For the second consecutive year the Summit USSA/NRL XC Ski Races  had to be moved for lack of snow. The Steamboat Ski Touring Center stepped up  last year, but this time, regional racers traveled to the Grand Mesa- elevation  10,300 feet- for two USSA point races. Events were organized by the Grand Mesa  Nordic Council. This was their first foray into larger scale race events and  they did an admirable job on short notice. The Grand Mesa trail system had great  snow coverage and was most likely the only site in Colorado capable of hosting  these events, this past weekend.

The SSWSC XC Program brought seventeen athletes to the races. There  was not a shortage of quality results, as Cara Piske lead the way with two  breakout performances.  She had the  fastest time of any female in the 5k Skate race on Saturday. The following day,  she narrowly missed repeating the same accomplishment. She ended up winning the  J1 division and finishing second overall in a 5k mass start Classic race.  Gretchen Burkholder continued to impress, with a third in the Skate race and a  second in the Classic race in the J1 division. Madison Keeffe swapped places  with her teammate, finishing second in the Skate race and third in the Classic  race in the J1 division. Katie Brodie showed good form with two third place  finishes for the weekend. Jordi Floyd displayed consistency by placing fourth  both days. Tyler Terranova skied to two solid first place finishes in the J3  division. Lars Hannah finished second in the J1 division in Saturday’s Skate  race and fourth overall, beating athletes up to six years his senior. He grabbed  a fourth place finish in Saturday’s Classic race, with his teammate Evan Weinman  three seconds back in fifth. Simon Zink, moving up an age class this season,  placed fourth in both races in the J2 division. Seth Zegelstein, brand new to the sport,  picked up an eighteenth place, in his first ever Classic race. Spirits were high  on the return home, especially seeing the valley blanketed in white.

Additional Results:

Evan Barbier- 10^th Skate + 9^th Classic J2  boys

Tanner Heil- 9^th Skate J1 boys

Abbey Habermehl- 5^th Skate + 5^th Classic J2  girls

Anna Burkholder- 6^th Skate + 8^th Classic J2  girls

Lark Skov- 10^th Skate + 9^th Classic J2  girls

Lucy Newman- 2^nd Skate + 2^nd Classic OJ  girls

Dori McNeill- 7^th Skate + 7^th Classic J1  girls

2012-2013 Team Selections and Criteria

Bruce's Trail on  Rabbit Ears Pass was in excellent shape over the past weekend providing many XC  enthusiasts the opportunity to ski on snow.  7.5 kilometers had been  groomed by the Steamboat Nordic Council. Skiers from as far away as Denver and  Carbondale enjoyed the trails. It was some of the first groomed skiing  available in Colorado.