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Skimo Racing

Sprint Race – 2017 Skimo Worlds – Feb 28: Quinn Simmons claims bronze for USA, Arnold and Galicia win senior titles

March 1, 2017 By Stano Faban Leave a Comment

I apologize for the delay with a report from yesterday’s sprints. I was scouting the vertical course, waxing some skis for our athletes, cheering, and helping Eric with skins after he qualified in the rainy weather. Today, I raced the vertical race. But here it comes…

Quinn Simmons sprinting to historical bronze medal! Photo by Mark Smiley.
Quinn Simmons sprinting to historical bronze medal! Photo by Mark Smiley.
After a day off (Monday) that included a transfer from Tambre to Piancavallo (about 1.5h) the whole skimo circus was moved to a ski resort for the final 3 days of competitions – sprint, vertical and relay races. A bit of a déjà vu  for me as Piancavallo also hosted the same 3 disciplines during the 2011 Skimo Worlds.
Yesterday (Tuesday) was best suited for the explosive types while the rest of us got a chance to spectate this highly unpredictable skimo discipline, and the one most likely to make it to Olympics first. It was pouring rain out there the whole day which made for very challenging conditions in terms of staying warm and gear management (mainly skins) as organizer had only two small tents for the athletes.
» Click here for previous day: Team Race – 2017 Skimo Worlds – Feb 26

Sprint Race – Men (Senior & Espoir)

There were a couple of surprises as Robert Antonioli (ITA), the 2015 Sprint World Champ, failed to qualify for the finals and the comeback of a sprint specialist Josef Rotmosser (GER) after two years of no World Cup racing, however, he did not qualify for finals as well.
With two big names out of the picture it was Iwan Arnold (SWI) stepping up to the task and claiming gold with a fantastic final run. Anton Palzer (GER) looked very smooth and at easy through all the heats but at the end didn’t have enough in the tank and took silver. Bronze went, a bit surprisingly, to a still young and an upcoming skimo star Oriol Cardona (SPA) – who effectively won the espoir category with that performance.

Anton Palzer leading Iwan Arnold into the boot-pack in the finals. ISMF photo.
Anton Palzer leading Iwan Arnold into the boot-pack in the finals. ISMF photo.
USA and Canadian men:
The best North American result went to Eric Carter (USA) who first qualified into the quarter-finals and the had a great run in his heat but got quite held up by Antonioli in the steep switchbacks, ultimately finishing 4th in his heat (top two move through) and 19th overall – his best result in these Championships. Second best, in 32nd place, went to only an espoir Cameron Smith (USA).
Top Canadian performance went to Nick Elson, placing 33rd and only three spots off the qualifying quota. Second best was Peter Knight in 37th. Both respectable runs given the lack of sprint races in Canada.
For the rest see results link below.
» Full results – men’s sprint race

Sprint Race – Women (Senior & Espoir)

With Laetitia Roux missing, the sprint world title was up for grabs. Claudia Galicia (SPA), silver medalist from teams race, took the opportunity and claimed gold after a close skating finish with Emelie Forsberg (SWE). Third place went to only an espoir Marianne Fatton (SWI).

Emelie Forsberg and Claudia Galicia in the bottom boot-pack transition during women's final. Photo Matt Reid.
Emelie Forsberg and Claudia Galicia in the bottom boot-pack transition during women’s final. Photo Matt Reid.
USA and Canadian women:
Four North American women qualified for the quarter-finals, an accomplishment on its own, but ultimately suffered some set backs to move through. Jessie Young (USA) had the best run and finished 22nd and Michela Adrian (USA) coming in only two spots behind her. Kylee Ohler had the best Canadian performance finishing 26th, however, who knows what would have happened if she didn’t loose a skin only a couple of strides into her quarter-finals heat. Michelle Roberts (CAN) missed qualifying only by one spot and at the end finished 31st overall.
For the rest see results link below.
» Full results – women’s sprint race

Sprint Race – Men (Junior & Cadet)

A historical moment for the US and North American skimo came in the cadet’s category with Quinn Simmons (son of Scott Simmons) claiming bronze medal – the very first medal for NA continent in the youth categories! And it could have been even as he was leading the finals about half-way through. Gold, in the cadet’s category, went to Aurelien Gay (SWI) who most likely has tremendous amount of experience passed onto him from older Swiss sprint specialists. Alessandro Rossi (ITA) claimed silver and his second medal in these Championships.
Junior title went to Ernesto Canclini (ITA), silver to Arno Lietha (SWI) and bronze to Maximilien Drion (BEL).
USA and Canadian men:
In cadet’s, besides already mentioned Quinn Simmons, Henry Boyd and Henry Hanes (both USA) placed 13th and 20th respectively.
Ian Clarke was the only junior for Team USA and in his first ever sprint placed 22nd.
» Full results – cadets and juniors

Sprint Race – Women (Junior & Cadet)

After claiming silver in the junior’s individual, Ekaterina Osichkina (RUS) won the sprint in front of her rivals from the individual – Guilia Murada (ITA) claiming silver and Julia Casanovas (SPA) bronze.
In cadet’s category, Justine Tonso (FRA) repeated her winning run from the individual race and won. In fact, the top three spots went to the same athletes with Samatha Bertolina (ITA) taking silver medal and Caroline Ulrich (SWI) bronze.
USA and Canadian women:
There were no North American racers in the junior’s category.
Morgan Fortin (USA) came to gain precious experience and placed 8th in the cadets but didn’t qualify.
» Full results – juniors and cadets

Tomorrow

Tomorrow’s race was today (since I this sprint report is delayed) and we raced a vertical – please go o to the home page to read that report.

Filed Under: Reports & Results Tagged With: Emelie Forsberg, Eric Carter, Jessie Young, Kylee Ohler, Nick Elson, Peter Knight, Quinn Simmons, Robert Antonioli

Team Race – 2017 Skimo Worlds – Feb 26: USA women 4th, Lenzi wins another title, French women win without Laetitia Roux

February 26, 2017 By Stano Faban 4 Comments

Third day at the 2017 Ski Mountaineering World Championships brought another sunny day but thankfully it didn’t get as hot as forecasted, thanks to a thin cloud cover, and so there were perfect conditions for senior athletes to tackle the longest of all the World Championship races.

