Off to a killer start in so many ways! For years I feel like I’ve decried out slow starts to the season. We leave our best races for last, and we put stress and chaos at the highest levels right before the final, deciding races that name teams and list rosters.
It feels good to say that we started off the year a lot more “hot” than usual and I think it’s for numerous reasons, both physical and psychological. We’ve been less afraid of hard workouts, even the week of a race…on Wednesday we really pushed it hard at Sleepy Hollow, and the engines were still at high RPMs for the weekend races.
Also, we went through this weekend as a “team trip” meaning a packed van, a packed block of hotel rooms, the infamous Room Pasta (complete with long wait-time for cooking and a scolding from the hotel staff to not bring a hotplate in the future), and everyone pushing their hardest together. We had our biggest spread ever in terms of age and ability. From 8th grade U16 skiers in their first Eastern Cups, to seasoned vets in the 4th year going, to seniors in high school jumping into their first big race outside of States. There were moments that made me super proud for everyone.
An MNC-heavy sprint heat! Rose, Julia, and Sammie. Photo by Gary Solow
We opened the sprint with a ripping-fast qualifier on a course with some fast icy downhills. No fear for this group. In the heats we had Ava (open heats), Rose, Sammie, Julia, Charles, Finnegan, Hattie, and Lydia. It used to be a big deal to put maybe 2-4 skiers in the rounds. Now we are stacking 8 in there knowing some were bummed to miss out by small margins.
Some highlights included Ava racing all the way to the finals, getting 5th in the entire Eastern Cup behind some strong Middlebury girls and Quincy who rocketed to 3rd place! In the Junior heats Rose, Sammie and Julie finished 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in their heat. For the U16 skiers Finnegan skied up into the final where she finished 3rd and scored herself some mega points for Junior Nationals.
Ava skating to advance out of her heat ahead of Lily Bates (Williams) and Kaelyn Woods (Bates). Photo by Dave Priganc
The next morning brought a classic distance race on some very familiar conditions. As anyone is aware, we’ve pretty much been skiing on manmade icy snow for weeks now. I adamantly refuse to let the group ski on skins or scales, and so even though it burns through expensive klister, coach thumbs, and propane fuel, we are always throwing on the klister even for an easy workout. Lo and behold, we chose to race on klister for Sunday and this gang rocked it. The long climbs were no match, and the downhills were skied with aggression.
Hanna busts out of the starting gate. Photo by Gary Solow
A special shoutout here to our younger squad. Last year Carly and Rachel and Lydia all raced their first Eastern Cup in Lake Placid. It was honestly probably the low point of the season for us…we didn’t make great skis (slow AND not kicky? tough combo) and it was a mass start which is understandably terrifying for a first-time EC experience. I saw them cross the finish line and thought “oh my god, these kids are never coming back to this team”.
But a lot can happen in a year. Between Mini Mountain Camp, summer and fall training, XC running, Thanksgiving Camp, and more, the experiences have been piling up and this group is more ready than ever. Virginia Cobb used to never seem to enjoy pushing too hard, and yet on Sunday there was a furious river of snot all over her face as she charged ahead past skiers much older and bigger!
Porth sisters in action. Photos by Dave Priganc
Kind of fun to see the sibling trends with our team and their family racing, too. Lily and Rachel, Charlie and Virginia, Finnegan and Isaballe, Lydia and Brook, and more.
The men’s 10km was tough given the abrasive conditions, but the sun started to shine and everyone got to experience some close-quarters racing as multi-lap races really bring folks together. Charles followed up a great sprint with another solid race in classic, while another special shoutout has to go to Jax and Silas. Both are seniors who had never gone to an Eastern Cup, yet alone one about as far away as you can be without heading to Fort Kent. They embraced the challenged and skied really well, with great energy on every lap…I was watching down in the stadium, and Sara was capturing video on the highest hill, so I can confirm from evidence in both places that these guys did not let up.
Jax in the midst of “going hard in the paint” as he would say. Photo by Dave Priganc
It’s hard not to be super motivated for the rest of the season, if this is only the beginning. We had a great first weekend but not everyone was satisfied with every race…are we ever? There’s room to do even more and given what we were able to accomplish last season after a comparably slow-burning start I think the pieces are in place for killer moves. Althouth there were some sleepy bodies, large portions of the van ride home were filled with excitement for all things skiing: the Eastern Cup, the World Cup, the HS race scene, and more. Fired-up for sure.
What going hard in the paint looks like! Hattie, Isabelle, and Silas. Photos by Dave Priganc
MORE PHOTOS FROM DAVE PRIGANC
RESULTS FROM BULLITT TIMING
