2018 U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships€¦ · December 2017 • COAST • • 13 U.S. National...

Jan. 3-8, 2018 Kincaid Park

Anchorage, Alaska

U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships2018

December 2017 • COAST • www.coast-magazine.com • 13 2018 U.S. National Cross Country Ski Championships 3

The race is on U.S. Nationals highlight country's best cross-country skiers

Schedule of events:January 3 – Freestyle Interval Start

RaceJanuary 5 – Freestyle Sprint RaceJanuary 7 – Classic Mass Start RaceJanuary 8 – Classic Sprint Race

On the WebU.S. Cross Country Ski Team website:www.usskiteam.comwww.usnationals2018.comwww.anchoragenordicski.com

January 3-8, 2018

FLYING POINT PHOTOGRAPHY

U23 Kelsey Phinney charges into the lead during the classic sprint race during the 2017 U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships, held at Soldier Hollow, in Utah.

2018 U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships

On the trails of Anchorage’s Kincaid Park, Olympians have been made. World Cup champions have been

groomed. Countless hours of training and nail-biting racing has happened on these corduroy-covered trails. It’s a place where dreams happen.

That’s why the 2018 U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships are not to be missed. This massive event, set for Jan. 3-8, 2018, pits some of the nation’s top skiers against one another, not only for bragging rights, but also for a potential berth on the U.S. Olympic Ski Team that will compete in PyeongChang, South Korea, just a few weeks later.

The dream is real. Just ask Holly Brooks, who competed in the same event when it was held at Kincaid in 2010, and skied her way onto the podium – and the U.S. Ski Team. That accomplishment led her on to a stellar career that included two Olympics and a first-ever U.S. Ski Team World Cup relay victory.

“Last time this event was here I was rac-ing, and I credit the hometown advantage with making the Olympics, and essentially changing the trajectory of my life,” said Brooks, who has had the opportunity to utter those same words, along with many thank-yous, to the countless volunteers and experts who put on the races. This year, Brooks, who retired from racing in 2016, is helping to run the Award Ceremonies with her husband, Rob Whitney, during the races.

The 2018 U.S. Cross Country National Ski Championships – or “Nationals,” as most people call them, includes four days of racing spread over the course of the week. Plan your calendars carefully for race days, which include two sprint races in classic and freestyle; as well as a longer mass start classic race and interval start freestyle race. Skiers ranging from their mid-teens to masters will be there, competing not only for a podium here, but also potentially earning team spots for Junior Nationals in the spring, and even competitions abroad.

Kincaid is no stranger to putting on Nationals, either. Joey Caterinichio, Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage president and chairman of the U.S. Nationals event,

See Page 4, Nationals

By MELISSA DeVAUGHN

ConocoPhillips U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships

14 • December 2017 • COAST • www.coast-magazine.com4 2018 U.S. National Cross Country Ski Championships


helped bring the races to Kincaid, back-to-back, in 2009 and 2010.

“We are a well-oiled machine running this,” Ca-terinichio said – even more so now that Kincaid has snow-making equipment that it lacked eight years ago. “There are new, improved courses, and snow-making, and Anchorage rocks as a strong Nordic community.”

Caterinichio, who used to be Nordic director for the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association, said USSA likes to move the race locations around the country to keep it fair for athletes and allow for varying com-petition venues. So, when the races come to Anchor-age, she said it is a real advantage for local skiers.

“There is a real home course advantage,” she said. “There’s less travel so athletes can be rested, and staying at home vs. a hotel.”

Brooks said she is positive that competing at home in 2010 helped launch her success. Skiing, she said, is as much mental as physical, and when there are hordes of friends and family cheering you on, it helps you dig deep.

“Home course advantage includes everything from not having to travel over the holidays, sleeping in your own bed, eating your own food, and training on the courses in the months and weeks lead-

ing up to the event,” she said. “Also, local coaches know which waxes run well at Kincaid, and athletes have the independence and autonomy to do whatever is best for their preparation and recovery.

“Perhaps my favorite part of racing at home was ben-efiting from friends, family, and athletes that I coached coming out to cheer for me,” she added. “At high stakes races you are physically and mentally prepared to enter the pain cave, but when you have a big cheering squad it somehow has the ability to help you find an additional gear. The junior skiers that I coached at the time painted

5-foot tall ‘GO HOLLY’ letters that were staged at the top of the sledding hill all week. The support was amaz-ing and gave me the extra boost that helped me make

my first Olympic team.”So, if you are skier, sports fan or just like to watch and appreciate

elite athletes at their best, come out to the 2018 U.S. Cross Country National Ski Championships and cheer them on.

“I think this is a really special Olympic cycle where Alaska stands to qualify more Alaskans for the Olympic Games than ever before,” Brooks said. “If our skiers ski to their potential we could stand to send five to eight Alaskan skiers to represent our state and the U.S.A. on the big stage come February!”