Showing parts of the course. Green is skinning or on foot, red are descents. ISMF photo.
Showing parts of the course. Green is skinning or on foot, red are descents. ISMF photo.
Organizers prepared one hell of a technical course including via ferrata sections and a walk/hike on an exposed ridge over one of the local summits. Technical and rocky descents continued to be on the menu as no new snow fell since the opening ceremony.
Arguably, the two most notable performances were in the women’s race with French ladies winning the title without Laetitia Roux, and that the US Team’s Jessie Young and Janelle Smiley clinched 4th place – the best ever for a North American women’s team at Worlds!
» Here are beautiful ISMF photos from the teams race
» Click here for previous day – Junior & Cadet Individual Race – 2017 Skimo Worlds – Feb 25
Janelle and Jessie on the final descent. Photo by Mark Smiley.
Janelle and Jessie on the final descent. Photo by Mark Smiley.
 

Team Race – Men

Historically, Italian teams have been quite dominant whether at Worlds, Pierra Menta or any other teams events. Today, again, it was more of a question which of their teams wins than anything else. Damiano Lenzi is on top form this season and partnering with experienced Matteo Eydallin didn’t hurt. However, they out-skied their fellow country men – Robert Antonioli and Michele Boscacci – only by a few seconds to win gold. Third place went to always strong and well skiing William Bon Mardion and Xavier Gachet (FRA).

Boot-pack over the peak of Mount Cavallo was the highlight of the day! ISMF photo.
Boot-pack over the peak of Mount Castelat was the highlight of the day! ISMF photo.
USA and Canadian men:
It was a mixed day for the US mean’s team today. John Gaston and Max Taam proved their skills finishing 11th, only one place lower than at Worlds 4 years ago. Another strong duo – Eric Carter and Tom Goth – had minor gear issues on the technical ridge walk (many teams had gear issues on that section of the course) but their race really went off the tracks when Eric broke a ski at the bottom of the second descent and they had to abandon. Very respectable performance came from Jon Brown and Teague Holmes who finished 16th. Paul Hamilton and Scott Simmons are showing in the results at 17th place but in fact abandoned after suffering too many issues.
The top Canadian placing went to two mountain/ultra runners, Nick Elson and Rob Krar (see quote below),  finishing 17th (18th in results after Hamilton/Simmons correction). They skied a solid race with Rob having some difficulties in the icy skin tracks – after all it was his very first time seeing something like that.
Nick and Rob in the second descent. ISMF photo.
Nick and Rob in the second descent. ISMF photo.
Second Canadian team placing was still up for grabs half-way through the race with Stano and Matt Reid leading Travis Brown and Peter Knight at that point. Eventually, Travis and Peter prevailed, finishing 19th, after Matt suffered from cramps and breaking his boot early into the third descent. By slowing down a little and taking on fluid and salt, Matt was able to pull through and even skied well with one working boot, and so our team finish 20th.
Stano and Matt atop the last climb of the long technical race. Photo by Lori Ann Donald.
Stano and Matt atop the last climb of the long technical race. Photo by Lori Ann Donald.
Here is what Rob Krar had to say in the finish about his experience today:

I was humbled and in awe of the competition and athleticism on display this morning, including my teammate Nick Elson. I believe we both have a strong and quiet drive that led to a solid showing, although Nick was clearly the stronger athlete and I wish I weren’t the weaker link that held us back from placing higher.
There is a great quote something along the lines of the only risks I regret are the ones I never took. It has been a primary goal the past few years to take more risk and step out of my comfort zone whenever possible. This approach to life has opened doors I never thought possible and racing today was really the culmination of a two year goal to represent Canada at the World Championships. It was the toughest and most challenging ski mountaineering race of my life and I loved every moment of suffering out there.

» Full results – men’s teams race

Team Race – Women

Just like in the individual race, today, was very competitive in the women’s field again. Italian team was leading up the first climb but another 4 teams were right on their heels, including Janelle Smiley and Jessie Young.
At the end, the gold went to Axelle Mollaret and Lorna Bonnel (FRA) with Mollaret having done quite a bit of towing as well as bringing a lot of experience. After all, she has won many teams races with the most decorated skimo athlete in history, Laetitia Roux. Second team over the finish line was from Spain – Mireia Miro and Claudia Galicia – both very experienced racers. Bronze medal went to home Italian women – Martina Valmassoi and Alba De Silvestro – who were in fact leading that first climb.

Italian team on the way to the summit of Cavallo. ISMF photo.
Italian team on the way to the summit of Castelat. ISMF photo.
USA and Canadian women:
For North Americans, the story of the day have been written by Smiley and Young (USA) by racing into a historical 4th place in a teams race! Today’s result will given them a huge confidence bust for Pierra Menta (starts March 8th) where they can certainly attack for the podium, because why go top 5 if you have already done that.
The rest of US and Canadian women had a mixed bag of feelings but overall still delivered respectable performances. Nikki Larochelle and Lindsay Plant place 8th about 10min ahead of 9th Najeeby Quinn and Michela Adrian. In 10th, and only few minutes behind, came the Canadian ladies – Kylee Ohler and Michelle Roberts – who got in good training today before Pierra Menta. 12th place went to another US team of Kristi Knecht and Anne Gonzales, finishing the race on a substitute ski after breaking one.
» Full results – women’s teams race
To give you an idea how spicy and rocky all descents were. ISMF photo.
To give you an idea how spicy and rocky all descents were. ISMF photo.

Tomorrow

There is planned rest/transfer day for tomorrow as we all head to Piancavallo for the last three events including many youth events as well. None of the athletes on US and Canadian teams are sick or (significantly) injured so we are all looking forward to more racing! 🙂

Filed Under: Reports & Results Tagged With: 2017 Skimo World Championships, Damiano Lenzi, Janelle Smiley, Jessie Young, Kylee Ohler, Michelle Roberts, Nick Elson, Rob Krar, Robert Antonioli, Stano Faban

Junior & Cadet Individual Race – 2017 Skimo Worlds – Feb 25: Quinn Simmons 11th in cadets, Everyone gaining experience

February 25, 2017 By Stano Faban Leave a Comment

Quinn Simmons. Photo by Travis Brown.
Quinn Simmons. Photo by Travis Brown.
Second day of racing at the 2017 Ski Mountaineering World Championships saw the future of skimo racing compete for medals today.
With sunny skies back on the menu, and racing on shorter courses than the seniors, it wasn’t any easier for the youth athletes – majority of their course was at lower elevations, thus, skiing on an even thinner snow-pack than seniors the day before.

