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Reports & Results

Skimo News – Jan 16, 2018: Finally Racing in Colorado, Boscacci Wins Mountain Attack, East Coast Races, National Champs in Europe, and more…

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The race season is in full swing, though it may not feel like it in the American Rockies, and we have lots of action everywhere!
North American athletes have multiple options for racing each weekend and with good snow coverage in Europe, athletes are getting after it over there as well.
Avalanche conditions in Canada have put a damper on big backcountry missions but new snow and colder temperatures will heal the snow-pack soon! The Pacific Northwest is holding good snow throughout and the East Coast is recovering (rejoicing?) from a major winter storm.

USA and Canada Race News

Sunlight Heathen Challenge – Colorado – Jan 13, 2018:

john-gaston-heathen-challengeFinally a race goes off in Colorado!
The COSMIC organizers pulled it off this weekend by hosting the Heathen Challenge at Sunlight Resort, albeit on a heavily modified and man-made course.
John Gaston is in good form and as usual, finished several minutes ahead of the field. Espoir Cam Smith had a strong showing jumping to the silver position on the podium. In the women’s field, Eva Hagen stayed well clear of National Team members Nikki Larochelle and Michela Adrian.
> Full Results

Trail de Nuit Stoneham – Stoneham, Quebec – Jan 13, 2018:

Report for this race was submitted by Richard Ferron. Thank you!
After an explosive weather cocktail – two days of rain followed by a snowstorm on race day – it was a windy -20C racing evening that the third edition of SkimoEast’s Trail de Nuit Stoneham occurred. This Quebec race is a 3km, 350m+ loop in an hour plus one loop, similar to cyclocross races and, although it is a skimo race, it accepts snowshoes racers and runners.
Even with the tough conditions, 8 juniors participated in the event, the youngest being 8 years old! In the junior skimo category, the honors were won by promising 15 year old Antoine Corbeil with 3 loops in 1:13:38 followed by his 11 year old brother Maxime who did 2 loops.
skimoeast-race-2
In the men’s category, a close fight between Canadian National Development Team member Arnaud Côté-Boisvert and Aiden Lennie finally came to a draw. Both men finished 3 laps and a few seconds after the hour… Not sure they wanted to go for another lap! In third position came David Grenier, a little less than 2 minutes behind.
skimoeast-race-1
Evelyne Gagnon won the day in the women’s category with 2 laps despite skin glue problems.
The next SkimoEast race is Burke Backcountry adventure on January 28th.
> Full Results

International Race News

French Skimo Championships:

Xavier Gachet wins the French individual championships with William Bon Mardion in 2nd and Alexis Sevennec in 3rd.
Laetitia Roux won an incredible 27th French Championship title of her career! Axelle Mollaret takes 2nd in the individual.

Leatitia Roux racing away with the title.
Leatitia Roux racing away with the title.

Swiss Skimo Championships:

Werner Marti wins vertical event.
Unique night format for the individual event went to Werner Marti again. Our good friend, Pascal Egli finished 7th overall.
Ivan Arnold took the sprint over the well-accomplished Martin Anthamatten.
Victoria Kreuzer took double victory over Jennifer Fiechter in vertical and individual championship races!

Mountain Attack – Saalbach, Austria – Jan 12, 2018:

The Italians and Germans were busy with one of the biggest events in skimo and of their season – the 20th edition of Mountain Attack race –  a very cool night ski resort race with 3000m elevation gain in the main category.
Close to 400 athletes lined up for the 3000m course and about the same for the 2000m version.

With eyes on the prize, Michelle Boscacci wins 2018 Mountain Attack. Photo credit - Mountain Attack.
With eyes on the prize, Michele Boscacci wins 2018 Mountain Attack. Photo credit – Mountain Attack.
All the best athletes race the long course and this year, still pretty young Michele Boscacci set a blistering new course record of 2h 18m 57s. However, the second and third, Tadei Pivk and Jakob Herrmann respectively, finished only less than 30 sec behind Boscacci!
A quick calculation reveals that their average climbing speed was around 1560 vertical metres per hour if we subtract 25min for all the descents and transitions. That’s 3000m in less than 2h, on skis!
In the women’s category, the long course win went to Michaela Essl in 3h 1min – average vertical speed of 1240m/h if we subtract 35min for downhills and transitions – followed by Katia Tomatis and Veronika Mayerhofer.
> Full results

Upcoming Events

Racing action in Canada continues this weekend with an individual and sprint event in Fernie, BC. Avalanche conditions have necessitated some course changes but organizers are still promising an exciting event. Remember that the guys over at SkiUphill.ca bring race skis to ever event for YOU to demo! Get in touch if you want to give them a try!
Organizers and racers are sure to have difficult conditions on the East Coast as conditions warm up. Expect a competitive field at one of the biggest races of the season on an exciting course at the Berkshire East!
The next SkimoEast race is Burke Backcountry adventure on January 28th.
The second ISMF World Cup of the season is this weekend in Switzerland. After the relatively non-competitive event in China, this is effectively the first real WC of the season and we hope to see all the big names at the starting line. A few athletes will be tired from last week’s Mountain Attack but expect to see a good battle between the top Italians and the rest of the field!

Skimo News – Jan 2: Race Previews and Current Snow Conditions

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No racing action took place over the holiday period in North America or on the World Cup circuit.
In other ski news, Colorado has finally received a bit more snow but the entire US Rockies remain anemic. The Pacific Northwest and Canada are faring better with good snow on the Coast and skiing to be found in the Canadian Rockies. An arctic air front has settled in over much of Canada and parts of the US causing a deep freeze (good luck to the East Coast ski mountaineers!).
Europe seems to be faring well, with deep snow in the Alps. If you are considering a Grand Tour skimo event, or hop over just for a vacation, this just might be the deep snow year to do it!

Photo from our touring day earlier in December. Good snow conditions are continuing in the west parts of Canada.
Photo from our touring day earlier in December. Good snow conditions are continuing in the west parts of Canada.