Holly Brooks

Nationals, continued from Page 3

Dear Participants, Welcome to the 2018 Nordic Nationals in lovely Anchorage, Alaska. For many, this competition will bring you a step closer to the 2018 Winter Olympics. I commend the hard work and great personal sacrifice that is required for athletic distinction and excellence. As you begin this week of competition, I offer my best wishes to all the participants, spectators, coaches, and supporters for a memorable and safe event. May the spirit of sportsmanship be on full display, as well as the skills of each athlete that has qualified to reach this spot. May you also enjoy some of Alaska’s magnificent skiing wonderland – Kincaid Park. Known for its spectacular grounds and as a convenient outdoor recreation locale, this venue park is the perfect choice for this distinguished event. Warm wishes to each of you as you strive to compete at your greatest level. Sincerely,

Bill Walker Governor

Dear Participants,

Welcome to the 2018 Nordic Nationals in lovely Anchorage,

Alaska. For many, this competition will bring you a step closer to the 2018 Winter Olympics. I commend the hard work and great personal sacrifice that is required for athletic distinction and excellence.

As you begin this week of competi-tion, I offer my best wishes to all the participants, spectators, coaches, and supporters for a memorable and safe event. May the spirit of sportsmanship be on full display, as well as the skills of each athlete that has quali-fied to reach this spot.

May you also enjoy some of Alaska’s magnificent skiing wonder-land – Kincaid Park. Known for its spectacular grounds and as a convenient outdoor recreation locale, this venue is the perfect choice for this distinguished event.

Warm wishes to each of you as you strive to compete at your great-est level.

Sincerely,

— Bill WalkerGovernor of Alaska

Dear Participants, Welcome to the 2018 Nordic Nationals in lovely Anchorage, Alaska. For many, this competition will bring you a step closer to the 2018 Winter Olympics. I commend the hard work and great personal sacrifice that is required for athletic distinction and excellence. As you begin this week of competition, I offer my best wishes to all the participants, spectators, coaches, and supporters for a memorable and safe event. May the spirit of sportsmanship be on full display, as well as the skills of each athlete that has qualified to reach this spot. May you also enjoy some of Alaska’s magnificent skiing wonderland – Kincaid Park. Known for its spectacular grounds and as a convenient outdoor recreation locale, this venue park is the perfect choice for this distinguished event. Warm wishes to each of you as you strive to compete at your greatest level. Sincerely,

Bill Walker Governor

Welcome to Alaska Anchorage awaitsDear skiers and supporters,

Welcome to Kincaid Park! Anchorage is a winter city,

and we know that fresh snow is a great excuse to get out and play. Our skiers – from Junior Nordic kids to Masters – are excited to share our trails with all of you.

It will be great to watch North America’s fastest skiers duke it out at the 2018 U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships in Anchorage, before some of you compete at the XXIII Olympic Winter Games in South Korea or at the 2018 FIS Junior/U23 World Championships in Switzerland.

You have worked hard to prepare for these races, and I wish the best of luck to each of you. And when the racing is done, please take time to relax and enjoy our local hospitality. Anchorage is a great city with the best snow-covered trails on the planet. Enjoy your time here.

Warm wishes and ski fast,

— Ethan BerkowitzMayor of Anchorage


2018 U.S. Cross Country Ski ChampionshipsProduced by ALASKA ADVENTURE MEDIA / COAST MAGAZINE9138 Arlon Street, Suite A3, #432, Anchorage, AK 99507www.alaskaadventuremedia.com, (907) [email protected] MANAGERS: Joey Caterinichio, Josh Niva, Melissa DeVaughnON THE COVER: U.S. Olympic hopeful and Anchorage local Scott Patterson will compete in the 2018 ConocoPhillips U.S. Cross Country Championships this January at Kincaid. Photo courtesy APU Nordic Ski Center.


Community effortWe are thrilled to bring

the 2018 U.S. Cross Country Ski Champion-ships to Kincaid Park. Work-ing together with the Nordic Skiing Association of An-chorage, the Municipality of Anchorage, the United States Skiing Association, and our premier sponsor Cono-coPhillips, Anchorage will showcase America’s top ski-ers. Alaskans will have the ability to watch skiers from the U.S. Ski Team, local, national elite and community-based racers all coming together in one event. The 2018 U.S. Cross Country Nationals also will weigh in for the selection of ath-letes to Olympic berths representing the USA at the 2018 Olym-pics in PyeongChang, South Korea.