We think the US youth team had a reasonably good day. Quinn Simmons was the top scorer (11th in Cadets) but every US athlete competing today was in their ‘big race’ debut. Compounded by the course difficulty in the first place, an evening below freezing made the skin tracks extremely firm and slick. It was definitely a learning experience.

» Click here for previous day – Senior & Espoir Individual races report

Individual Race – Men

In the junior category, Italian athletes completely swept the podium and once again are confirming that the depth of talented skimo athletes in their country has no limits:

  1. Davide Magnini – ITA
  2. Nicolo Canclini – ITA
  3. Enrico Loss – ITA

junior-m-individual
In the cadets category, it was two Swiss athletes winning gold and silver, with third place going to Italy:

  1. Aurelien Gay – SWI
  2. Leo Besson – SWI
  3. Alessandro Rossi – ITA

cadet-m-individual
USA men:
USA had a single athlete – Ian Clarke – competing and gaining experience in the junior category. While Ian is a seasoned cyclist he loves to skimo in the winter. Today, he finished 23rd.
On a shorter course, there were 3 cadets representing USA today. Top result went to Quinn Simmons (also a cyclist in the summer) who crossed the line in 11th only 8min behind the winner. The other two cadets – Henry Hanes and Henry Boyd – finished 16th and 17th respectively.
» Full results – juniors and cadet

Ian Clarke. Photo by Eric Carter.
Ian Clarke. Photo by Eric Carter.
Henry Boyd. Photo by Eric Carter.
Henry Boyd. Photo by Eric Carter.
 

Individual Race – Women

In women’s junior and cadet races, the podiums were a lot more colourful with 5 countries dividing 6 medals.
Women’s junior podium was:

  1. Giulia Murada – ITA
  2. Ekaterine Osichkina – RUS
  3. Julia Casanovas Cuairan – SPA

junior-w-individual
And here is the podium for the cadets category:

  1. Justine Tonso – FRA
  2. Samatha Bertolina – ITA
  3. Caroline Ulrich – SUI

cadet-w-individual
USA women:
USA had Morgan Fortin racing in the cadets and finishing 7th.
There were no North American female racers in the junior category.
» Full results – junior and cadet

Morgan Fortin. Photo by Eric Carter.
Morgan Fortin. Photo by Eric Carter.

Tomorrow

The teams race, the longest one of these championships, is scheduled for tomorrow. Italian and French teams will be the biggest favourites.
USA will have 4 men’s and 4 women’s teams with John Gaston / Max Taam having the best chances in men, while Janelle Smiley / Jessie Young team will try to sneak into the top 5.
Canada will have 3 men’s and 2 women’s teams on the start. Everyone is looking forward to a long day in the mountains.

Filed Under: Reports & Results Tagged With: 2017 Skimo World Championships

Senior & Espoir Individual Race – 2017 Skimo Worlds – Feb 24: Lenzi and Roux win, John Gaston 15th and Jessie Young 13th for North America

February 24, 2017 By Stano Faban 5 Comments

Today saw the first races of the 2017 Ski Mountaineering World Championships in Italy.
Very thin snow-pack forced organizers to get extremely creative which resulted in very technical skin tracks and quite dangerous descents with lots of exposed rocks, even a 200m downhill boot-pack. Absolute whiteout conditions and brief rain showers added to the challenge.
It was encouraging to see both North American men and women do so well on such a technical course and showing that couple of years of hard work and shared knowledge is paying off.

Jessie Young (with a star on her chest) fighting for a good position briefly after the start with Janelle Smiley just behind her. Photo Mark Smiley - the famous mountain guide.
Jessie Young (with a star on her chest) fighting for a good position briefly after the start, with Janelle Smiley just behind her. Photo Mark Smiley – the famous mountain guide.

Individual Race – Men

Damiano Lenzi, Italy’s current fastest athlete, went out hard seeking redemption – after penalizations, he was bumped off the 1st place twice earlier this season. He arrived about 40sec ahead of Anton Palzer (GER) and Kilian Jornet (SPA) to the top of the first 620m climb. That gap and order repeated on the top of the second climb.

Focused Damiano Lenzi taking the race by the horns right off the line. Photo Mark Smiley.
Focused Damiano Lenzi taking the race by the horns right off the line. Photo Mark Smiley.
After a downhill boot-pack at the bottom of the second descent Kilian Jornet started to turn on his speed and slowly ate into Lenzi’s lead and only loosing by a single second at the finish after a dramatic skating sprint. Anton Palzer, coming in 3rd about 30sec behind, must have been pretty happy to be back to his best after health problems over the last two weeks.
USA and Canadian men:
It was amazing to see John Gaston and Eric Carter (30sec apart), both from the US, just around the 17-25th place at the top of the first climb, with many big names transitioning with them. Gaston continued strongly to finish in 15th overall (13th in men’s category), setting a new top North American men’s performance in an individual race at World Championships! Carter, feeling good, held his own – loosing few spots on descents but gaining them back on the up-hills. He crossed the finish line in 26th place about 3.5min behind Gaston. Both were very happy about their race.
John Gaston giving all to set new North American men's performance.
John Gaston giving all to set new top North American men’s standard. ISMF photo.
Nick Elson (CAN) was the next North American crossing the line in 35th with Tom Goth (USA) one spot behind, both of them delivering solid performances. Next over the line were two well-know trail runners – Mike Foote (USA) and Rob Krar (CAN) finishing in 46th and 48th respectively – both racing for the first time ever in such high level skimo races.
Canadian duo – Travis Brown and Peter Knight – raced around each other most of the race with Travis claiming 53rd place in the finish and Peter only few minutes behind in 55th.
American espoir Cameron Smith had a solid showing as well, finishing 59th overall, and 12th in his category.
» Full results – individual men

Individual Race – Women

Women’s race was similar to the men’s in the way that real contenders established themselves early and fought a hard battle throughout. However, arguably the most refreshing news was that 49 athletes took to the start line – probably the most ever at this level.

