Madawaska Valley Ski Sprints Display Club Savvy and Local Talent

Madawaska, ME

1/25/10

Before Monday’s winter drizzle set in, residents of Aroostook County enjoyed perhaps the nicest weekend of the winter season thus far. Nowhere was the sunshine and blue sky more appreciated than in the rolling hills of Madawaska. As Saturday slowly warmed to a mild afternoon, members of the Four Seasons Trail Association could be found outside their bustling lodge preparing a newly constructed sprint course for Sunday’s third Aroostook Cup event, the Madawaska Valley Classical Ski Sprints.

As Sunday’s temperatures reached their peak, men and women took their turn racing, in the classical ski discipline, around a 1.3k course to qualify for head to head heats later in the afternoon. Racers advanced through quarter and semi-final rounds to eventually take their turn in heats of five to six competitors attempting to earn top honors for the day.

In the men’s final round it was John Dixon of the Nordic Heritage Sports Club in first, Joey Bard of Caribou’s Northern Skiers Club in second, and Seth Hubbard also of the Nordic Heritage Sports Club in third. Filling out the final heat for men were Derek Rowe (4^th), Nick Michaud (5^th) and Austin Ross (6^th).

On the women’s side, Eileen Carey of Presque Isle’s Nordic Heritage Sports Club took the win, with Vicky Bernard of the 10^th Mtn Club in second, and Sarah Dominick of the Snowy Mtn Ski Club in Stockholm taking third. Danni Anderson, Alice Goodwin, and Sherry Dubis finished 4^th, 5^th and 6^th respectively.

After three Aroostook Cup events the club leader remains the 10^th Mtn Club of Fort Kent with 75 points, the Nordic Heritage Sports Club is in second and gaining ground with 45 points, and the Northern Skiers Club remains in third with 35 points. For full results and point standings, please visit http://www.fourseasonstrail.org/Aroostook_Cup__.html. The next race in the Aroostook Cup series is the Karen Sprague Memorial Race in Stockholm, on Sunday February 14^th.