The BSF Pro Team wrapped up the final of 3 races in Sun Valley, Idaho. After a very long drive from SilverStar, and a few massages, the team was ready to get under way with the first of the 3 races, the 15k mass start classic. The tracks were firm, and the conditions were great. The coaches did extensive testing to make some speedy skis, but also gave us a very good kick. The course was very hilly, with little recovery on the steep and turny downhills. It was 6x2.5k laps. The men went first today, and their results were strong! Finn earned the team its first SuperTour win ever! Reid came in 5th and Graham finished 12th! A great day for the men. On the women's side, Mariah led the team in 4th, Sarah was 6th, and Hannah was 12th. Finn recaps the win below!
“Today was a great day! For me to achieve my goal of being the SuperTour leader and race the World Cup Tour de Ski, there was no other option for me but to win! From last week, I knew my classic technique was strong enough for a win, and my fitness was there. 15k is a great distance for me, because it’s long enough to break anyone and there is not a sprint finish. My tactic, which I was verbal about to my team, was to start hard and not look back. I had some help at the start of the race from a Canadian skier. It went out very fast, to the point where I was almost falling off the back of him. But when we made a 180 degree corner, I realized everyone else was falling off too. He led for 2 laps before hitting the wall and slowing down. At this point there were only 6 of us in the lead group. I didn’t want people catching their breath, so I took to the front and started pushing the pace.
I was nervous I may have gone too hard but slowly the group of 6 dwindled down to 3 with the other 3 straggling off the back. The two other skiers I was with, I knew were not the best at sprint finishes, so someone was going to break away on lap 5 or 6. I continued to charge the last two laps and not look back. And going into the final lap, my coach said I had a 15 seconds gap! I just had to keep my technique going well and ski as hard as I could into the finish! Coming into the finishing lanes, I looked back and could not see anyone! I had done what I needed to do, and it was the best feeling I have had in a race EVER! I have won individual races before, but never a mass start. I threw my hands in the air and gave a huge fist bump, I had done it. Today was a great day!”
The next race was a classic sprint. It also had just started snowing very hard. Over the next 36 hours, it would snow nearly 2 feet! However, this didn’t stop the team from giving it their all! On the men's side, Graham, Reid, and Finn, went 15, 16, and 17 respectively! In the heats, the snow made it challenging on skis, and those with a softer ski, felt the slowness of the new snow on the downhills. Finn and Graham were knocked out in the quarters, and Reid got knocked out in the semi final. On the women's side, only Sarah and Mariah raced, and placed 9th and 20th respectively. Sarah made the finals again, and placed 5th! Mariah got knocked out in the quarterfinals. Sarah recaps the day below!
“After racing in Silver Star, I was ready to keep the momentum going in Sun Valley. Having lived and trained there for a few years, I was excited to race there- I know the courses and their usual variations. I have also never made a classic sprint final, and I had a feeling today would be the day! However, what I didn't know was that it was going to be a lucky loser kind of day for me. After getting third and fourth in my quarter and semi final, respectively, I was stoked to get into the final. It was a great day for my first classic sprint with some fast women in some very snowy conditions.”
The final of 7 races was set to be the most challenging, with 2 feet of fresh snow. It was like skiing through mashed potatoes out there. The race was a 10k individual start. Some sickness on the men’s side, meant only Finn and Graham would toe to the line. Finn ended 5th, only 3 seconds from 3, and Graham came across in 13th! The women had a great day, with Mariah, Sarah, and Hannah, all in the top 10! Mariah ended 6th, Sarah was 7th, and Hannah was 9th! Mariah recaps this race below.
“The last race day of the super tour weekend in sun valley was a 10k skate individual start. That morning it had snowed like 5 feet overnight haha, the van had to be shoveled out, and the race tracks were inevitably pretty soft. The course had to be changed to a shorter loop for the groomers due to all the snowfall!! This made for a tough day for racing but still a good one.
The conditions were definitely challenging. It was dumping snow the whole time for the girls races, I even took my glasses off during the race to clear them of snow after the first lap just to have them full of snow again shortly afterwards. Since it was the last day of races for a while I felt pretty motivated to give a good effort despite not being able to see very well and was personally content with my race that day. The rest of the team showed up well and overall had a good day. After the races, there were a lot of tired bodies that were ready to get back to Bozeman after two weeks on the road!”