Tight battle for positions before the first climb went into a technical single track. Photo Mark Smiley.
Tight battle for positions before the first climb went into a technical single track. Photo Mark Smiley.
Laetitia Roux (FRA) dug deep on the first climb and gained 90sec on her rivals and controlled that advantage all the way to the finish. But the win likely didn’t come as easy as it sounds because she was often looking back where a trio of chasers were – Axelle Mollaret (FRA), Maude Mathys (SWI) and Emelie Forsberg (SWE). At the end, silver medal went to very experienced Mathys and bronze to still young Mollaret.
USA and Canadian women:
Jessie Young (USA) delivered what was arguably her best ever performance, finishing 13th overall (11th in women’s category), and showed she is now ready to attack the top ten! Janelle Smiley (USA) was only about 1min behind Jessie on the 2nd descent but lost some time later on, finishing 21st – still a respectful result after overcoming illness over the last two weeks.
Third North American over the line was a mother of two and a Canadian, Kylee Toth. After months of focused training and massive improvements she will be proud to finish in 29th, although, her best at these Worlds is still to come.
Kylee Ohler in the last transition. Photo Matt Reid.
Kylee Ohler in the last transition. Photo Matt Reid.
Next over the line were Lindsay Plant and Nikki Larochelle (both USA), finishing in 33rd and 37th, after perhaps not having the races they imagined and certainly not the ones they are capable of. The same is true for Michelle Roberts (CAN) who can definitely go faster but today’s downhills were a bit too technical for her still improving skills – she crossed the line in 40th place.
Canada had two female first timers at these Worlds – Lori Ann Donald and Caroline Reid – and today was perfect for gaining experience. Both women battled through the elements finishing in 42nd and 48th, with their stronger disciplines yet to come.
» Full results – individual women
Lori Ann Donald striding through the thick fog. Photo Matt Reid.
Lori Ann Donald striding through the thick fog. Photo Matt Reid.

Tomorrow’s race

Tomorrow is time for the younger athletes to shine and we are looking forward how well the USA juniors will go as they are definitely showing some skills and ambition!
Canada doesn’t have any non-senior athletes at these championships.

Filed Under: Reports & Results Tagged With: 2017 Skimo World Championships, Anton Palzer, Axelle Mollaret, Damiano Lenzi, Eric Carter, Janelle Smiley, Jessie Young, John Gaston, Kilian Jornet, Kylee Ohler, Laetitia Roux, Mike Foote, Rob Krar, Tom Goth

Skimo News Feb 3-5: US Nationals, Steep Dreams at Panorama, Burke Backcountry Adventure, Upcoming Events

February 7, 2017 By Stano Faban Leave a Comment

It was a busy weekend for skimo racing and big snow storms in North America while many skimo locations in Europe continue to receive very little snow. However, more snow often means too much distraction in the form of powder skiing for many athletes, so if you really want to taper then go somewhere dry 🙂
Read our last week’s Skimo News go here – Skimo News Jan 28-29: Controversy at the 2nd World Cup, Le Massif Race in Quebec, CROWBAR in Utah, Upcoming Events

USA Race News

US Skimo Nationals – New Mexico – Feb 4-5

New Mexico’s resorts, Ski Santa Fe and Taos Ski Valley hosted four races of the 2017 US Nationals last weekend. While a couple of the top US racers weren’t present (already in Europe…) there was enough of fast characters to put the hammer down.

Jon Brown with Rory Kelly chasing Gaston/Taam in the teams race.
Jon Brown with Rory Kelly chasing Gaston/Taam in the teams race. Brashear Photos.
Vertical race:
The weekend started off with a vertical on Friday. The men’s podium was – John Gaston, Rory Kelly and Rob Krar. Since Krar is a Canadian, the bronze medal went to  Sean Van Horn.
Women’s title went to Kristi Knecht, with Jamie Falcon and Aisha Weinhold claiming the rest of the podium.
» Vertical race results

Individual race:
John Gaston confirmed his peaking form with a convincing win on a fast course. Max Taam went on to out ski Rory Kelly for second.
The women’s race delivered more fireworks when Jessie Young topped Janelle Smiley for the gold. Bronze went to Kristi Knecht.
» Individual race results

Sprint race:
Scott Archer confirmed his form after qualifying for the Worlds sprint race 3 weeks ago with another solid performance and finishing second behind John Gaston. Third place went to Jack Linehan.
Women’s title went to Janelle Smiley, second to Jessie Young, and third to Madeleine Carey.
» Sprint race results

Teams race:
The historically strongest US team ever – John Gaston and Max Taam – added to their collection of victories, beating Rory Kelly and Jon Brown. Bronze went to Matthias Messner and Jason Killgore.
In the women’s race, Janelle Smiley and Jessie Young went out to polish their form before the Worlds where we believe they will have a good chance for a great result. They won in front of  Kristi Knecht and Anne Gonzales. There were no other women’s teams in the elite category.
» Teams race results
Jessie Young with Janelle Smiley. Brashear Photos
Jessie Young with Janelle Smiley. Brashear Photos

Burke Backcountry Adventure Race – Vermont – Feb 5

The following write up was provided by SkimoEast’s  Tim Johnson.
The Burke Backcountry Adventure presented by SmartWool tackled a short but tough bootpacking sections of any skimo race in North America, but combined with classic New England snow conditions Sunday it made great World’s prep for race winner and U20 skier, Ian Clarke.
At 100% open, Burke provided a tough single-track climb for the 49 finishers just out of the Sherburne Base Lodge. The Red Trail climb had one mandatory bootpack and one “optional” sector just after, testing skins on the slick, steep conditions before reaching the summit. East Bowl was groomed and held traction with one racer recording a top speed of 96kmh even without tucking, which was prohibited on race day. After a quick transition at Mid-Mountain, the bootpack loomed after a short but steep skin below the main lift that held plenty of distraction for the climbing racers.
burke-skimo-race-2017
Clarke, 1st place in 1:49:04 from Killington VT, left for the 1st of two laps with a small lead of 15sec and continued to hold at least that thru the end of lap 1 eventually holding off Ed Warren, who finished just under 1min behind at 1:49:46. Andrew Drummond claimed third with 1:51:38.
In the women’s race, Hilary McCloy’s freshly mounted skis helped her shave buckets of tie off her time 2016 race time to win in 2:23:26, with Stephanie Cote 10:50 back and Whitney Withington another 37secs behind in 3rd.
Young Antoine Corbeil brought home a long course U16 victory in a time of 2:26:59. An even younger Pierre-Luc Harnois was 2nd at 3:15:33
The FreeRando category is made up of those using heavier gear, Bruce Rychlik finished in 2:41:07 and Leslie Burnard at 3:23:56