Upcoming Events

ISPO Munich, Germany – Jan 28-31, 2018:
This year we are going to Munich to visit the biggest outdoor show on the planet. Just like the Outdoor Retailer in US (but many times bigger), we are going there to get a preview of all the 2019 ski mountaineering gear so we can share it with you.
COSMIC Grand Mesa Grind at Powderhorn, CO – Jan 6, 2018:
The COSMIC series is scheduled to continue at Powderhorn Resort with one of the more backcountry feeling races of the series, however, snow conditions are proving difficult. Organizers remain in a holding pattern and will keep us posted!
More info at: http://www.cosmicski.com/event/powderhorn
Magic Mountain Skimo Race, VT – Jan 6, 2018:
The Eastern US skimo race season kicks off on January 6 in Vermont at Magic Mountain, the first of the five USSMA-sanctioned races of the NE Rando Race Series.
Total vertical will top out at around 5,100 feet via three cycles of a circuit comprising a very efficient skin track from base to summit, leading to a partial ski descent, followed by a short steep boot-pack, and finally picking up the prior ski descent back down to the base. The skiing will be almost entirely steep moguls, and adding to the challenge will be a currently forecasted continuation of the arctic weather conditions that have dominated all of the East since Christmas.
More info at: http://nerandorace.blogspot.ca/p/course-layout-magic-magic-mtn.html
Castle Mountain Skimo Race, AB – Jan 6-7, 2018:
The second event of the SMCC Canadian Cup takes place on January 6 and 7 at Castle Mountain Resort in southern Alberta.
Saturday’s sprint event will be an excellent opportunity to practice the World Cup format. The individual race on Sunday utilizes the full spread of terrain offered by Castle. Starting with a technical skin track to a rocky ridge boot-pack, then the race descends big perfectly fall-line chutes on the left side of the ski area. The second climb is a groomer grind leading racers up to the top of the resorts side-country cat ski zone and usually descends nice powder fields before shooting down to the village finish area.
Watch out for the usual contingent of Canadian athletes as well as a few Americans making the short trip up from Montana.
More info at: http://www.skimocanada.org/2018-castle-mountain-ski-mountaineering-race/

Skimo News Dec 19: World Cup in China, Cam Smith Takes His First Ever Win at Wolf Creek, First Descent on Mt Assiniboine, Upcoming Events

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It was an exciting weekend in the skimo racing world with the first ever World Cup taking place in China! The Wanlong venue will be hosting some of the sports for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

Top athletes fighting in cold conditions in the vertical race in Wanlong, China.
Top athletes fighting in cold conditions in the vertical race in Wanlong, China.
The American Rockies continue with low-tide snow conditions while the Alps are hammered hard by a storm that marks their start of the season. The Canadian Rockies and Coast Mountains have had a much more promising start followed by high pressure period that allowed skiers to venture into the alpine and attempt some bigger lines.

USA and Canada Race News

Unfortunately the COSMIC race at Irwin Lodge in Colorado was cancelled due to low snow but this was made up for by the previously postponed Wolf Creek Rando Race that got moved to Dec 17th and ran without a hitch.

Wolf Creek Rando Race – Wolf Creek Ski Area, CO – Dec 17, 2017

For a ski area usually lush with snow, usually earliest to open, and the deepest base, even Wolf Creek at 10,300 feet has been challenged this year. Northeast aspects were holding pockets of sugary snow as the course made it’s way along the Continental Divide trail via boot-pack.
Cam Smith, freshly graduated from Western State University & US Ski mountaineering team member, captured his first overall individual win, covering 3300ft of gain over 8 miles in 1h 36min, besting much more experienced racers Scott Simmons, Chris Carr, Rory Kelly, and Jon Brown.
On the women’s side, Breckenridge local, Jaime Brede captured the women’s win in 2h 24min.
This race was made possible by the tireless efforts of Jesse Morehouse and Richard Piltingsrud of the Colorado Army National Guard. We cannot thank them enough for the efforts in promoting ski mountaineering in the United States!
» Full results – Wolf Creek skimo race Dec 17, 2017

Canada

There were no races in Canada this weekend but the Canadian National Team did meet up in Revelstoke, BC for a training camp focused on downhill skills. The team covered downhill fundamentals starting on groomed runs and moving to steeper un-groomed terrain under the watchful eye of veteran racer Melanie Bernier.
In non-racing news, the high pressure in Canada has allowed skiers in the Rockies to get after some big lines. Notably, the SW face of Mt. Assiniboine saw its first ski descent over the weekend!

International Race News

ISMF World Cup – Wanlong, China – Dec 15-16, 2017

Meanwhile, the ISMF World Cup made its first stop of the season with an unusual trip to Wanlong, China. There was a strong turnout from international athletes (especially compared to last season’s Wold Cup race in Turkey) despite the unique challenges of the event. However, no North American athletes attended.
The weekend featured a short vertical race (around 500m ascent) and a sprint race, but no individual. This is likely due to the nature of the venue – a small ski resort with no natural snow. The base was entirely man-made snow thanks to extremely cold temperatures that athletes had to battle with.
Vertical race
The vertical took only 16:58 for Anton Palzer (GER), finishing 12 seconds ahead of Werner Marti (SWI) who was followed by Michelle Boscacci (ITA). The race did feature more than 10 racers from China, South Korea, and Japan – arguably the best turnout from Asian countries ever.
There were 19 women competing in the vertical race with Axelle Mollaret (FRA) winning convincingly almost 30 seconds ahead of Claudia Galicia (SPA) and Alba De Silvestro (ITA) coming in 3rd further 4 seconds behind.

» Vertical results – World Cup – Dec 15, 2017
Sprint race
Because of the extreme cold (down to -25C), several racers chose not to start the sprint, including vertical race winner Toni Palzer. Palzer released a statement expressing his dismay that the ISMF would allow racers to compete in such potentially dangerous (health damaging) cold conditions. We can agree with him because cold-induced asthma (exercise-induce asthma by cold air) and other undesirable effects of cold air on athletes’ airways can lead to prolonged health problems.

Italy topped the men’s results but not one of the names we would usually expect. The winner was a quickly upcoming espoir athlete Nicolo Canclini (ITA) who won over Oriol Cardona Coll (SPA) and Iwan Arnold (SWI).
Laetitia Roux (FRA) dominated the women’s sprint as usual, with Claudia Galicia (SPA) and Swiss espoir Marianne Fatton rounding out the podium.
» Sprint Results – World Cup – Dec 16,2017

Upcoming Events

The next World Cup event will take place on the weekend of January 20, 2018 in Switzerland with sprint and individual races.
There are no major races scheduled in North America over the holiday weekend but early January there will be a couple of events:

For a full racing calendar see our Events page.

Skimo News Dec 12: Record turn-out at Vert 180, Loup Loup Rando race preview

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Vert 180 – Calgary, AB – Dec 9, 2017

There was a historical turnout at the Vert 180 race in Calgary last Saturday with around 100 participants competing in solo and various relay categories. This is a great sign of future development of skimo in Canada, especially given the number of athletes that were on light racing gear – new local store SkiUphill provided a couple of light & fast demo setups as well.
The race course was non-technical, featuring a 140m climb ending with a boot-pack section, followed by a fast descent. The goal was to do as many laps as possible in 3h.