I would like to thank our many financial partners, local sponsors and volunteers. Without the outpouring of our community’s support, we would not be able to host this high-caliber event. Anchorage has an amazing infrastructure for Nordic skiing. Organizations such as the NSAA, Cross Country Alaska, our statewide elite racing clubs, host clubs, high school skiing, Junior Nordic, and the amazing coaches and volunteers help give us the inspiration to host these large national races. Races such as the U.S. Cross Country Cham-pionships help keep the circle of Nordic skiing alive and give our youth an atmosphere to thrive at all levels of skiing and to witness the pinnacle of U.S. racing.

As a national and local Nordic leader, the opportunity to chair this event has given me the ability to give back to our community and the many people who have supported and inspired Nordic skiing in Alaska.

Please join us Jan. 3-8, 2018, at Kincaid Park to cheer on our local athletes, the U.S. Ski team and our future Olympi-ans.

Sincerely,

— Joey Caterinichio Chair, 2018 U.S. Nationals

Dear U.S. Cross Country Ski Cham-pionships Athletes,

As an athlete qualifying for the U.S. Cross Country Ski Champi-

onships, you are one of the nation’s best cross-country skiers. You’ve worked hard to get to this point in your season, and you should be proud representing your club and those who have helped you get here. Because of their help and your own effort, you are ready to com-pete with the best in your sport.

This elite event is hosted by one of the world’s leading facilities and Nor-dic communities. The Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage has produced many successful events and is well prepared to host this important competition. This is great chance for you to do your very best skiing this winter.

Use the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships as a chance to show your coaches, club program, and the U.S. Ski Team that you have what it takes to be the best in the world. Regardless of the outcome, you can always feel great traveling home knowing that you gave your very best.

I’m excited to watch for your success. Take advantage of this great venue, dedicated organizing committee, and all those that helped you get here. Good luck!

— Tiger Shaw, President and CEOU.S. Ski and Snowboard

The nation's best

16 • December 2017 • COAST • www.coast-magazine.com

A season to remember:


As Kikkan Randall heads into her last season, all we can say is, ‘Thank you, Thank you, Kikkan Randall, for being an incredible athlete, role model and friend.’

By JOEY CATERINICHIO

In the late 1990s, a little girl under the age of 12 with blond, curly hair would pass me as we scaled the Alyeska Mountain Run. As she ran her way

through many races I would often think, who is this little girl and at such a young age, how was she this fast? She never stopped. In the upcoming years, I witnessed her in multiple sports. As a longtime coach and organizer of many high-level competitions in Alaska, I had the pleasure of watching this little girl participate in multiple select teams from competitions such as the Arctic Winter Games to the Junior Nationals, showing amazing team spirit often blaring “I'm a Barbie Girl” in the team van, to qualifying for multiple World Junior teams, and going for gold as the Sprint Distance favorite at the Sochi Olympics.

Flash forward, as a new mother, Kikkan Randall is now headed into her fifth Olympics. As an Alaska hometown favorite, the chances of her earning a medal in PyongChange are great. And we get one more season of this hometown hero.

Kikkan Randall is Alaska’s and the nation’s cross country darling. She’s the “skier to watch” as she heads into her last season of Olympic racing. As this chap-ter of cross-country skiing will soon close, Alaska and the ski community thank Kikkan for her graciousness, community endeavors, results and her sprit. Kikkan,

See Page 23, KikkanJEFF ELLIS

At top, Kikkan Randall with the silver medal she won in the World Cup Sprint Final in the Czech Republic in Feb-ruary 2009. Above, Randall pauses for a photo op during the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, in 2014.

6 2018 U.S. National Cross Country Ski Championships

NORDIC FOCUS PHOTOGRAPHY

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For more than 48 years, our experienced and compassionate doctors have remained dedicated to providing bone, joint, and muscle care to keep athletes of all levels on the slopes.

Anchorage Fracture & Orthopedic Clinic is trusted to deliver the highest level of sports medicine care, and our own Gregory Schumacher, M.D., is a US Ski and Snowboard Association Team Physician and Chief Physician for Nordic Skiing.

To schedule an appointment, please call 907.563.3145.

Proud Sponsor of Kikkan Randall with the US Ski Team in the upcoming Olympics in South Korea

Photo Credit: Jarek Jospera


Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2017 4 p.m. Pre-registration Closes Event Website

Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017Noon-4 p.m. Race Office Open Kincaid Park, Chalet Wax Trailer & Wax Bunker Check in

Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Unofficial Training Kincaid Park Courses Marked10 a.m.-4 p.m. Race Office Open Race Office, Registration Kincaid Park, Chalet Wax Trailer Check in

Monday, Jan. 1, 2018 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Waxing Village Open Kincaid Park10 a.m.-4 p.m. Unofficial Training Kincaid ParkNoon-3 p.m. Race Office Open Kincaid Park, Chalet Registration Wax Trailer Check in

Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Waxing Village Open Kincaid Park8 a.m.-4 p.m. Race Office Open Kincaid Park, Chalet10 a.m.-2 p.m. Official Training Kincaid Park Individual Distance Event2 p.m. Late Registration Closed Race changes due Race Office5 p.m. Team Captains Meeting Kincaid Park, Chalet West Room

Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018Race, Individual 10/15K 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Waxing Village Open Kincaid Park8 a.m.-Noon Bib Pick Up Kincaid Park, Chalet10 a.m.-2 p.m. Individual Kincaid, Stadium Distance EventDuring event Flower Ceremonies Kincaid, Stadium

Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Waxing Village Open Kincaid Park8 a.m.-4 p.m. Race Office Open Kincaid Park, Chalet2 p.m. Registration Changes Due Race Office Freestyle Sprint 5 p.m. Team Captains Meeting Kincaid Park, Chalet West Room

Friday, Jan. 5, 2018Race, Freestyle Sprint 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Waxing Village Open Kincaid Park8 a.m.-4 p.m. Race Office Open Kincaid Park, Chalet8-11 a.m. Bib Pick Up Kincaid Park, Chalet10-11:30 a.m. Sprint, Freestyle Kincaid, Stadium Qualifier

12:15 p.m. Bib Pick Up, Sprint Finals Kincaid, Stadium12:45-4 p.m. Sprint, Freestyle Finals Kincaid Park During event Flower Ceremonies Kincaid, Stadium6:30 p.m. Coaches' Social Location TBA

Saturday, Jan. 6, 20187 a.m.-11 p.m. Race Office Open Kincaid Park, Chalet10 a.m.-2 p.m. Official Training Kincaid Park Mass Start2 p.m. Registration Kincaid Park, Chalet Changes due Race Office Mass Start5 p.m. Team Captains Meeting Kincaid Park, Chalet West Room

Sunday, Jan. 7, 2018Race, Mass Start 20/30K Mass Start 5/10K 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Waxing Village Open Kincaid Park8 a.m.-4 p.m. Race Office Open Kincaid Park, Chalet8-11 a.m. Bib Pick Up Kincaid Park, Chalet Mass Start Kincaid, Stadium 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Mass Start Event Kincaid, StadiumDuring event Flower Ceremonies Kincaid, Stadium2 p.m. Registration Changes due Kincaid Park, Chalet Classic Sprint Race Office4 p.m. Team Captains Meeting Kincaid Park, Chalet West Room 6 p.m. Banquet ConocoPhillips Naming of WJ/U23/U18 Atrium Podiums Coaches, officials, athletes only Parent/Limited tickets Race Office, Chalet

Monday, Jan. 8, 2018Race, Classic Sprint 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Waxing Village Open Kincaid Park8 a.m.-4 p.m. Race Office Open Kincaid Park, Chalet8-11 a.m. Bib Pick Up Kincaid Park, Chalet Qualifier10-11:30 a.m. Sprint Classic Kincaid, Stadium Qualifier12:15 p.m. Bib Pick Up, Sprint Kincaid, Stadium 12:45-4 p.m. Sprint, Classic Finals Kincaid, StadiumDuring event Flower Ceremonies Kincaid, Stadium5-10 p.m. Wax Trailer & Bunker Kincaid Park Clean up & return

Tuesday, Jan. 9, 20188 a.m.-4 p.m. Clean up Kincaid Park and Wax Trailer Return

PLEASE NOTE: Schedule subject to change, so please check for updates. Visit www.usnationals2018.com.

2018 U.S. Nationals schedule of events



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Alaskan skiers compete annu-ally in the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships, racing on

the Upper Peninsula’s frosty roller-coaster trails, the oxygen-deprived Olympic course at Utah’s Soldier Hollow, and on New England’s mostly artificial snow.

This year, Alaska’s skiers are back home at Kincaid Park for nation-als. They’ve lined up at the start in this stadium countless times. They know the trails. They know where they’ve crashed, bonked, passed and excelled.

APU elite skier Reese Hanneman, is looking forward to the familiar.

“It really is such a cool feeling, to remember back racing so much here as a kid, and now so many years later, to try and ski much faster around these same loops,” he said. “It’s an honor to be able to race at home in U.S. Nationals.”

Reese and his brother Logan Hanneman are just two of the many Alaska skiers to look for at these races.

While the blue Alaska Pacific University (APU) race suits will be prominent at Kincaid, some well-known Alaska skiers might be missing. Four-time Olympian Kik-kan Randall, and fellow APU skiers Sadie Bjornsen, Erik Bjornsen, Rosie Brennan, Chelsea Holmes, and Scott Patterson, are overseas competing in the early stages of the World Cup season. Their aim is to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team on that European circuit. If they don’t, they’ll be back in Alaska for nationals, which is another door to the Olym-pics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. If any spots still remain by New Year’s, the series at Kincaid Park is a last opportunity to prove up.

APU head coach Erik Flora explained that the competition in Alaska is the final week of racing in the U.S. for the Olympic qualifi-cation process and for World Juniors.