Canada Race News

Steep Dreams – Panorama, BC – Feb 4-5

14-year old Tom Stephen putting in great performances both days! Photo by his dad Doug.
14-year old Tom Stephen putting in great performances both days! Photo by his dad Doug.
A new race on the Canadian calendar premiered last weekend at the lovely Panorama Resort located deep in the Purcell Mountains. Organized by racers Matt Reid and his wife Caroline the event was highly enjoyed by all participants!
Individual race:
Great selection of terrain and 15cm of fresh overnight were putting smiles on our faces despite the cold temperatures. A novelty in skimo racing, courtesy of Matt’s idea, were electronic chip timed downhills!
Men’s race went on to be a close battle between Peter Knight and Travis Brown with Peter securing a win thanks to strong climbing while not giving up too much time to Travis on the descents. Third place went to Joel Desgreiners after pulling off another strong performance. Stano went on to finish 4th with having mixed feelings about his performance.
There were no surprises in the women’s race, however, Kylee Ohler continues to keep building her stellar form towards the World Championships. Her coach, Eric Carter, and I continue to be impressed by her with every passing race. Second place finisher, Michelle Roberts, is making improvements as well and will be partnering with Kylee for Worlds and Pierra Menta – where Stano will be helping them with gear and overall support. Third place went to Lori-Anne Donald after posting some fast times on the downhills.
Two juniors raced the short course with Tom Stephens taking the top spot in front of Marcus Zamzow.
» Individual results
Vertical race:
All racers were ready once again early Sunday morning only to return back to the lodge after a snowmobile with the main timer & referee got stuck in storm snow half-way up the mountain.
840m of blue runs with some steep sections put a real hurt on everybody and delivered some impressive ascent speed rates for the top finishers. With laser focus, Peter Knight quickly disappeared out the front to post a fast 33:47 time (ascent rate of 24.9m/min or 1490m/hour). Travis Brown followed him home 1.5min back with third going again to Joel further 15sec back.
Biggest news was that only a 14-years old Tom Stephens finished in fourth in a time of 36:50!
In the women’s race, Kylee Toth took the win (40:12 and ascent rate of 20.9m/min or 1250m/hour) in front of Marg Fedyna and Michelle Roberts.
» Vertical results

Upcoming Races

World Cups:
On Feb 11th, Turkey will host an individual and sprint. Then all eyes will be on World Championships between Feb 23 and Mar 3.
USA and Canada:
» Check out our skimo racing calendar
Over the next two weekends:
Feb 11 – Whitefish Whiteout, MT – Stano will be there to remember to Ben Parsons
Feb 11 – Bolton 24 Hours, VT
Feb 17-19 – Griggs Ski Mountaineering Race, CO
Feb 18 – Course du Mont Édouard, QC

Filed Under: News Shorts, Reports & Results Tagged With: Steep Dreams, US Skimo National Champs

Skimo News Jan 28-29: Controversy at the 2nd World Cup, Le Massif Race in Quebec, CROWBAR in Utah, Upcoming Events

January 31, 2017 By Stano Faban 2 Comments

Time flies and we are already into February of 2017, with World Championships only 23 days away!
To read our last week’s Skimo News go here – Skimo News Jan 21-22: Carter racing in Andorra WC, Canada and East Coast races

USA Race News

crowbar-2017-1CROWBAR – Utah – Jan 28

CROWBAR (Cache Regional Overland Winter Backcountry Race) is one of the few fully backcountry hosted skimo races in North America that never disappoints with a foot of fresh the day before!
Last weekend, a group of youth racers from Park City – coached by Nina Silitch – made the trip and delivered a couple of great performances. Nina is doing great work with her skimo “students” and we will bring you more information on that shortly.
The main races were won by Chad Brackelsberg (men’s category) and Gemma Arro (women’s) while 5th place in men’s category went to Jason Borro of Skimo.co.
Both photographs were taken and sent to us by Wayne Wurtsbaugh. Thank you!
» Full results
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Skin To Win – Bridge Bowl, MT  – Jan 29

Bridger Bowl Ski Area near Bozeman, MT hosted  another edition of Skin To Win skimo race with Janelle Smiley taking the win in the women’s category and Sawyer Thomas in men’s. World Champs bound Mike Foote did not finish the race.
» Full results

Canada Race News

There were no races in the Western part of Canada while the SkimoEast series continued in Quebec.

Le Massif – Quebec – Jan 28

This report was submitted by Richard Ferron, one of SkimoEast organizers.
The third race of the SkimoEast 2017 season was Saturday at Le Massif de Charlevoix, close to Quebec City. Le Defi des montagnes had a long challenging course of 19 km – longest of the series – with 1 650m of climbing. The long course was won by David Savard-Gagnon followed closely by Leigh Quilliams. The women’s race was won by Carinne Lavallière.
A special mention to Antoine Corbeil, 14 years old, who completed the long course and won the Jr division.
The race was opened to ski mountaineers as well as runners (snowshoes or running shoes). This year, there was even a FreeRide course with an emphasis on the descent and less on the time.
Next race is at Burke, Vermont, February 5. More information on www.skimoeast.com
» All results can be found here

Aiden Lennie on his way to victory in the short course. Photo David Moore.
Aiden Lennie on his way to victory in the short course. Photo David Moore.

International Race News

Cambre D’Aze – France – Jan 28-29

(Read our last weeks report about how the 1st World Cup of the season went.)
The ISMF World Cup continued in France with Individual race on Saturday and a first Sprint of the season on Sunday. The venue received large amounts of snow just two days before the races so the Individual had to be moved mostly in-bounds.
Individual:
The men’s field was missing last weeks winner Anton Palzer (GER), however, there was more “action” than anyone would like to see.
Damiano Lenzi (ITA) crossed the finish line in first place but was given one minute penalty and moved to second, exactly like last week. Thus, the win was awarded to Kilian Jornet (SPA) who was only couple of seconds behind. The “controversy” went into full swing when the top 3 (Lenzi, Jornet, Eydallin) from the finish didn’t show up at the flowers ceremony and were disqualified! At the end, the win went to Robert Antonioli (ITA) who finished 4th in the race.
Eric Carter (USA) had a better race than last week in Andorra and finished 37th – but would effectively move to 34th after the top 3 disqualification.

