MIDWAY, Ut. — The 2014 U.S. Cross Country Championships concluded Friday in spectacular form with a classic sprint on the beautiful trails of Soldier Hollow. Maybe you’ve returned home to a lack of snow, reminiscing the awesome Utah weather, or perhaps you were living under a rock and missed all the action. Either way we have just the thing for you. Below are some shots we took of the men’s and women’s heats in the classic sprint. Enjoy!
Women’s Finals:
Rosie Brennan (APU) strides up Hermod’s Hill in her quarterfinal, with a considerable lead over the rest of her competitors. Brennan would go on to take the national championship after winning the A-final.
Natalja Naryshkina (1) leads Erika Flowers (SMST2) in the quarterfinals of Friday’s 1.5 k classic sprint. Naryshkina went on to win the quarterfinal, semifinal and ultimately the A-final for the overall victory at U.S. nationals at Soldier Hollow.
Natalja Naryshkina (1) leads Erika Flowers (SMST2) in the quarterfinals of Friday’s 1.5 k classic sprint. Naryshkina went on to win the quarterfinal, semifinal and ultimately the A-final for the overall victory at U.S. nationals at Soldier Hollow.
Erika Flowers (SMST2) leads Rose Kemp (SVSEF) up Hermod’s Hill in the 1.5 k classic sprint at the 2014 U.S. Cross Country Championships.
Nichole Bathe (UAF) makes the turn around the top of Hermod’s Hill in her quarterfinal of the classic sprint at the 2014 U.S. Cross Country Championships, while Annie Pokorny (SMST2) and Annie Hart (Dartmouth) follow.
Kate Fitzgerald (r) of Alaska Pacific University pushes over the top of Hermod’s Hill with Becca Rorabaugh (APU) and Caitlin Patterson (Caftsbury GRP) in hot pursuit. All three would advance to the semifinals.
Rosie Brennan (APU) takes charge up Hermod’s in the women’s 1.5 k classic sprint semifinals at U.S. nationals at Soldier Hollow. Jennie Bender (second from r) ended up winning the heat, followed by Brennan’s teammate, Becca Rorabaugh, in second. Brennan made the A-final in third as a lucky loser.
Nichole Bathe (University of Alaska-Fairbanks) leads Russian Natalja Naryshkina (CXC) in the 1.5 k classic sprint semifinal at the top of Hermod’s. Naryshkina won the heat, 0.2 seconds ahead of Bathe, and the two went on to place first and third in the A-final, respectively.
Nichole Bathe (University of Alaska-Fairbanks) leads Russian Natalja Naryshkina (CXC) in the 1.5 k classic sprint semifinal at the top of Hermod’s. Naryshkina won the heat, 0.2 seconds ahead of Bathe, and the two went on to place first and third in the A-final, respectively.
Kate Fitzgerlald (APU) leads her semifinal with Annie Hart (Dartmouth), Caitlin Patterson (Craftsbury GRP), and Erika Flowers (SMST2).
Natalja Naryshkina (1) and Rosie Brennan (2) go head-to-head up Hermod’s in the women’s classic sprint A-final at U.S. nationals at Soldier Hollow on Friday. Naryshkina ended up edging Brennan by 0.3 seconds for the overall win, but Brennan was the top American in second.
Rosie Brennan (APU) edges ahead of Natalja Naryshkina (CXC) at the top of Hermod’s Hill.
Rosie Brennan (APU) edges ahead of Natalja Naryshkina (CXC) at the top of Hermod’s Hill.
Rosie Brennan (APU) in second stands up just before the finish as Russia’s Natalja Naryshkina (CXC) wins the women’s classic sprint A-final by 0.3 seconds. (Photo: Tom Kelly/U.S. Ski Team)
The U.S. women’s classic sprint podium with Rosie Brennan (APU) as the top American (second overall), Nichole Bathe of the University of Alaska-Fairbanks (l) in second, and Becca Rorabaugh (APU) in third. (Photo: Tom Kelly/U.S. Ski Team)
Men’s Finals:
Reese Hanneman (APU) extends his lead over the Hermod’s Hill in in his quarterfinal in Friday’s classic sprint at the 2014 U.S. Cross Country Championships. He would win semifinal and A-final to claim his first national championship.
Kris Freeman (Maine WSC) leads Ryan Scott (SSCV) and George Cartwright (Norther Michigan) on Hermod’s Hill.
MIles Havlick (SVSEF) strides up Hermod’s Hill followed by Patrick McElravey (Middlebury) and Andrew Dougherty (Craftsbury GRP). Havlick would advance to the semifinals, while McElravey and Dougherty would not.
Ben Saxton (l) of SMST2 and Dakota Blackhorse-Von Jess (r) of Bend Endurance Academy go head to head in their quarterfinal. Both advanced to the semifinals, but only Blackhourse Von-Jess made it to the A-final, eventually taking third place.
Torin Koos (BSF/Rossignal) and Peter Kling (APU) duke it out in their quarterfinal> Both advanced to the semifinals but were unable to qualify for the A-final.
Torin Koos (BSF/Rossignal) and Peter Kling (APU) duke it out in their quarterfinal> Both advanced to the semifinals but were unable to qualify for the A-final.
Torin Koos (BSF/Rossignol) and Peter Kling (APU) duke it out in their quarterfinal> Both advanced to the semifinals but were unable to qualify for the A-final.
Erik Bjornsen (APU/U.S. Ski Team) battles Sam Naney (Methow OD/Madshus) for first position in their quarterfinal heat. Bjorsen would go on to place second.
Erik Bjornsen (APU/U.S. Ski Team) battles Sam Naney (Methow OD/Madshus) for first position in their quarterfinal heat. Bjorsen would go on to place second.
Erik Bjornsen (APU/U.S. Ski Team) heads into Whale’s Tail in his quarterfinal with Alex Shultz (Craftsbury GRP) close behind.
Erik Bjornsen (APU/U.S. Ski Team) leads Dakota Blackhorse Von-Jess (Bend Endurance Academy) and Torin Koos (BSF/Rossignal) up Hermod’s Hill in the men’s semifinal of the 1.6 k classic sprint.
Torin Koos (l) of the Bridger Ski Foundation and Rossignol and Eric Packer (r) SMST2 race to the top of Hermod’s Hill in their semifinal. Neither would advance to the A-final.
Reese Hanneman (APU) leads Mikey Sinnott (SVSEF) up Hermod’s Hill in their semifinal. Hanneman claimed his first national championship later that day and Sinnott placed fifth.
Reese Hanneman (APU) on his way to his first national championship over Erik Bjornsen (APU/U.S. Ski Team).
Reese Hanneman (APU) on his way to his first national championship over Erik Bjornsen (APU/U.S. Ski Team).
Reese Hanneman (APU) on his way to his first national championship over Erik Bjornsen (APU/U.S. Ski Team).
Reese Hanneman (APU) celebrates his victory as he crosses the finish line at the conclusion of the classic sprint A-final at U.S. National Championships, Soldier Hollow, Utah, in January 2014. Photo: Tom Kelly/U.S. Ski Team.
Chelsea Little is FasterSkier's Editor-At-Large. A former racer at Ford Sayre, Dartmouth College and the Craftsbury Green Racing Project, she is a PhD candidate in aquatic ecology in the @Altermatt_lab at Eawag, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology in Zurich, Switzerland. You can follow her on twitter @ChelskiLittle.
