Junior Nationals: Top-10 Recognition

Tara Humphries (Bates College/New England) racing to a victory at 2014 Junior Nationals in the women's 5 k classic individual start on Monday at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vt. — Tara Humphries (Bates College/New England) racing to a victory at 2014 Junior Nationals in the women’s 5 k classic individual start on Monday at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vt.

FasterSkier’s coverage is made possible through the generous support of Madshus.

STOWE, Vt. — Giving a little recognition where it’s due, here’s a look at the top-10 skiers in each of Monday’s classic individual starts on Day 1 of U.S. Junior Nationals. Classic sprints kick off today with qualifiers at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time; heats start at 1 p.m. Follow FasterSkier on Twitter and Instagram, as well as the 2014 Junior Nationals website for updates.

U16 Men’s 5 k

Zach Williams, 14 (Sun Valley/Intermountain)
Hunter Wonders, 15 (Alaska Pacific University/Alaska)
Forrest Hamilton, 15 (Mansfield/New England)
Peter Wolter, 15 (Sun Valley/Intermountain)
Leo Lukens, 15 (Mt. Bachelor/Pacific Northwest)
Adam Glueck, 14 (Ford Sayre/New England)
Daniel Streinz, 15 (Maine WSC/New England)
Will Balcao, 15 (Alaska Winter Stars/Alaska)
River Vorse, 15 (Sun Valley/Intermountain)
Russell Boswell, 14 (Stratton/New England)

Fun Fact: Williams won by exactly 7 seconds and led four Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation juniors in the top 12 of his race.

U18 Men’s 10 k

Peter Holmes, 17 (Unleashed Coaching/Far West)
Zak Ketterson, 16 (Loppet Nordic Racing/Midwest)
Ian Torchia, 17 (LNR/Midwest)
Lars Hannah, 17 (Steamboat Springs/Rocky Mountain)
Paolo Takagi-Atilano, 16 (Boulder/Rocky Mountain)
Ben Hegman, 17 (Mansfield/New England)
Braden Becker, 17 (Maine WSC/New England)
Gavin McEwen, 16 (Cambridge Sports Union/New England)
Thomas O’Harra, 17 (APU/Alaska)
Nick Gardener, 17 (Endurance United/Midwest)

Fun Fact: According to fifth-place finisher Paolo Takagi-Atilano’s profile on the National Nordic Foundation website, his name is pronounced “Pow’-loh” and he’s fine with people calling him by his first name “because who wants to deal with Takagi-Atilano?”

U20 Men’s 10 k

Cole Morgan, 19 (University of Vermont/New England)
Fabian Stocek, 19 (Holderness School/GST)
Jack Hegman, 19 (UVM/New England)
Oscar Friedman, 19 (Dartmouth/Rocky Mountain)
Haakon Sigurslid, 18 (Durango/Rocky Mountain)
Patrick McElravey, 19 (Middlebury/Far West)
Mathew Nichols, 19 (University of Wisconsin-Green Bay/Midwest)
Sam Elfstrom, 19 (Northern Michigan University/Midwest)
Jack Schrupp, 18 (Gunstock/New England)
Blaine Ayotte, 18 (St. Lawrence University/New England)

Fun Fact: Morgan, a college sophomore from Bozeman, Mont., won by more than 35 seconds.

U16 Women’s 5 k

Hailey Swirbul, 15 (Aspen/Rocky Mountain)
Leah Lange, 15 (Park City/Intermountain)
Hannah Halvorsen, 15 (Sugar Bowl/Far West)
Leah Brams, 15 (CSU/New England)
Amanda Kautzer, 15 (LNR/Midwest)
Hannah Rudd, 15 (LNR/Midwest)
Kathleen O’Connell, 15 (Steamboat Springs/Rocky Mountain)
Lydia Youkey, 14 (Leavenworth/Pacific Northwest)
Lizzie Larkins, 15 (Auburn/Far West)
Claire Benton, 15 (LNR/Midwest)

Fun Fact: Swirbul won her first national title by nearly 15 seconds. In January at the U.S. Cross Country Championships in Midway, Utah, she placed second in the junior 5 k freestyle mass start.

U18 Women’s 5 k

Katharine Ogden, 16 (Stratton/New England)
Vivian Hett, 17 (LNR/Midwest)
Gretchen Burkholder, 17 (Steamboat Springs/Rocky Mountain)
Julia Kern, 16 (CSU/New England)
Hannah Peterson, 17 (Durango/Rocky Mountain)
Racquel Wohlk, 16 (Nordicwerks/Midwest)
Mattie Watts, 17 (Endurance United/Midwest)
Emily Hyde, 17 (Mt. Bachelor/Pacific Northwest)
Zoe Snow, 17 (CSU/New England)
Sarrissa Lammers, 17 (Alaska Nordic Racing/Alaska)

Fun Fact: Ogden was the fastest overall in the U18/U20 women’s 5 k, edging Hett by 2.3 seconds. It is her second national title after winning the junior 5 k freestyle mass start at U.S. Cross Country Championships in January.

U20 Women’s 5 k