6pm start makes a for an unique race setting. (And low light makes snapping pics difficult.)
6pm start makes a for an unique race setting. (And low light makes snapping pics difficult.)
The win in the men’s solo category went to Peter Knight who was the strongest and completed 18 laps for a total of 2520 m. Second went to a local skimo “novice”, Tyson Smith, who has built his engine through years of cross-country racing. Third place belonged to Vert 180 co-organizer Travis Brown. All top 3 solo men completed full 18 laps but finished a couple of minutes apart.
Women’s solo race was more predictable as Kylee Ohler (Vert 180 founder) has confirmed once again that she is a truly dominant force in the Canadian racing scene over the last two seasons. Kylee completed 17 laps for a total of 2380 m. Second place went to Marg Fedyna (14 laps) and third to Heather Anderson (13 laps).
For junior categories, 2-person and 4-person relay results see the link below.
» Vert 180 – 2017 full results

Race Preview: Loup Loup Rando Race – Loup Loup Ski Bowl, WA – Jan 27, 2018

Most dedicated mountain athletes in the western US and Canada have heard of the Methow Valley: a small cluster of towns nestled into the eastern slopes of the North Cascades featuring a reliable snowpack and ample front- and backcountry terrain for excellent touring. Now there’s another reason for endurance athletes and racers to pay attention to the Methow: the Loup Loup Randonee Race.
loup-loup-race-preview
The Loup race is hosted by Cascade Endurance, a coaching and events business run by Methow athlete/coaches Sam and Alison Naney. The Loup course features a 1300’ vertical gain on a forested up-track and a straightforward blue-run descent, making the race a straight-up endurance challenge with low technical barrier-of-entry for newcomers. Last year’s race offered a one, two, or three lap option and saw about thirty competitors toe the line for the inaugural year.
This season’s race, scheduled for January 27th, promises more fun, greater challenge and good beer. In addition to the standard 1/2/3 lap individual events there will also be a 10,000 ft (8 lap) challenge for individuals and 3-person relay teams. The local Old Schoolhouse Brewery will be hosting a pre-race party and ski film showing at their Twisp-area taproom on Friday night, and on race day there will be food and beer aplenty for finishers (and lappers?) at the start/finish area.
If you’re looking for an opportunity to check out this beautiful mountain paradise and get in a solid race effort without trekking to the Rockies, you should definitely consider the Loup Rando races.

Skimo News Dec 5 and before: Gaston and Valmassoi dominate in Eldora, Wolf Creek race Cancelled

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Welcome to our first week of 2017/18 seasonal coverage for ski mountaineering racing in North America and abroad!
We’ll be doing our best to recap all the events and preview upcoming races. We’re always looking for more contributions so if you’d like to give us the inside scoop on any particular events, just send us a message. We could especially use insight on women’s races in North America.

North Americans racing in Europe

The next World Championships event will not take place until 2019 which means we will likely see a much smaller representation of North American athletes in European races but potentially more competition on the domestic scene.
At the moment, we’re not aware of any athletes planning to complete the full world cup series (but let us know if you are!). It’s likely though that a handful of athletes will head over for select races and Grand Tours.

USA Race News

The snow situation in North America is not quite to the same levels we had last year. As we write, West Coast of Canada has seen quite a bit of ski action but the Canadian Rockies could definitely use more snow.
Colorado has had cold weather (and man-made snow) but little natural snow. California and the Sierra’s appear to be getting their first few snowfalls of the season. Utah seems quite warm and dry although appears to have kicked off the first North American race of the season with their Thanksgiving event at Brighton!
The Wolf Creek race (and first in the COSMIC series) was unfortunately cancelled due to challenging snow conditions. That means the premier Colorado event was this weekend’s Indian Peaks Revenge at Eldora Resort.

Eldora Indian Peaks Revenge – Eldora, CO – Dec 1-2

With a very lean snowpack in Colorado, the COSMIC crew and the staff at Eldora Resort did an incredible job putting on a three race weekend in the Front Range.

Rory Kelly racing the individual race. Photo by Summit Endurance Academy.
Rory Kelly racing the individual race. Photo by Summit Endurance Academy.
Things kicked off on Friday night with a 300 meter vertical race, topping out just under 3000 meters (9800 ft), that men’s winner John Gaston took only 13 minutes to complete. Cam Smith, only an espoir, took 2nd in front of Rory Kelly.
Visiting from Italy, Martina Valmassoi ran away with the women’s victory with Boulder native Sarah Kadlec finishing just 12 seconds back! Jaime Brede finished 3rd.
Vertical Results: https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=121859
Saturday featured an individual and sprint event. With a very civilized start time of 10AM, the individual course was a four lap affair with two ascent routes in the trees and a descent down a groomed run. The descent run was reserved entirely for racers – amazing commitment to our sport from a resort with only three open runs total!
Again, in men’s race, John Gaston ran away with the victory while a trailing pack traded places right up to the final lap. Eric Carter came in 2nd and just ahead of Rory Kelly.
In women’s race, Martina Valmassoi had a wider margin, finishing over 8 min ahead of Nikki Larochelle. Third went to Sarah Kadlec.
Individual Results: https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=121951
The sprint race was held on another closed piste with a course built by the local downhill race team that featured fast descent gates. 25 racers started, including women and a handful of junior racers. The men competed in two semi-final heats with Mark Koob taking both his semi and the overall in the final, though not after being challenged by Rory Kelly and Chris Carr. There were only enough women for a final heat where national team member Sarah Cookler finished first!
 

Upcoming Races

» Visit our 2017/18 skimo events calendar
USA:
Next up is the Irwin Guides individual event near the town of Crested Butte. This unique event in the controlled cat skiing backcountry area usually delivers reliable early season snow. If snow conditions in Colorado improve, expect good turnout from the Colorado crew and despite the distance, some out of state competition at an exciting event.
Canada:
The Canadian season kicks off with the Vert180 in Calgary, Alberta. The race is one of very few within a major city, held at the Canada Olympic Park. Athletes have three hours to complete as many laps of the on-piste course as possible. Athletes can complete the event solo or as part of a relay team (2, 3, 4 persons).
World:
European teams have been busy training at the ski resort of Tignes, France and selecting their world cup roster.
The first event on the docket is in China, potentially a test event for future championships? It remains to be seen how many athletes will actually attend. Past world cups held outside of Europe have been historically poorly attended. The upside is that athletes looking to score world cup points have much better chances if they are willing to travel to China!

Skimo Racing in Poland, Stryn Rando 3000 and Lofoten Skimo in Norway: Eric and Stano travelling

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Since Eric and I are staying longer in Europe than other North American skimo athletes we searched for some “out of the beaten path” races to attend. He ended up in Stryn, Norway and I went to Poland. Originally, I thought I would make it to a new race in Lofoten – group of islands in the north west Norway – but I opted to stay closer to my family to spend more time with them.

