U16 Championships Day 1-Individual Skate Race!

Today started off sunny for NENSA’s U16 Championship weekend at the Gore Mountain Nordic Center in North Creek, New York, but as the teams began to arrive the snow began again.  After the last storm this week, the white gold which blanketed the course is a welcome sight, and in March, more snow is always welcome for these Championship events. U16 Championships is a race weekend for 14-15 year olds from Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and a Guest Class made up of skiers from outside New England and New York.

Today was the first race of four over 2 1/2 days. The girls individual 5 km skate race started in the afternoon, starting seeded in waves every 1 minute. The skiers took two laps on the homologated 2.5 km loop, with its sweeping downhill turns and tough uphill climbs. New York skier Zofia Stefankovic came in 10th place in 17:18, 9th place from Vermont was Emma Strack in 17:12 with her teammate Camille Bolduc in 8th place in 17:03. Amelia Tucker from Massachusetts placed 7th with a time of 17:02, Vermonter Samantha Nolan was 6th in 16:58, and in 5th place was Catherine Bregou from New Hampshire with a time of 16:56. 4th place today was Sydney Peterson from the Midwest in 16:53, 3rd place was Catherine Stow from New Hampshire in 16:52, Midwest skier Celeste Alden was in 2nd with a time of 16:49, and in 1st place today was Grace Mattern from New York with a time of 16:23.

After the girls completed the course, the boys started out in waves, with Samuel Murray from New Hampshire coming in 10th today with a time of 14:52 Paul Lindsay from New York placed 9th with a time of 14:48, Midwest skier Garrett Walters was 8th with a time of 14:47.8, and Vermonter Matias Boudreau Golfman was 7th in 14:47.5. 6th place was Massachusetts skier Adam Carlisle in 14:46, New York skier Teddy Warfle placed 5th with a time of 14:31, and in 4th place today from the Midwest was William Nemeth with a time of 14:04. 3rd place went to Midwest skier Roger Anderson with a time of 14:04, New Hampshire skier Quinn Wilson placed 2nd today with a time of 13:51, and the winner of today’s 5 km skate race was Linden Niedeck from Massachusetts with a time of 13:46.

Find full results here of today’s races Girls, and Boys, and stay tuned for updates about tomorrow’s Classic Individual 5 km and Cross Country Cross race.