“For our APU elite team, this is an opportunity to represent the United States at the Olympics,” the coach said. “This is a goal they have spent the better part of 10 years preparing for and many thou-sands of hours training.”

His roster of senior Alaska skiers to watch include Reese, Hanneman, Logan Hanneman, David Norris, Tyler Kornfield, Erik Packer, Forest Mahlen, Thomas O’Hara, Rosie Frankowski and Becca Rorabaugh. Many of these skiers competed together on Team AK at Junior Nationals.

Rorabaugh said she and her team are looking forward to Kincaid Park and Alaska offering some “good old-fashioned winter condi-tions” and a chance to shine on the big stage.

“We’ve had time to really cohere as a group and that’s made each of us stronger,” she said. “I think we’ve got an amazing cohort of ski-ers who will be in the mix for Olympic qualification this year.”

APU’s Flora is optimistic about his athletes’ chances and advises

Fast & formidable Alaskan athletes aim high at U.S. Nationals 2018

COURTESY TOM KELLY/USSA/ REESE HANNEMAN.COM

Reese Hanneman skis to victory during Nationals races at Soldier Hollow, Utah. He is among the Alas-kans to watch for the 2018 U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships being held in Anchorage.



not to underestimate the power of the hometown crowd.“This is the biggest competition we will have this year in the

United States,” he said. “It will be great to see our community out on the trails in January to cheer a tremendous event.”

Olympic slots aren’t the only incentive during this week of racing. For college skiers in the Rocky Mountain division, the first two skate races are NCAA qualifiers. Alaskans Tracen Knopp, Sadie Fox and Jenna DiFolco will be skiing for the Univer-sity of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) Seawolves, and Anna Darnell, Sarissa Lammers, Max Donaldson, Seiji Takagi and Logan Mowry will be skiing for the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Nanooks. Further afield, but also returning home to compete with the Montana State team, is Emma Tarbath. Other collegiate Alaskans retuning to race are Dartmouth skiers Lydia Blanchet and Taryn Hunt-Smith, Williams’ skiers Jack Consenstein and Andrew Hull, and Middle-bury skier Jacob Volz.

Along with Olympic and NCAA goals, younger skiers are focused on qualifying for the World Junior Championships in Goms, Switzerland, and the U18 Nordic Nations Championships in Vuokatti, Finland. Getting a spot on either of these teams is based on age and points accrued in all four nationals races.

Junior Worlds, explains Flora, “starts the road toward international racing and one day the Olympics.”

Alaskan locals competing with their sights on Junior Worlds include Alaska Winter Stars (AWS) Juniors Molly Gellert, Gus Schumacher, Quincy Donley, Eli Her-manson and Luke Fritzel; APU Juniors Hunter Wonders, Canyon Tobin, Luke Jager, and Dawson Knopp; Alaska Nordic Racing Juniors Emma Nelson, Heidi Booher and Adrianna Proffitt; and FXC (Fairbanks) Juniors Ti Donaldson and Kendall Kramer.

AWS skier Gellert scored enough points in last year’s nationals to make it to the Nordic Nations Champion-ships. She said the familiarity of Kincaid Park will be reassuring during the tough week of racing.

“It’s super awesome that nationals are on home soil this year because the races will be on trails we spend countless hours training on,” she said.

Add up all of these athletes and Alaska undoubtedly has a strong presence in this competition, from high school racers to college graduates. There will even be some local senior masters jumping in to see how they stack up against the younger field. The common de-nominator to this powerful bench of skiers, according to APU’s Hanneman, is Alaska’s support for the sport.

“We have some of the best coaches in the country, lots of options for skiing most of the year, and a com-munity that really gets excited about ski racing,” he said. “A bunch of our junior clubs are really strong right now, and I think we are going to see even more Alas-kans competing at a high level.”

Hanneman should know – he’s stood on more than one podium at U.S. nationals, the top step as well. Look

for him and all of the other Alaska skiers during this exciting week of racing. Don’t forget your cowbell.

COURTESY JAN BURON

Alaska Winter Stars skier Molly Gellert competes at the 2017 U.S. Nationals at Sol-dier Hollow, in Utah. Gellert is one of Alaska's top female skiers and will be compet-ing for a spot in Junior Nationals as well as Junior Worlds.


COURTESY CODY PRIEST

Alaska Nordic Racing and University of Alaska Anchorage skier Tracen Knopp will be competing at the 2017 U.S. Nationals at Soldier Hollow, in Utah. He is among more than a dozen college-level skiers from Alaska in the mix for top honors.