Lenzi leaving for a boot-pack in front of Jornet. ISMF photo.
Lenzi leaving for a boot-pack in front of Jornet. ISMF photo.
Kilian Jornet went on to explain his/their side of the story on his Facebook page while ISMF didn’t comment too much publicly but said that “…the ISMF will analyze the matter in the constant process of the assesement of the quality of the races”. Without being there, no one knows which side is right but from our experience there likely are valid points on both sides. The question is how will this affect our sport going forward as conflicts like these are definitely damaging.
A side story we found intriguing, while looking through the results, was a 10th place finisher Christian Hoffmann (AUT). This 42 year old racer came to skimo after serving 6-year ban for blood doping – same investigation that involved a disgraced cyclist Michael Rasmussen. Hoffmann won gold in cross-country skiing in 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City after the winner was convicted of his own blood doping. While the skier is free to race again, it is interesting that the Austrian Skimo federation is giving him a chance to represent their country on a World stage.
In the women’s race, nothing has changed on the top of the podium with Laetitia Roux (FRA) collecting another World Cup win while again second went to her young French teammate Axelle Mollaret. Third place went to Maude Mathys (SWI) who returned after her doping ban, although, for much less serious offence than Hoffmann.
» Full results for Individual
Sprint:
A great day for Iwan Arnold (SWI) by taking his first ever skimo World Cup win! Second went to his team-mate Andreas Steindl while the race favourite Robert Antonioli finished in third.
Laetitia Roux continued in great fashion from the day before and won. Second and third went to Claudia Galicia (SPA) and Deborah Chiarello (SWI).
» Full results for Sprint (you will need to click few links to drill down)
Cambre_d_aze_sprint_women
Italian racer in the top transition of the sprint qualification. Photo ISMF.

Upcoming Races

World Cups:
After back to back weekends, the World Cup will have a small break and returning on Feb 11th in Turkey with an individual and sprint.
USA and Canada:
» See our preview of Steep Dreams event at Panorama Resort, BC that will take place on Feb 4-5 (individual on Saturday and vertical on Sunday).
» Check out our skimo racing calendar
Over the next two weekends:
Feb 3-5 – US Nationals, NM
Feb 4-5 – Panorama Steep Dreams Skimo Race, BC
Feb 5 – Burke Backcountry Adventure, VT
Feb 11 – Whitefish Whiteout, MT – Stano will be there to remember to Ben Parsons
Feb 11 – Bolton 24 Hours, VT
Feb 17-19 – Griggs Ski Mountaineering Race, CO
Feb 18 – Course du Mont Édouard, QC

Filed Under: News Shorts, Reports & Results Tagged With: CROWBAR, Damiano Lenzi, Eric Carter, Iwan Arnold, Kilian Jornet, Laetitia Roux, Robert Antonioli

How to Taper and Peak for Your Goal Skimo Race: Volume, Intensity, Recovery…

January 29, 2017 By Stano Faban 1 Comment

After months of training, it can be daunting when the time finally comes for your big race. While it’s not possible to ‘make’ your race by training in the last week or two leading up to it, it’s definitely possible to ‘break’ it if you over do it!
By focusing on your taper, you give yourself the best chance for a successful performance.
taper-post-podium

Adjusting Your Training – Volume and Intensity

Tapering, to most athletes, means a reduction in volume so we’ll start there. It’s important to adjust your training properly, not just hang up the skis and hit the couch.
Your overall volume (time or vertical – depending on what you measure) should decrease approximately 50% during your taper week. Remember, the training is done, you aren’t going to make any amazing breakthroughs by putting in time the week before the big event.
As important is maintaining the frequency of training and intensity of your sessions. This means if you usually train five days per week, then continue to do so, just make each session shorter. Don’t drop interval workouts from your schedule but adjust them to be less taxing by reducing the number of reps and overall intensity while increasing rest between reps. One of my favourite intensity workouts the week before a race is shown in green below.
Use your reduced training volume wisely, such as to inspect the race course. Depending on the venue, a half-day lift ticket can give you a big advantage for scoping the course. Focus on descents and technical sections. You don’t want to be surprised by a sharp corner when you are racing at your maximum speed!
taper-week-example

Maximize Your Recovery

While adjusting volume is the most obvious part of a taper, there is much more to making it effective. Maximizing your recovery routine is a critical component.
Have a look at your schedule and figure out what time you are going to need to wake up the morning of the event, and what time you will need to go to bed the night before for a great night’s sleep. Use the week leading up to the race to adjust your bedtime routine so you get in the habit of getting to sleep on time!
The reduction in training time should also free up extra time to focus on recovery routines like rolling and release, massage, improved nutrition (take the time to prepare healthy meals), and preparing for the race.

Plan Your Race

Previewing a race course, as already mentioned, is critical. It might not always be possible to ski the entire course before race day but do your best to get a copy of the race map and check it out on Google Earth. Are you skiing on piste, open slopes, or in tight trees? Do you have dramatic turns or groomed runs to be aware of?

Some organizer provide a pretty good map from which you can figure out the locations of the climbs/descents and their vertical.
Some organizer provide a pretty good map from which you can figure out the locations of the climbs/descents and their vertical.
Best case scenario: Over the course of the preceding week, you’ve previewed every section of the course and taken notes about important sections on a copy of the race map. An advanced athlete can then use this information to visualize each section of the course and how they might react to situations at each point.
This becomes part of the overall race strategy. Being aware of the demands of individual climbs will help determine the equipment you use (mostly talking about skins here), how hard you will push in each section, and your nutritional demands.

Practice Your Transitions

While any time is good time to work on your transitions, the taper period is especially great. Going through the correct sequences of various skimo racing transitions will keep your mind sharp towards the race day and sometimes you can discover a bad habit that started to creep in during weeks of pure training.
Once you know the race details, you can specifically focus only on those transitions but pretty much at all times you need to be very efficient in these:

  • skins-on
  • skins-off
  • skinning to boot-packing
  • boot-packing to skinning/skiing

If you are unsure about the movement sequences in your transitions watch our playlist of videos below:

Equipment Preparation

Finally, and something easily overlooked, is equipment preparation.
Make sure, several days before, that everything is in proper working order. If your boot cables are frayed or your pole straps disintegrating, don’t wait until the day before the race to repair them. Give yourself a few days just in case the local shop is out of stock or whatever else could go wrong.
We always do a quick check of our boots (cracks/holes)bindings (cracks in the plate or loose screws), skis (waxed/scraped), skins (any glue touchups), and poles (mostly the straps).
Finally, check the weather and wax your skis for the expected conditions. Give yourself plenty of time and do a good job scraping and brushing. Do it when you have access to a bench and vice rather than behind your car at the venue!

