And just like that, it's all over. U.S. Nationals drew to a close on Tuesday at Soldier Hollow with the completion of the freestyle sprint. As usual, there were a lot of leftover bits and pieces from the post-race interviews.
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Sophie Caldwell
All six of the female finalists in the U.S. nationals skate sprint had a pretty good sense how the last race around Soldier Hollow would play out. Caitlin Gregg threw them for a loop, but Sadie Bjornsen responded, edging Sophie Caldwell and Jennie Bender for the win.
The 2013 U.S. Cross Country Ski Championship continued on the trails of Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah with the senior women's 20 k classic mass start. The lead pack was established early with just six women in contention for the national title throughout the majority of the race. On the course's final major climb, Hermode's Hill, it was Sadie Bjornsen (USST/APU) who attacked, opening up a sizable gap by the time she entered the stadium. Check out our footage of the action.
Bjornsen Gets What She Came For, Wins National Title in 20 k Classic Mass Start
Alex KochonJanuary 6, 2013
A two-time runner-up at this year's nationals, Sadie Bjornsen proved to herself that she can achieve gold, winning her second national title in three years in her first-ever 20 k. Bjornsen skied away from the pack late, beating teammate Kate Fitzgerald by nearly 13 seconds.
Last night it was just a bit overcast which kept things from getting as clear and cold as it has been recently, but it was still 4f at the venue 2 hours before the start, so the snow was still cold. Although the conditions were slightly different (no hoarfrost that needed to be skied in for example), our wax tests (both kick and glide) showed that the same products that had been performing the past two days continued to.
Despite illness, disrupted training and frustration with her early season, Jennie Bender (Central Cross Country) will not quit. A mere month after disappointing results in Bozeman, she came from behind on Wednesday to win the classic sprint at U.S. Nationals. Sadie Bjornsen was second and Rosie Brennan third.
Strong Results in Canada Earn Caldwell, Davis World Cup Starts in Liberec
Audrey ManganDecember 19, 2012
Based on their recent results from Quebec City and Canmore, the USST has offered Sophie Caldwell and Skyler Davis the chance to start another World Cup in Liberec, Czech Republic, in mid January. The races there take place just before U23 Worlds at the same venue and fall just inside the selection period the USST will use to select its team for World Championships.
Sargent Bounces Back with top Skate Sprint Result, Bjornsen, Caldwell Continue to Roll
BrainspiralDecember 16, 2012
Ida Sargent earned her second top-10 result of the 2013 season, setting a personal best in a World Cup skate sprint. She was joined in the heats by teammates Sadie Bjornsen and Sophie Caldwell, both of whom had strong days.
For someone who’s never raced a World Cup individual skate sprint before, Sophie Caldwell of the Stratton Mountain School T2 Team didn’t show it. The 22-year-old placed 14th on Saturday, leading the rest of the U.S. women behind winner Kikkan Randall.
‘A Dream Come True’: Athletes Soak Up First World Cup and Team Sprint Experience
Alex KochonDecember 8, 2012
For several North American skiers in their first World Cup or team sprint, it was easy to get nervous on Friday. Many took a deep breath, looked around them and smiled as they realized what they had already achieved.
The American nation’s group athletes in Quebec City this week are about to take the biggest stage of their athletic careers. None of them are content with just having made it, however; these athletes want to compete.
The lead nearly got away from her, but Sadie Bjornsen (APU/USST) was able to claw her way back from third to win the 10 k classic SuperTour in Bozeman by 17 seconds on Sunday. Chelsea Holmes (SVSEF) was second and Rosie Brennan (APU) took third.
Let it be known, there’s a new queen on the SuperTour. On a sunny morning at Bohart Ranch, Sophie Caldwell (SMS T2) handily won the freestyle sprint, putting herself on top of the sprint rankings halfway through the Quebec World Cup qualifying period. Sadie Bjornsen skated to second place and Caitlin Gregg took third.
Caldwell Turns Heads with Yellowstone Sprint Victory
Audrey ManganNovember 24, 2012
Despite a degree of familiarity with the top of the podium, Sophie Caldwell (SMS T2) wasn't quite expecting to win the 1.6 k skate prologue so handily in West Yellowstone. She bested runner-up Anika Miller (Payette Lake Sports) by over four seconds; Caitlin Patterson (CGRP) finished third for her second bronze this weekend.
WEST YELLOWSTONE, Mont. – The distance course on the South Plateau wasn’t too bad if you didn’t think about it too much. The 9-kilometer freestyle race – the first of the 2012/2013 U.S. SuperTour series – netted a slight elevation gain of about 300 feet from start to finish. A course profile indicated that the terrain was rolling. No problem. Try racing it. The individual start began around 7,260 feet above sea level, which is...
Ready or not, the 2013 SuperTour season is fast approaching. Here’s what you need to know about the domestic race scene this year. At this point, we’ve pretty much said everything we can about the twelve senior ski programs in the U.S. We ran a series throughout the summer highlighting each team’s past accomplishments and goals for the future. Read back through ‘em for comprehensive rosters and standalone previews (scroll down for links). Now that...
Hart Takes Advantage of Dartmouth D-Plan, Hangs with SMS
Alex KochonOctober 16, 2012
Annie Hart has been hanging out with the Stratton Mountain School (SMS) T2 Team for a couple months now, but don’t get it wrong, she’s still a Dartmouth skier. A 20-year-old junior, Hart spent most of the summer studying and training at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. That way, come late August, she could take the fall off. In an email from Park City, Utah, where she’s been training with the U.S. Ski Team (USST)...
U.S. Ski Team Elite Camp: Time-Trial Video
Alex KochonSeptember 27, 2012
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Exactly a week ago, 40 elite skiers threw down some solid efforts at a U.S. Ski Team (USST) classic rollerski time trial, with the fastest men and women moving on to their respective quarterfinals, semifinals and finals. Sophie Caldwell and Andy Newell of the Stratton Mountain School T2 Team topped the women’s and men’s fields in the sprint workout. For more about the races,
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – Flinging around a sharp corner about a ski length behind one another, Sophie Caldwell (Stratton Mountain School T2 Team), Ida Sargent (Craftsbury Green Racing Project), Caitlin Patterson (CGRP) and Jessie Diggins (SMS) each lowered into a tuck and prepared for a long, steep descent. Diggins called out to the others just ahead of her in the classic rollerski sprint at Lake Placid’s Olympic Jumping Complex. “That’s it,” the U.S. Ski Team...
Note: This story accompanies came to life under SMS Nordic Program Director Sverre Caldwell. Sophie’s father, Sverre dreamed up the team years ago, but seriously revisited the idea in a conversation with Kaeding last summer. Earlier this year, the two laid the framework to make it happen. Several months later in June, four SMS skiers and Sinnott strapped on their rollerski gear for a three- to four-hour skate in upstate New York. It was the...