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2018 Junior Mass Start 5k CourseJanuary 7th - Kincaid Park - Anchorage, AK

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Actual Distance: 5.458 kmHD: 49MC: 35TC: 165

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2018 Men's & Women's Sprint CoursesJanuary 5th & 8th - Kincaid Park - Anchorage, AK


Actual Distance (Men): 1.606 kmActual Distance (Women): 1.476 kmHD: 24MC: 24TC: 43 (W) & 47 (M)

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Welcome to the Races! The U.S. Cross Country

Championships are the pre-mier U.S. event of the season. These events determine all U.S. National Champions. Competi-tors include top club racers, for-eign skiers and members of the U.S. Ski Team. This event is open to all USSA and FIS competitors. The U.S. Cross Country Cham-pionships is a part of the Super-Tour; double SuperTour points are awarded during the cham-pionships. SuperTour races are used in selection for elite teams such as World Championships, Continental Cup and the Olym-pics.

Qualifying RacesIn addition to sizzling senior

athletes tearing up the course, the U.S. Cross Country Cham-pionships is also an avenue for young seniors and top junior athletes to qualify and represent Team USA for elite international racing teams.

Look for athletes to qualify for:

• The World Junior Champion-ships Trials: This team is made up from the nation’s top juniors. Athletes will be selected from the U.S. Cross Country Cham-pionships. The World Junior Championship Team will com-pete at the Junior World Cham-pionships in Goms-Kandersteg, Switzerland, Jan. 27-Feb. 2, 2018.

• The U-23s: This is an interna-tional race series in conjunction with the World Juniors hosting young senior athletes below the age of 23.

• The Junior Scandinavian Championships: The Nordic Junior Championships is open to U16 and U18 competitors only and is the premier international competition for competitors 17 years and younger. Team selec-

tion will be done through the freestyle sprint and the classic 5/10 kilometer events at the U.S. Cross Country Championship.

For more information on elite National Cross Country

Programs, nomination criteria for the U.S. disabled criteria and elite traveling teams, please visit: www.ussa.org.

For more information about the 2018 U.S. Cross Country

Championships, please visit: www.usnationals2018.com.

Rules of Engagement Welcome to Kincaid Park!


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2018 7.5km Hairpin CourseJanuary 3rd & 7th - Kincaid Park - Anchorage, AK



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We’re glad you traveled near and far to take in the 2018 U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships.

We want this to be a spirited and fair event for all patici-pants. The race courses are

challenging and should be fun for spectators as well. In order to keep it fair for competitors and fun for spectators, we ask participants to be mindful of the rules.

Competition Days All race trails are closed to

spectators, whether skiing or on foot traffic. Only racers, coaches and officials will be permitted on the race course. Spectators

will have designated areas to watch and enjoy the races.

Warm-up and wax testing areas are open to racers and coaches only. Feel free to ski the other ski trails of the Kincaid Park system. No ski passes are required. If you are a skiing and have not paid an entry fee, a donation to the NSAA trail fund would be appreciated. You can do this online at www.anchor-agenordicski.com.

No Dogs AllowedCross-country skiing com-

petitions and dogs don’t mix. Please leave the dogs at home. No dogs will be allowed on the venue including the stadium, ski trails, parking lots, and build-ings (service dogs exempted). This includes leashed dogs.

Stadium AccessAll access to the stadium floor

will be via the bridge from the Chalet parking lot to “Spectator Ridge.” Spectator ridge is aptly named as racers will be passing by this area for every race.

Spectator routes are desig-nated for each competition day. Walking, and sometimes skiing, will be allowed to access these vantage points. Great viewing spots are on the ridge above the timing building and by the stadium parking lot. The sta-dium floor will not be open for spectators.

Course controllers and stew-ards will be posted at locations throughout the stadium and race trails. Please follow their directions as it is their job to en-sure the competition can occur unimpeded. Remember, they are volunteers out there to enjoy the competition and to meet people from across the country.

Information will be available at the race office in the Chalet and kiosk in the lower parking lot. Startlists, results, course maps, and spectator information will be available at this location.

Continued, next page


Stadium race layouts2018

U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships

Parking The Chalet parking lot will be limited to

athletes and officials, and select volunteers. Spectator and volunteer parking will be available in the Stadium parking lot (behind the score board) and the overflow lots. If you are carpooling, you can drop off passengers or gear at the chalet before parking in one of the outer lots.

Non-Competition Days All trails are open to all skiers. While the

race trails offer exciting opportunities to test your skiing skills, Kincaid Park has 60 kilometers of groomed ski trails.

Each trail is unique and offer great views

of Cook Inlet, the Alaska Range, Mount Susitna, the Chugach Mountains and of course Mount McKinley and Mount For-aker.

Moose

A resident population of moose roams Kincaid Park. It’s the middle of winter and the moose are tired and generally interested only in survival, however they are unpre-dictable. Please give them a wide berth. You may have to stop and wait or even turn around and find another route. On race day the course volunteers will do everything possible to deal with the ungulates but they can be stubborn and ornery.