Memorial J. Oppenheim – Central Europe Skimo Cup – close to Zakopane, Poland

This event was the final round (out of 3 races) of the Central Europe Ski Mountaineering Cup which is run by three countries – Poland, Slovakia and Czech Republic – with one race being held in each country. Currently, there are no world class athlete in either country (the last one retired 6 years ago), however, the level and depth of competition is comparable to US.
» See Wikipedia page about Zakopane, Poland
A unique aspect of this race is that the start is about 7km walk, deep into the valley, to a mountain lodge where all racers stay. The race map and profile showed it would be a 25km slog with only 2100m of climbing (7000 feet) but considerable time spend on bumpy alpine ridges and shoulders. Little anyone knew that extreme winds high up would make our progress much slower than anticipated.
oppenheim-start
The race started on a snow dusted logging road with about 1.5km run, then on skins for 10min, then back on foot, and back on skins. After all these transitions we finally stared at a steep snowy boot-pack with crampons that would take us to a long ridge. As soon as we crested the top the wind was relentless but it was nothing compared to what came later on.

Ready to go.
Ready to go.
To make a long story short, the 5-6km ridge line included lots of up and down skinning and about 3km post-holing walk with crampons – all that time wind speed hovered around 40km/h and often gusting close to 80-100km/h. After that we skied back to the valley and completed the first 15km, with another ridge walk awaiting on the other side of the valley 🙂
Not that I was a podium contender, my race went “side ways” as I deliberately chose to prioritize my health and look around for anyone that might need help on that windy ridge. After all, skimo race suits and thin windbreaker jackets aren’t much protection in such conditions. I finished 21st in 3h 43min and well behind the top ten.
My respect goes to all the top racers for pushing on so strongly despite the furious winds. Luckily no one got hurt and rescue wasn’t needed despite 18 racers out of 77 abandoning.
There was also a shorter version for juniors and recreational athletes which brought the total number of participants to over 100.
Results:
» 2017 Memorial Josef Oppenheim

Stryn Rando 3000 – Norwegian Skimo Championships – Stryn, Norway

This race report is from Eric.
As the lone American competing on the World Cup, the Norwegians have been my adoptive team at the races and also pushing me to come for a visit. I decided to head over there last weekend for the Norwegian Skimo Championships – the Stryn Rando 3000 race. I was lucky to be able to stay with one of the Norwegian skimo stars, Lars Erik Skjverheim (6th at recent Pierra Menta).
» See Wikipedia page about Stryn, Norway
Western Norway reminds me a lot of a mix of British Columbia, New England, and old Europe. The fjords and mountains are amazing and fall away dramatically. The forest thins quickly and the treeline is visible not far from the valley bottom. The houses are generally wood and colourful, a bit of a contrast to the stone houses and tiny windows of the Haute Savoie region in French Alps.
The weather wasn’t optimal during my visit but we were both tired from the Pierra Menta and were happy with a few short walks in rain jackets. Luckily, the forecast looked a little better for the weekend so we headed off to the town of Stryn. We arrived early to join the race organizers doing some course marking. The crew of volunteers they had assembled was more than capable but I love seeing some of the top athletes of the country helping out picking the route and placing flags – something I’d like to see more of in North America!
stryn-norway
The original course traverses six summits surrounding the Stryn ski area with about 3000m of elevation gain and looks incredibly spectacular. A big snowfall two days before the race meant the course was switched to plan B: a bit more time skiing below treeline and two of the alpine peaks with about 2300m+ of gain. The course was incredibly well marked – something that was obviously necessary in the not unlikely case of whiteout – big bamboo flags only a few meters apart and there must have been several thousands spread over the route!

Photo by Ole Eltvik.
Photo by Ole Eltvik.
We woke up to clearing skies and a very civilized start time of 11:00am – giving time for avalanche control and weather concerns. A recreational class started a bit before the elite wave, bringing the total number of entrants to almost 150. The race started a bit more mellow than expected with lots of attention given to the big star of the event, Kilian Jornet, with the rest of the field being tentative about pushing it early. Kilian slowly increased the pace while Lars Erik and I chased, not far behind. We started the second ascent (of four) all together and Kilian and Lars Erik opened a gap while I fumbled through some kick-turns in the fresh snow. As we climbed up into the alpine, the views opened up to the nearby summits and the fjords behind us. By the third ascent, I was starting to feel the effort, losing time to the athletes behind me. Dropping into sixth, I struggled staying warm and stopped to put on my wind-breaker. Feeling a bit like a tourist at this point, I was mostly looking forward to the final 1000 meter powder descent to the finish.
Kilian leading Eric and Lars Erik.
Kilian leading Eric and Lars Erik. Photo by Ole Eltvik.
I can’t really say I had a good race. I felt like I started well within my usual pace but just couldn’t keep it up. The residual effects of the virus I caught a week earlier at the Pierra Menta were close in my mind and I know I’m still recovering. It was hard to get down about my result though spending a weekend in a beautiful lakeside cabin with a group of good friends who only occasionally forget I don’t speak Norwegian!
Photo by Ole Eltvik.
Photo by Ole Eltvik.
The following day, we had a big group ski of two more of the summits on the original course and plenty more powder! Kilian led the way breaking trail most of the day without even taking off his down jacket while I sweated along at the back of the track.
After two more days staying with Lars Erik (and finally getting in a rain-free day of skiing) I was back at the airport, regretting not having booked an extra week. I can’t wait to go back!
The below race promo video showcases the terrain and environment:

If you are interested in visiting Norway for skimo, I’d highly recommend it. Any of the Norwegian Team athletes would likely be very helpful resource but I can say that the skimo scene is strong. Areas like Sogndal, Romsdal, and Trondheim host a series of races and have tons of training options. A car is probably the way to go but the trains are pretty useful. Spring seems to be the best time to visit (April and May) but you risk rain just about any time of the year it seems. The only downside is that Norway is expensive – food, gas and just about everything are expensive by European standards and the exchange rate does not favour North Americans.
I would highly recommend the Stryn Rando 3000 event. The organization was on a World Cup level and put this year’s World Championships to shame. The backup course options were well planned and kept the spirit of the race. The track setting and marking was excellent and the volunteers were plentiful and helpful. Definitely put it on your list!
Results:
» 2017 Stryn Rando 3000
lofoten-arctic-triple-logo-2

The Arctic Triple – Lofoten Skimo – Lofoten, Norway

This is an event and destination I would like to definitely visit in the future as Lofoten is one of the most beautiful places in the World. This event is not necessarily trying to attract the pure skimo racer, seeking just competition, but rather is for those that like a big outdoor challenge in a unique destination.
The original route was planned to cover 36km and climb around 4000m, running from north to south. Due to stormy weather in the days leading up to it organizers were forced to shorten the route to about 28 km and 2600m – still a big course. Shorter course covered 14 km and climbed about 1000m, and went on pretty much as planned.
Two French athletes, Mathèo Jacquemoud and Lèo Viret, finished together to take the win in just over 4h. Italian Skimo Team member Martina Valmassoi (we will bring you an interview with her soon) was the best female crossing the line in 4h 25min. The female winner of on the short course was Anja Millerjord while the men’s race was won by Edvard Vea Iversen.