12 Week Skimo Training Plan

In addition to our Manual For Ski Mountaineering Racing e-book, we released a very detailed skimo training plan that will help you to reach your best at your goal race – 12 Weeks to Your Best Skimo Race.
skimo-training-plan-cover-600x464

Filed Under: Skimo Racing, Training, Tricks & Tips Tagged With: Recovery, skimo training, tapering, Training

Skimo News Jan 21-22: Carter racing in Andorra WC, Canada and East Coast races, Upcoming events

January 25, 2017 By Stano Faban 2 Comments

With World Championships quickly approaching (Eric and Stano will be attenting as well) the athletes are entering their final preparations. Besides the west side of US, there were races happening in all corners of NA and Europe.
To read our previous Skimo News go here – Skimo News Jan 13-15: 2nd USA Team Qualifier, Mountain Attack, Upcoming Races and World Cups

USA Race News

We are waiting for more details from some east coast races that happened last weekend. We will update here as soon as we receive them.

Berkshire East – Massachusetts – Jan 21

With little over 5,600 feet of vertical gain, including five boot-pack segments and 25 transitions, the Berkshire East skimo race tested the local athletes once again athletes from six states – New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire. (Edit as per suggestions in a comment at the bottom of the article.)
The win in the men’s category on the main course went to Ed Warren who managed to build a 4min lead by the finish line. In the women’s category the title went to Jennifer Downing.
» Full results for the competitive category
berkshire-east-race-1

Canada Race News

Lizard Skinner – Fernie, BC – Jan 21

The following recap was submitted by Travis Brown, a fellow Canadian Ski Mountaineering Team teammate.
The second running of the Fernie Lizard Skinner was an exciting and hard fought battle on all fronts. The non technical course is a mix of steep groomer skinning, and flat hardpack with a distinct Nordic feel. Because all climbs involve a mix of these conditions, skin choice is key in having a fast race.
fernie-race-1
As always, in the men’s race Peter Knight took the race out hard from the gun, with Travis Brown chasing close behind. Peter built up a sizeable lead in the first third of the race, and Travis was unable to close the gap, finishing 4 minutes back. Master’s competitor Steve Sellers crashed out of the 2016 iteration of the race with a badly dislocated shoulder, but returned this year as strong as always, and managed a great 4th place finish, being passed on the last descent by eastern transplant Joel Desgreniers.
In the women’s race, Kylee Ohler was dominant from the start, building up a considerable lead over the rest of the women very early in the race. Kylee would finish 5th overall, giving Steve and Joel a run for their money. Fellow national team members Michelle Katchur-Roberts and Lori Anne Donald rounded out the podium positions.
Marcus Zamzow was the only junior racing, and came in first in the recreational category, followed by Martha Burley, a former Canadian team member returning to racing after having a baby and taking a few seasons off.
» Full results Lizard Skinner

International Race News

Font Blanca World Cup – Andorra – Jan 21-22

Last weekend saw the first World Cup of the season. Like very year, the always friendly and enthusiastic Andorrans put on a show with individual on Saturday and a vertical race on Sunday.
Eric Carter toed the start line after a busy travel schedule (Colorado to home in Squamish, BC to Andorra in a span of 4 days) and not surprisingly he performed less than he wished for. However, this will serve him as a good warm up before another World Cup this weekend, and the upcoming World Championships in February. He finished 48th in the individual and 46th in the vertical.

Forsberg overtaking Mollaret and Orgue in the vertical.
Forsberg overtaking Mollaret and Orgue in the vertical.
Individual:
Anton Palzer (GER) took the win after battling Damiano Lenzi (ITA) for the entire race. The Italian even crossed the finish line in first but was awarded a penalty and moved to second. Third place went to Xavier Gachet (FRA). Kilian Jornet (SPA) finished sixth.
In the women’s race, the domination of Laetitia Roux (FRA) on the World Cup scene continued and she won without much trouble. Second went to her young French teammate Axelle Mollaret with ultra-runner Emelie Forsberg (SWE) coming in third.
Vertical:
The men’s podium completely reshuffled from the day before and with close gaps this was one hell of a competitive race. Swiss vertical specialist Werner Marti won gold by 9 seconds  in front of Kilian Jornet who was another 13 seconds ahead of, still only an espoir, Remi Bonnet (SWI). Lenzi and Palzer came in 4th and 5th respectively.
Women’s race was no less exciting! Emelie Forsberg crossed the finish line first only by 4 seconds in front of  Axelle Mollaret. Spain’s vertical specialist and mountain runner Laura Orgue claimed bronze only another 19 seconds further back. Laetitia Roux didn’t start the race.
» Full results for all Andorra races (you will need to click few links to drill down)
Werner Marti leading Jornet and Bonnet to the finish line.
Werner Marti leading Jornet and Bonnet to the finish line.
 

Upcoming Races

World Cups:
This weekend, Eric Carter will join the world elite athletes at a World Cup at Cambre d’Aze in France. Individual race goes on Saturday followed by a sprint on Sunday.
USA and Canada:
» See our preview of Steep Dreams event at Panorama Resort, BC that will take place on Feb 4-5 (individual on Saturday and vertical on Sunday).
» Check out our skimo racing calendar
Over the next two weekends you can participate in one of these:
Jan 28 – CROWBAR SkiMo race, UT
Jan 28 – Défi des montagnes, QC
Jan 29 – Skin to Win Race At Bridger Bowl, MT
Feb 3-5 – US Nationals, NM
Feb 4-5 – Panorama Steep Dreams Skimo Race, BC
Feb 5 – Burke Backcountry Adventure, VT

Filed Under: News Shorts, Reports & Results Tagged With: Anton Palzer, Axelle Mollaret, Emelie Forsberg, Eric Carter, Kilian Jornet, Kylee Ohler Toth, Laetitia Roux, Peter Knight, Travis Brown

New Race On The Block: Steep Dreams at Panorama Mountain Resort on Feb 4-5

January 23, 2017 By Stano Faban 1 Comment

panorama-steep-dreams-title-image
We would like to point your attention to a new ski mountaineering event on the Canadian scene. Not just because it’s a first time event but also because the format of some its events is new to ski mountaineering racing world.
Steep Dreams will take place on February 4-5 at Panorama Mountain Resort, located deep in British Columbia’s Purcell Mountains, about 30min drive west from Radium Hot Springs (major tourist attraction).