Stadium race layouts2018

U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships


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Alaskans embrace winter more than any other place in the nation – sometimes enthu-

siastically, sometimes reluctantly. But limited daylight and cold tem-peratures aren’t negatives here. If snow is on the ground in Anchor-age, skiers are giddy and winter is a welcome wonderland.

Anchorage is a deep and genuine Nordic skiing community, proud of its world-class trails, Olympic-level athletes, passion-ate skiers of all skill, fitness level and age, and special programs and events. That community is strengthened and sustained by an army of volunteers, donors and staff that fuel the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage (NSAA).

For more than 50 years, NSAA has been the focal point, if not the heart, of Nordic skiing here. It leads Junior Nordics, the largest youth learn-to-ski program in the nation with close to 700 kids skiing at three locations each day during winter. Since its launch in 1984, Junior Nordics has become a family tradition: Adults who were raised in the program decades ago now enroll their kids, who dis-cover their own passions for skiing and playing outside even when it’s cold. In addition, no other state has Alaska’s volume of middle school cross-country skiers, which NSAA supports through racing and skis in schools programs.

For skiers and nonskiers, fans of winter or summer alike, NSAA’s most important community role is keeper of Anchorage’s trail system. NSAA maintains and sustains, expands and protects the An-chorage area’s 150 kilometers of trails – that spans from Eagle River to Kincaid Park to Hillside Ski Area. Last season, thousands of skiers logged more than 58,000 recreational hours on community trails, which were groomed 159 days. Runners, walkers and bikers also benefit from NSAA’s year-round commitment to the trail system.

That commitment to trails is one of the reasons why Anchor-age is an attractive setting for national and world outdoor events, especially high-caliber winter races like the 2018 U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships. It’s also a reason why Anchorage, and Alaska, is now a breeding ground for a growing group of elite skiers who represent the state around the world, including in their charge for Olympic medals.

NSAA’s critical community work is backed by volunteers and

Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage: Sustaining trails, creating outdoor opportunities, in all seasons

numerous local businesses, city officials and corporate leaders. They rally around the organization in good and not-so-good snow sea-sons, and help NSAA bring America’s top Nordic skiers to Kincaid Park for events like U.S. Nationals. They have also supported NSAA’s annual Nordic programs and events, assisted with trail work, and donated time and energy to keeping Anchorage skiing with snow-making capabilities.

Support also comes from NSAA’s 3,000 members, many of which volunteer at more than 50 annual Nordic events and contribute nearly 20,000 volunteer hours each season. Almost 80 percent of event participants are 18 and younger, a testament to the multi-generational impact of Nordic skiing. NSAA staff and volunteers orchestrate events like Ski Train, Ski 4 Kids, Alaska Ski For Women, and the Tour of Anchorage. Providing youth access to Nordic skiing with equipment grants, school racing, coaching and other outdoor opportunities is also essential for NSAA, as it works to set a founda-tion for a lifetime of healthy activities for youth.

Starting January 3, more than 400 of the country’s top skiers will

COURTESY NORDIC SKIING ASSOCIATION OF ANCHORAGE

The Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage not only grooms some 150 kilometers of trail, but it also hosts the largest youth learn-to-ski program in the nation, with close to 700 kids skiing at three locations each day during winter.



gather in Anchorage for the 2018 U.S. Cross Country Ski Champion-ships, bringing years of dedication and training to Anchorage’s top park and trail system. Nationals will also bring hundreds of specta-tors from across the state and beyond, who, with event sponsors and

seasoned volunteers, will see the investment NSAA makes in bring-ing events like this to life and making Anchorage a special place to live, work, play and ski.


The Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage depends on its volunteers, like these from the 2010 U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships.

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A lot of skiing stars will emerge from the 2018 U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, but one group of heroes will

certainly go unheralded and maybe even unnoticed altogether. But without the snowmaking capabilities provided by the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage (NSAA) and its staff, volunteers and partners, skiing at nationals might not even happen.

Recent ski seasons in Alaska have been marred by warm-and-wet winter weather, which has made occasional messes of Anchorage’s world-class trails and its Nordic programs, races large and small, training for elite racers and fun for recreational skiers. But when NSAA began snowmaking at Kincaid Park a few seasons ago, it provided a foundation for skiing in most winter conditions and instantly became a boon to the skiing community and Anchor-age’s citizens who love their outdoor lifestyles.

Like waxers, timers, coaches and proud parents, snowmaking is now a regular aspect of successful races at Kincaid Park. The time-line to prepare Kincaid Park for skiing and racing – and especially courses as technical as those set for nationals – begins as early as possible for NSAA’s operations crew. When the right combination of humid air and cool temperatures arrive, NSAA’s two fulltime groomers and a handful of parttime staff and volunteers start mak-ing snow around the clock. The process might seem simple, but the ability to achieve the right snow for high quality Nordic trails is elaborate and carefully calculated.