Martina Valmassoi battling arctic elements.
Martina Valmassoi battling arctic elements.
Leo Viret followed by Matheo Jacquemoud.
Leo Viret followed by Matheo Jacquemoud.
Original course map - click to enlarge.
Original course map – click to enlarge.
lofoten-skiingResults:
» 2017 Lofoten Skimo results – The Arctic Triple
And what does the Article Triple mean?
The Arctic Triple consists of three annual races. 2017 is the first year with all three races set up and Lofoten Skimo was first out in week 11. Next comes Lofoten Ultra-Trail in week 22 and the triple year is final with Lofoten Triathlon in week 33. For more information visit http://www.thearctictriple.no/

Recap of Stage 4 of 2017 Pierra Menta: Smiley & Young seal 4th overall, Gaston & Taam top 20, Lenzi & Eydallin and Roux & Forsberg victorious!

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Although today’s stage could not have gone over the mythical Grand Mont summit, due to still elevated avalanche danger, the melt-freeze conditions allowed organizers to layout the stage just below, with athletes crossing Col de Forclaz three times. The atmosphere there, or “ambience” as the Euro’s say, was absolutely electric with perhaps close to 1000 people being glued to their “seats” there for the whole day!
Today’s stage included three boot-packs with required use of crampons and via ferrata kits on some of them. The total gain for this final stage was just over 2600m covering some spectacular alpine terrain.

Third climb today provided fine Mont Blanc views!
Third climb today provided fine Mont Blanc views!

News from the Lead Pack

Men’s race today

Two Italian teams created a coalition and pretty much raced together the whole day. They even crossed the finish line together. With that, the overall win went to Damiano Lenzi and Matteo Eydallin, not a surprise as we predicted in our preview few days ago. The younger Italians Nadir Maguet and Michelle Boscacci shared the win with Lenzi / Eydallin today and finished 3rd overall. All four are great skiers and very proficient on technical sections.
The ultra-running and ski mountaineering legend Kilian Jornet (SPA) and his partner Alexis Sevennec (FRA) were in third place and about 2min behind 2/3 throughout the stage. Ultimately, they finished 3rd today and 2nd overall.

Skimo veteran, Florent Perrier (43), finished 6th today and 9th overall. Showing here how to transition and rehydrate at the same time.
Skimo veteran, Florent Perrier (43), finished 6th today and 9th overall. Showing here how to transition and rehydrate at the same time.
Fourth over the line, and further 4min back, were Valentine Favre (FRA) and Filippo Barazzuol (ITA) who must be very happy how well they raced this Pierra Menta! They finished 4th overall.
William Bon Mardion and Xavier Gachet (both FRA) managed to finish 5th today and with that to seal their 5th overall. They probably won’t be very happy with their performance, however, any North American team would be above the clouds with such a result. Different levels, different satisfaction.
Today’s stage didn’t go so well for Lars Erik Skjervheim (NOR) and Nejc Kuhar (SLO) as they were lingering just outside of top 10 most of the day, ultimately crossing the line in 12th. However, this was still enough to hold on to 6th overall. The only higher Norwegian Pierra Menta finish was by Ola Berger who partnered with Alexander Pellicier (my guide yesterday) in 2007.

Men’s overall after Stage 4

  1. Lenzi / Eydallin
  2. Jornet / Sevennec +13:19
  3. Maguet / Boscacci +16:11
  4. Favre / Barazzuol +22:54
  5. Bon Mardion / Gachet +35:11

Women’s race today

With a big enough time cushion in the overall standings, Emelie Forsberg (SWE) and Laetitia Roux (FRA) could enjoy today’s technical final stage. They won 3rd day in a row, thus, cementing their overall victory.
The winners of the 1st stage, Swiss team of Severine Pont Combe and Jennifer Fiechter, came in 2nd today 3min behind Roux / Forsberg making sure to keep their 2nd overall position.
severinne-pont-combe
About 5min behind across the line were the French duo Axelle Mollaret and Lorna Bonnel in 3rd, confirming their future potential and securing the last podium step in the overall.
Fourth place, and best result in this Pierra Menta, went to a sister Italian team of Annie Bieler and Katrin Bieler.
US women’s team, Jessie Young and Janelle Smiley, weren’t as strong as in the previous days and finished 5th today. However, by keeping their 4th place overall they set a new standard for best North American women’s performance at Pierra Menta. Big congrats for this achievement!

Women’s overall after Stage 4

  1. Roux / Forsberg
  2. Pont Combe / Fiechter +18:30
  3. Mollaret / Bonnel +33:43
  4. Smiley / Young +1:03:21
  5. Fabre / Riba +1:21:39

USA and Canadian Teams News

Kudos to Canadian women’s team, Kylee Ohler and Michelle Roberts, after their first Pierra Menta! They spent the most time out there of all the NA teams and had to dig deeper as recovery time was shrinking for them each day. They finishing 13th overall.
After Carter / Elson abandoned yesterday, all eyes were on John Gaston and Max Taam to see how high they can climb in the final standings. They had a reasonably good day, crossing the line in 20th, which was good enough to move into 17th overall. Great achievement despite finishing 2 spots lower than in 2016.

John giving in to my teasing in one of the transitions today :)
John giving in to my teasing in one of the transitions today 🙂
Tom Goth and Teague Holmes had their best stage today and finished in 26th which bumped them up to 27th overall. A great performance but this team definitely can do a couple of spots better in the future.
North Face athletes, Rob Krar and Mike Foote, delivered a solid performance on today’s technical course and finished 31st. They placed 39th overall and just like Goth / Holmes they can definitely improve on this in the future.
Jon Brown and Rory Kelly had their best stage today and were looking good through the feed one. 37th place today was good enough to lift them up to 46th overall.
Rory and Jon looking composed and on their way to the best finish.
Rory and Jon looking composed and on their way to the best finish.