Events

Traditional style ski mountaineering individual race, as part of the Canadian Skimo Cup, will start at 8.30am on Saturday (Feb 4). There will be a long (about 1500m of climbing) and a short course (700m) to choose from spread over multiple climbs.
The unique addition to the individual race on both courses will be a “Skiduro” event for which only the downhill portions of the race will be timed.
Sunday will see a traditional vertical race consisting of a single ascent, from the base of the resort to about 3/4 up the mountain for a total of 800m. Later in the day everyone will have a chance to participate in a slopestyle competition showcasing your descent skills!

Courses and more details

Below are maps of the proposed courses and they look quite exciting to us!
Green lines are skins-on ascents, red lines show descents, and yellow are boot-packs.
» For full details about Steep Dreams and to register please visit the event’s website.
See you in Panorama!

The long course of the individual race on Saturday. Click image to enlarge.
The long course of the individual race on Saturday. Click image to enlarge.

Sunday’s vertical race course. Click image to enlarge.
Sunday vertical race course. Click image to enlarge.

Filed Under: Events & Races Tagged With: Canada SkiMo Cup, Panorama Mountain Resort, Steep Dreams

Skimo News Jan 13-15: 2nd USA Team Qualifier, Mountain Attack, Upcoming Races and World Cups…

January 19, 2017 By Stano Faban 1 Comment

Last weekend was very busy for racing in Colorado while Canada took a break. In Europe, 18th edition of Mountain Attack in Austria served its traditional 3000m around Saalbach. Our previous skimo news can be found here.
We attend some of the Colorado races and went through the multi-day marathon outdoor gear show in Salt Lake City – we will be writting about the new gear starting this weekend! Overall, we drove over 5000km in 9 days and ate way too much “gas station food” 😉

Close to 130 athletes lined up for individual race at Sunlight Mountain, Colorado.
Close to 130 athletes lined up for individual race at Sunlight Mountain, Colorado.

USA Race News

The Heathen Challenge – USA Team Qualifier – Jan 14-15

The first qualification race from a month ago was still very alive in some athletes minds as they failed to secure their spots for their desired disciplines on the USA Team that will represent at the upcoming World Championships. Tom Goth and Max Taam were the two big names that had something to prove at Sunlight mountain last weekend.
Saturday’s night Sprint Race:
After a smart qualification and semi-final rounds, Max Taam was leaving the very top transition in the sprint finals about 6-7 seconds behind Eric Carter, who looked in control. While Eric was trying to avoid any crashes Max went full gas, passed him 2 gates from the finish line and won. Third and fourth went to Rory Kelly and Scott Archer respectively, who also secured their spots for the sprint race at Worlds (top 4 qualified).
In the women’s race, Jessie Young went mostly unchallenged and won while the battle behind her was more competitive. In the finals, Najeeby Quinn took close second in front of Nikki Larochelle. Fourth and final spot on the sprint team went to Michela Adrian.
Of note, were the men’s and women’s junior and youth racers. All were racing strong and were pulling off smooth transitions every time they came by me – I was a referee at the very top sprint transition. Quinn Simmons won the finals and can be a medal hopeful in Europe!
» Sprint race results – scroll through photo results on Facebook
Sunday’s Individual Race:
Sunday’s race was a qualifier for the fourth and final spot on the individual team, and was also a qualifier for the teams race spots – top 8 would secure those.
Tom Goth showed tremendous desire to secure the final spot on the individual race team after coming short a month ago. He took it out from the line and followed John Gaston (who already qualified) as long as he could to finish second in the race. John won once again and continues to dominate the North American skimo racing scene in big style. Third went to Max Taam who was trying hard to catch Goth but failed by about one minute.

From left: Quinn Simmons (15) and Scott Simmons (45) are going to represent US at Worlds. Jon Brown, right off them, is also going to Worlds after qualifying for teams race.
From left: Father and son, Quinn Simmons (15) and Scott Simmons (45), are going to represent US at 2017 Worlds. Jon Brown, right off them, is also going to Worlds after qualifying for the teams race.
In the women’s race, Jessie Young repeated her great performance from the day before and went on to win over Janelle Smiley. Nikki Larochelle raced well too to round out the podium in front of Lindsay Plant. Just like in the men’s race, the top 8 secured their teams race spots but we are yet to see which women will choose to travel to Europe at the end.
Junior boy’s podium went to Quinn Simmons, Henry Boyd, Henry Hanes. The girls race was won by Morgan Fortin.
» Individual race results

The Grand Mesa Grind at Powderhorn – Jan 14

Athletes that weren’t much interested in the sprint at Sunlight went to race an individual race at Powderhorn.
The podiums went to Jon Brown, Ram Mikulas (new USSMA president) and Matthias Messner in men’s category. Women’s went to Janelle Smiley and Amber Leach.
» Grand Mesa results

International Race News

18th edition of Mountain Attack in Austria delivered some very fast times over its massive 3000m course (10,000 ft). Although the race route is entirely in a ski resort athletes complete the course during evening/night hours with headlamps.
The talented Anton Palzer (GER) went on to win in 2h 21min! He was followed home by Christian Hoffmann (AUT) and Tadei Pivk (ITA). Jennifer Fiechter (SWI) won the women’s marathon course in 3h 3min in front of Italian Team members Katia Tomatis and Martina Valmassoi.
» Results for 2017 Mountain Attack

Upcoming Races

World Cups:
After sharing a long drive back to Canada from Colorado, I wished “Good Luck” to Eric Carter who jumped on the plane to Europe to race in Andorra WC (Jan 21-22) and Cambre d’Aze WC in France (Jan 28).
USA and Canada:
Check out our full calendar but the highlight events for next 2 weeks are here:
Jan 20-23 – Griggs Skimo Camp, CO
Jan 21 – Fernie Skimo Race, BC
Jan 21 – Berkshire East, MA
Jan 21 – La course du Festival, QC
Jan 28 – CROWBAR SkiMo race, UT
Jan 29 – Skin to Win Race At Bridger Bowl, MT
Feb 3-5 – US Nationals, NM
Feb 4-5 – Panorama Steep Dreams Skimo Race, BC

Filed Under: News Shorts, Reports & Results Tagged With: Eric Carter, Janelle Smiley, Jesse Young, John Gaston, Jon Brown, Max Taam, Quinn Simmons, Scott Simmons, Tom Goth

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SkinTrack.com, created by Stano Faban, was born out of passion for ski mountaineering and ski touring. Over the years, it has become one of the most popular ski mountaineering blogs in North America.

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