Press release from Craftsbury Outdoor Center January 29, 2017:
We had over 500 skiers toe the line for the 36th annual Craftsbury Marathon, presented by Fairpoint Communications. True to the spirit of the event, we had competitors who were putting on a bib for the first time to 4-time Olympians: the Marathon is a celebration of skiing in New England, a celebration of winter!
Racers completed 1, 2 or 4 laps of the challenging 12.5k course, with prizes for overall and age/gender groups.
In the BKL 1 Lap, Orion Cenkl and Miley Bletzer led the group home. 2 lap BKLers were paced by Charlie Purcell of GMVS and Ava Thurston and Quincy Massey-Bierman had a battle as they tied after 25k! Vermont High Schoolers completed 1 lap, with U32’s Stephen Looke taking the win on the boys’ side, and his teammate Emma Curchin winning for the Raiders on the girls’ side.
1 Lap men were all bested by Leo Paul Grandbois, of Biathlon Estrie. Notable too was the finish of Dan Cnossen, 2014 Paralympian. The sit-skier was second to Grandbois, on a course that features way more climbing and descending than any over course Cnossen would face in international competition. The 1 lap women’s event was won by GRP skier Kaitlynn Miller.
Recently crowned 30k classic National Champ Ben Lustgarten took the men’s 25k event handily, while Canadian Sheila Kealey took the win for the women.
4-time Olympian and New Hampshire native Kris Freeman took the win by 6 minutes over his Ski and Snowboard Club of Vail teammate, Tad Elliott. It’s Freeman’s 3rd win at the marathon, and the granite stater accomplished this victory double-poling, on skate skis. Mansfield’s Nordic’s Emily Stitt’s women’s 50k win made up in dominance whatever it may have lacked in finish drama. The former Middlebury College skier lead the women home in 3:08.
Thanks to everyone who joined us, and thanks to our generous sponsors:
Fairpoint Communications
Concept2
Outdoor Gear Exchange
Boulder Nordic Sport
Cross-Country Skier
Click here for RESULTS
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