Results – Stage 4 and Overall

» Stage four finish order
» Overall after Stage 4

Janelle and Jessie heading out for the 3rd climb.
Janelle and Jessie heading out for the 3rd climb.
Teague Holmes giving me a surprised look after I kept appearing at random places during the whole Pierra Menta :)
Teague Holmes giving me a surprised look after I kept appearing at random places during the whole Pierra Menta 🙂
Emelie Forsberg looking more relaxed than during the previous days.
Emelie Forsberg looking more relaxed than during the previous days.

Recap of Stage 3 of 2017 Pierra Menta: Smiley & Young close to 3rd, Gaston & Taam 16th today, Carter & Nelson abondon

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Overnight cooling, some light winds high up, and a 7am start allowed organizers to finally take the athletes into the alpine today. These conditions also delivered very breakable crust on the first 2 descents, however, by 9am the sun was beating down on everyone once again.
Today’s stage brought about 2500-2600m of climbing – about 300m more than yesterday – but on steeper terrain, thus, covering less distance than Stage 2. There were also 3 boot-packs on fairly exposed ridges, with some parts being rope assisted.
I don’t have any photos of NA racers today as I was feeding them and that was the priority. I only got pics of other teams since they were someone else’s duty 😉

Magical view of the Mont Blanc massif today.
Magical view of the Mont Blanc massif today.

News from the Lead Pack

Men’s race today

I saw the racers only at one spot today really (at the feed zone where I helped a bunch of North American teams) as I had an early morning start with one of skimo’s legends Alexandre Pellicier  – 2008 World Champion and 3rd at 2007 Pierra Menta. He is only 35-years old but long time retired from high level racing, yet after today’s experience I would guess he is good enough for top 20 in PM any day!

Alex's 2008 world champs teams race partner, Florent Perrier, finishing top 10 again today. At 43-years of age. Phenomenal!
Alex’s 2008 world champs teams race partner, Florent Perrier, finishing top 10 again today. At 43-years of age. Phenomenal!
From spectator’s point of view, it appeared that Damiano Lenzi and Matteo Eydallin didn’t want any close finishes like yesterday and went out hard from the gun. They already had a substantial lead halfway through and by the finish their gap on the 2nd place was close to 5min. The stage was very technical with some tricky snow conditions on the descents and that suits this team.
Kilian Jornet (SPA) and Alexis Sevennec (FRA) were in second through the feed zone (halfway more or less) but not too far ahead of their pursuers.
By the finish line, only 30sec separated 2nd from 4th with order being – in 2nd were Favre/Barazzuol, in 3rd were Maguet/Boscacci, and 4th went to Jornet/Sevennec.
A great performance today came from young Catalan’s Oriol Cardona and Coll Nil Cardona who placed 5th, about 20sec ahead of William Bon Mardion and Xavier Gachet (FRA).
pierra-menta-stage-3
Lars Erik Skjervheim (NOR) and Nejc Kuhar (SLO) finished 7th today, only 4sec behind Gachet/Bon Mardion.
Anton Palzer (GER) and Remy Bonnet (SWI) head to pull out before the stage due to knee pain for Bonnet.

Men’s overall after Stage 3

  1. Lenzi / Eydallin
  2. Jornet / Sevennec +11:15
  3. Maguet / Boscacci +16:11
  4. Favre / Barazzuol +17:18
  5. Bon Mardion / Gachet +28:03

Women’s race today

Emelie Forsberg (SWE) and Laetitia Roux (FRA) enjoyed another day in the front and comfortably won by 8min again. I have two observations regarding this team and Roux:

  • It seems like Laetitia Roux is so strong that if you want to win women’s Pierra Menta than you have to race in a team with her, or wait until she retires.
  • I am not sure why Roux continues towing Forsberg every day since they are winning stages by 8min (except the first one). I know win is a win, but wouldn’t it be nicer to see how other teams really compare without one dominant athlete making most of the difference? Now they have 15min lead in the overall so I am curious whether Roux will tow again tomorrow.
Laetitia and Emelie through the feed zone.
Laetitia and Emelie through the feed zone.
Second like yesterday, the Swiss duo Severine Pont Combe and Jennifer Fiechter had a solid day and finished 8min behind the above mentioned and 5min ahead of 3rd placed young French Axelle Mollaret and Lorna Bonnel.
Only 3min behind the French girls, and racing with a real shot at the podium today, were US ladies Jessie Young and Janelle Smiley. They looked good today when I fed them some drinks in the feed zone and I hope that if tomorrow’s stage is technical enough then they will be able to perhaps reached the podium tomorrow. Overall, they are enough behind 3rd that they won’t be able to move up though, but bigger surprises have happened before.

Women’s overall after Stage 3

  1. Roux / Forsberg
  2. Pont Combe / Fiechter +15:18
  3. Mollaret / Bonnel +25:49
  4. Smiley / Young +39:46
  5. Fabre / Riba +57:52

USA and Canadian Teams News

Canadian ladies were suffering and had another long outing today. Kylee Ohler and Michelle Roberts finished 13th and are still doing quite well, however, today’s recovery will be crucial. Keep it up!
kylee-michelle-stage-2
The bad news in the North American camp this morning came from Eric Carter who fell ill and pretty much spent the whole night between bathroom and bed. He and Nick Elson had to make a difficult decision and didn’t line up for the start. A real bummer for this duo that has been training specifically for this race since October.
On the other hand, John Gaston and Max Taam got to show some descending skills today and went on to finish 16th. Still a great result, although, it meant they dropped one spot in the overall, sitting in 18th before the final stage but within striking distance of 17th and 16th.
Our ultra-runners, Rob Krar and Mike Foote are going better every day which is a sign of quick learning skills since they definitely have the engines. Today, they cracked top 30 finished 29th and only 6min behind Gaston and Taam!
Another NA team wasn’t far behind – Tom Goth and Teague Holmes – finishing in 32nd an currently sitting in 28th overall as the second best NA team. Great going indeed!
Jon Brown and Rory Kelly had another solid day and are arguably the most consistent and best matched NA team in this Pierra Menta. They are giving all but are pacing well and truly having a blast. I am really enjoying cheering these two athletes! Today, they finished in 56th and are in 52nd overall, with only 1min behind the top 50.
Unfortunately, Steve Sellers and Scott Archer had to pull out about halfway through the stage as fatigue from sleep-less nights really caught up with Steve. However, they learned a lot and will go out to enjoy spectating the final stage tomorrow.

