Rob and Alex on lap two to take 5th.  The next pair to have a good go at each other was John Rich and I.  We traded off taking the lead and on lap two I tried to shake John but he stuck like glue and finally I let him by so I could draft a bit.  Gambling, I launched an attack at the top of the last downhill and got a lead going into the finishing straight, but John ate me up and took the battle of the old guys by 1 second.  Well done!  Will Brote, in his first rollerski race hung in well.  On the women’s side, after Alex came 4 Harvard women and then Jody Newton, improving by about 4 minutes over last year!  Those Littleton rollerskis will do that!

Prizes were pies and gift certificates provided by The Bikeway Source in Bedford.  Thanks to my helpers, Lisa Doucett on timing, Marsha Rich, Jim O’Grady and Chris City on course control  Thanks to the N. Andover police for providing traffic control at the start and Chris City for taking the photos.  The rest of Chris’ photos can be seen at:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriscity/

Juniors
1.  Erik Brote             23:11
2.  Rion O’Grady       23:12

Women
1.  Alex Jospe           43:52
2.  Audrey Mangan   46:46
3.  Esther Kennedy   51:47
4.  Alena Tofte          52:23
5.  Clare Miller          55:51
6.  Jody Newton       59:31
7.  Anika Petach       62:57

Men
1.  Jackson Rich       39:58
2.  Andy Milne         39:59
3.  Tony Reyerson    41:31
4.  Trevor Petach     43:01
5.  Bob Burnham     43:18
6.  Rob Bradlee       43:23
7.  John Rich           44:45
8.  Jamie Doucett    44:46
9.  Dave Loney       48:04
10. Erlemo Lochan 48:42
11. Robert Faltus    50:52
12. Will Brote         53:23
13. Tor O’Brien      54:30