Results – Stage 3 and Overall

» Stage three finish order
» Overall after Stage 3

Tomorrow

The famed Grand Mont stage won’t probably run as planned due to high avalanche danger as it quickly warms up early in the day. However, athletes will be passing just around there a couple of times and the spectators’ spectacle is surely on track!
I will be again doing some feed zone duties for the NA teams, tacking photos, skinning around, and getting a sun-tan or a sun-burn depending on whether I forget my sunscreen again 🙂

Lars Erik of Norway is going stronger tha ever and has a chance of cracking top 5 overall tomorrow!
Lars Erik of Norway is going stronger than ever and has a chance of cracking top 5 overall tomorrow!

Recap of Stage 2 of 2017 Pierra Menta: Smiley & Young holding 4th, Gaston & Taam 12th today, Kilian Jornet forcing the pace, Emelie Forsberg is back

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All that new powder snow racers were enjoying in Stage 1 yesterday turned into watery mush overnight as freezing level moved above 2500m. Rainy morning was quickly replaced by sunny skies and the challenge of the day was written on the wall – staying hydrated.
Today, Pierra Menta athletes climbed about 2200-2300m again, however, covering a longer distance than yesterday, with the final big climb going up a very sunny side of a mountain. There was also about 2.5km of road running today as athletes passed through the Areches town in the morning and ran to the finish at the end.

News from the Lead Pack

Men’s race today

Always ready to fight, Kilian Jornet (SPA) and his partner Alexis Sevennec (FRA) went on a mission to crack the Italians – Damiano Lenzi and Matteo Eydallin (both ITA) – and if not to crack them then at least to try to win a stage. Halfway through, Kilian was still forcing the pace as Alexis was digging deep to keep up. Damiano and Matteo were right on their tails and most likely strategizing. Atop the last climb (last skins-off transition), the Italian duo showed up first but had only about 50sec lead. They managed to keep that gap to the finish and won in front of Jornet’s team – a very close race indeed!

Kilian looking comfortable while putting the hammer down.
Kilian looking comfortable while putting the hammer down.
A bit of a surprise, a pleasant one, was the third place going to Valentin Favre (FRA) and Filippo Barazzuol (ITA) who were not considered a podium threat, however, after today’s performance they are only 1min off the 3rd place overall!
Filippo in last skins-off transition.
Filippo in last skins-off transition.
Favre and Barazzuol came to the last climb’s transition right with 2nd place finishers from yesterday – the young Italians Nadir Maguet and Michelle Boscacci – who couldn’t keep up with them to the line and finished 4th today, only 5sec behind.
Anton Palzer (GER) and young Remy Bonnet (SWI) picked up their pace today and stayed much closer to the top favourites than yesterday, ultimately finished in 5th again but only 4min off the winning team.
International team of Lars Erik Skjervheim (NOR) and Nejc Kuhar (SLO) went on to place 6th today – a truly strong performance by an underdog team!
William Bon Mardion and Xavier Gachet (both FRA) likely had a rough day out there and finished only 7th, about 6min behind Palzer & Bonnet.

Men’s overall after Stage 2

  1. Lenzi / Eydallin
  2. Jornet / Sevennec +5:57
  3. Maguet / Boscacci +11:15
  4. Bonnet / Palzer +11:51
  5. Favre / Barazzuol +12:33

Women’s race today

Emelie Forsberg (SWE) was looking much better today and was a more equal match to Laetitia Roux (FRA) than yesterday, with the latter still helping by some towing though. After 2nd place yesterday, they won quite comfortably Stage 2 by about 8min.

Laetitia helping Emelie who looked much better than yesterday.
Laetitia helping Emelie who looked much better than yesterday.
Swiss athletes – Severine Pont Combe and Jennifer Fiechter – didn’t appear to suffer too bad but the hot day was difficult for everyone. They came in 2nd today.
Further 3min behind, third place went to a young French team of Axelle Mollaret and Lorna Bonnel, who seem to be well matched. Look out for this team in the near future as they can definitely win Pierra Menta one day!
Lorna Bonnel atop last big climb.
Lorna Bonnel atop last big climb.
Highly motivated by their fourth place yesterday, Jessie Young and Janelle Smiley (both USA) balanced their energy levels well today and looked good on the last climb. They finished 4th again about 6min behind the French team.

Women’s overall after Stage 2

  1. Roux / Forsberg
  2. Pont Combe / Fiechter +6:51
  3. Mollaret / Bonnel +12:38
  4. Smiley / Young +23:39
  5. Fabre / Riba +32:40

USA and Canadian Teams News

Canadian ladies – Kylee Ohler and Michelle Roberts – are continuing to add to their skimo stage racing experience and despite suffering in the heat they made it through the cut-offs with lots of time to spare. Kylee is helping Michelle on the climbs but both are playing their team’s roles well. Keep it up ladies!
kylee-michelle-stage-2
The order for North American men’s teams shuffled slightly from yesterday as John Gaston helped Max Taam (both USA) with some pulling on the climbs to save him for the descents (both are great at those). Max will be looking for his best form in the coming days to equal their performance. They finished 12th in today’s stage, a great result, but for unknown reason (to me) acquired a 3min penalty and thus are sitting 20th in the overall.

Max and John about 5min from the top of the last climb.
Max and John about 5min from the top of the last climb.
Today didn’t go so well for Eric Carter (USA) as he suffered in the heat, with Nick Elson (CAN) helping him slightly on the last climb. However, they are equally matched and are motivated to push higher in the rankings next two days. Today, they finished 20th after yesterday’s 17th place, but are keeping their 17th overall position since many other teams suffered even more today – they are about 3:30 in front of Gaston / Taam.
Eric feeling the heat under the beating sun with Nick setting the pace.
Eric feeling the heat under the beating sun with Nick setting the pace.
I believe Tom Goth and Teague Holmes (both USA) had a pretty good day out there, crossing the line in 27th (30th yesterday) and about 5min behind Carter/Elson. Teague is digging deep to keep up with Tom on the climbs but seems to be recovering so far.
After yesterday’s slightly “disastrous” showing (placing just within top 100th teams), the Canadian/USA ultra-runners – Rob Krar and Mike Foote – had a much better going today as their are finally finding their rhythm in this race. They finished 35th, about 6min behind much more skimo experienced team of Goth / Holmes. Overall, they moved up to 59th now and I believe they have a real chance to crack the top 40 by the end.
Mike Foote chasing his teammate Rob Krar to the last transition.
Mike Foote chasing his teammate Rob Krar to the last transition.
Jon Brown and Rory Kelly (both USA) should be happy with their performance in Stage 2 as they were only 2min behind Krar / Foote and looked good on the last climb. They came in 43rd, after 58th yesterday, and moved up to 50th overall. They are likely to climb another 5 places by the last day.
The best cheering of the day came from Jon Brown's girlfriend today: "Go Go! I love you Jon Brown!"
The best cheering of the day came from Jon Brown’s girlfriend today: “Go Go! I love you Jon Brown!”
Canadian/USA team of Steve Sellers and Scott Archer aren’t having their best going in this race so far, placing 178th today and 164th yesterday. Steve seems to be suffering from sleep-less nights after jet-lag is getting the best of him. Regardless, they are soldiering on and still have two more days to find their rhythm.
Scott and Steve fighting up the last climb.
Scott and Steve fighting up the last climb.

Results – Stage 2 and Overall

» Stage two finish order (scroll down for first)
» Overall after Stage 2

Tomorrow

Tomorrow will bring another warm day for the Areches-Beaufort region and so everyone is waiting whether organizers will figure out a way to take athletes into the alpine while the avalanche danger is likely to stay fairly high. Overnight temperatures will be high as well with freezing levels lurking around 2000-2500m!

Eric and Nick on real descent #2 today, about halfway through the stage.
Eric and Nick on real descent #2 today, about halfway through the stage.
Young Catalan team of Jordi Alis and Joan Reyne Magret are continuing to impress with their performance at this Pierra Menta.
Young Catalan team of Jordi Alis and Joan Reyne Magret are continuing to impress with their performance at this Pierra Menta.
 

Recap for Stage 1 of 2017 Pierra Menta: Smiley & Young 4th in women, Carter & Elson 17th in men, Lenzi & Eydallin and Fiechter & Pont Combe win

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Janelle Smiley leading Jessie Young on their way to 4th place today!
Janelle Smiley leading Jessie Young on their way to 4th place today!
With almost a metre of fresh snow on the ground, local organizers had to revise their plans for stage 1 due to high avalanche danger. Thankfully, the stunning mountains and meadows surrounding Areches-Beaufort offer endless options for big long race courses no matter what mother nature decide to do.
Therefore, today’s stage still covered over 2200m of climbing spread over multiple ascents, including two big ones – 700m and 900m, for a total of 2200m. Skiing was as good as it gets, although, it was less fun for racers than spectators on fatter skis 😉

News from the Lead Pack

Men

There was no surprise with the first place as the race’s big favourites – Damiano Lenzi and Matteo Eydallin (both ITA) – started to set the pace from the beginning. They continued increasing their lead by a small margin on every climb and ultimately stretched the gap to 3min 30sec by the finish.
Second across the line was a young Italian duo of Nadir Maguet and Michelle Boscacci who deserve lots of respect for their performance today! They managed to hold of the famed Kilian Jornet (SPA) and his new partner Alexis Sevennec (FRA) who jumped into this team to replace an illness-stuck Matteo Jacquemound.
Fourth went to locals William Bon Mardion and Xavier Gachet (both FRA) who are probably still looking for their best form this season. Fifth across the finish were Anton Palzer (GER) and young Remy Bonnet (SWI).
Race for the podium is wide open with only 4min 30sec separating 2nd from 5th!

William Bon Mardion on the first big climb. La Plannay ski resort behind him.
William Bon Mardion on the first big climb. La Plannay ski resort behind him.

Women

Arguably, this Pierra Menta will bring the closest race ever as all three teams were within 30sec on the day’s last big climb! At that point, Laetitia Roux (FRA) was vigorously pulling her teammate Emelie Forsberg (SWE) while still in the first position.
By the finish, the order shuffled with two experienced Swiss athletes – Severine Pont Combe and Jennifer Fiechter – taking the win by about 1min ahead of Roux/Forsberg. Third place went to a young French team of Axelle Mollaret and Lorna Bonnel, only 15sec further back.
The news of the day for North America was a fourth place by Jessie Young and Janelle Smiley (both USA)! Although, they finished 7min behind the 3rd team it’s refreshing to see a strong women’s North American team at Pierra Menta once again.

USA and Canadian Teams News

Beyond Jessie’s and Janelle’s 4th place there were other well performing North American teams in this first stage.
Canadian ladies – Kylee Ohler and Michelle Roberts – managed their energy well today in order to dig deeper in the coming days. They finished 15th in the women’s category and about 35min behind the strong US female duo.
ohler-roberts
Eric Carter (USA) traditionally pairs up with Nick Elson (CAN) for big teams races as the two often train together and live within one mile of each other. Today, Eric and Nick finished in 17th place, about 23min off the winners. They probably wished for a higher placing, however, they looked pretty good on the last big ascent and are poised to climb higher in the standings over the next 3 days. They finished 15th overall in 2015.
nick-eric
Second NA men’s team (both USA) didn’t have their best going today as Max Taam was visibly struggling to find his legs while John Gaston was looking pretty comfortable – they finished 26th and about 8min behind Carter/Elson as Gaston broke a ski on the final descent. However, this is an experienced team and definitely not a one to give up, so expect to see them fighting for higher places tomorrow and beyond.
max-taam
A very solid performance came from Tom Goth and Teague Holmes (both USA) who crossed the line in 30th and only 2min behind Gaston/Taam. Both are great descenders but Tom had to do a bit of pulling as Teague was digging deep to keep up.
goth-holmes
Kudos for today need to go to Jon Brown and Rory Kelly (both USA) who both have strong engines but are looking for experience at such a big race. They finished a respectable 58th but only 12min behind the Wasatch shredders Goth/Holmes.
Due to multiple issues with failing skins, the Canadian/USA duo of ultra-runners – Rob Krar and Mike Foote – cannot be satisfied with their 94th place today. They can definitely go into the top 50th in the coming days as long as their gear management improves. Otherwise, both looked pretty fresh in the finish.
rob-krar
Another Canadian/USA pairing – Steve Sellers and Scott Archer – raced well within their limits today in order to easy into this big race as they don’t have much experience with skimo stage racing yet. Placing 164th will put them at the back of the start line tomorrow so they are likely to dig deeper on day 2 to avoid a clog in the coming days.

Scott enjoying his debut at Pierra Menta.
Scott enjoying his debut at Pierra Menta.
Full results are only available as Facebook post right now:

Tomorrow’s stage

The athletes’ briefing will begin in about 1h so we don’t know the details yet, however, it is likely to stay within tree line and on meadows as we all wait for the avalanche conditions to improve.

John Gaston on the first big climb signalling he was feeling well.
John Gaston on the first big climb signalling he was feeling well.
Florent Perrier, a skimo legend and a local cheesemaker, is arguably the most favourite racer with Areches - Beaufort locals as he is still going string past 40. Today his team finished 12th!
Florent Perrier, a skimo legend and a local cheesemaker, is arguably the most favourite racer with Areches – Beaufort locals as he is still going string past 40. Today his team finished 12th!