As early as October, all eyes are glued on the thermostat and the hygrometer. When the right combination aligns, NSAA’s team runs the equipment sometimes up to 24 hours a day for days, or even weeks, at a time. When the new snow is made, it is moved by redi-recting strategically set fan guns and snow lances along the trails. As the snow piles up, the operations crew spread it across the trails and then the Pisten Bullys finish up with fresh comb and diagonal tracks.

Snowmaking success requires more than just the right conditions. It actually begins months before temperatures drop with repairs, preparation and troubleshooting of the fan guns and snow lances, cleaning screens, upgrading electronics and install-ing work platforms to ensure that the equipment performs optimally when snowmaking time arrives.

Water is also a key ingredient, and ironically, it's a limited resource at Kincaid, despite its location

near Cook Inlet. Two wells were drilled at Kincaid Park specifically for snowmaking; but the wells currently produce only 150 gallons of water per minute. This is less than one-third of the equipment’s designed capacity and well below the system’s most efficient power. That said, last season 3.4 million gallons of water were used to make snow at Kincaid Park, an astounding amount that led to a constant source of snow and very few race or event cancellations.

Thanks to the snowmaking equipment and expertise from NSAA, having piles of the awesome white stuff for U.S. Nationals is a given – whether it’s natural, manmade or both. Making snow that lasts the entire season is the team’s goal and it requires valuable resources straight from Anchorage’s Nordic community. That includes indi-vidual donations, membership dues and volunteer time dedicated to NSAA. Utilities is another critical resource, which is covered by the Municipality of Anchorage.

The snowmaking system allows NSAA to lay down a firm first layer early in the season, creating an artificial base that adds durabil-ity while offering skiers an opportune start to the season that wasn’t always the case in the past. This base of manmade snow is a solid foundation for all skiers: recreational, youth and Olympics-bound competitors. With U.S. Nationals arriving in Anchorage, snowmak-ing from NSAA should give everyone confidence that Kincaid Park will be the perfect venue for a special event and all of America’s star skiers.

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BY CHELSEA HOLMES

The return of U.S. Nationals to Anchor-age is an opportunity

for Alaska’s skiers to put their aspirations on the line. To showcase the powerful

movement that our community has created – one that draws athletes from all over the world and routinely turns out athletes who not only compete against the best juniors, seniors and masters, but who are also positive contributing members to our community.

Alaska skiing has an immense presence these days, but its essence has always been found in the Alaska I know. Long summer days chasing my sister across spongy moss, backpack slapping hap-hazardly against my back, and late-night skiing on lighted trails of a different kind were the unintend-ed foundation for an ambitious and scrappy young girl. Experiences like these bred an instinctive need to be in our beautiful outdoors and instilled a knowledge that hard work and perseverance will always be rewarded.

But it is our local growing community engage-ment and infrastructure that cultivates those experiences into hard-fought successes.

Now I spend my training year sweating alongside my peers and idols, in a cycle of hard work, focus and what feels like the rare opportunity for recov-ery. Sacrifices are made but even more is gained. Not only physical strength and fitness, but self-be-lief and an enduring camaraderie that is something beyond friendship. It is the intangible element that can only be learned through experience and time in the right environment.

When you commit yourself to a shared dream alongside your peers, you are committing to something larger than yourself. It is an acknowledgement and agreement to reach farther and believe more fully in yourself than you ever thought possible. And that’s the beauty of it.

The trickle-down effect as an athlete is that you seek inspiration everywhere you look. It is in the five-year-old experts and the first-time master skiers. Our tight-knit community is a bottomless well of inspiration and support, from shared laughs in the backcountry to the barely-perceptible-mittened wave as we whip by one another in the speckled light of the Mize Loop during a late-winter ski.

While our ski community has always been strong, it has grown at every level in strength and size. Our home, with its rising moun-tains, snowy winters and the distinctly Alaskan way of life, is per-fectly conducive to our sport.

Beginning at a young age the Alaska culture fosters its children through family engagement and our multitude of outdoor program-

ming from Junior Nordic, Alyeska Mighty-Mites, Alaska Nordic Racing, Alaska Winter Stars and APU Nordic Ski Center to the well-attended high school teams, clubs and NCAA university programs. We are fortunate to be home to an expansive network of community members and organizations such as the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage, Cross Country Alaska, the Mat-Su Nordic Ski Club and the Girdwood Nordic Ski Club, to name only a few. This community fabric is the foundation for athletes of every age and inspires us to pursue the highest level of skiing, from our young Hunter Wonders of APU fighting for a World Junior opportunity, the Hanneman brothers reaching for Olympic berth or Kikkan Randall and Sadie Bjornsen, chasing Olympic medals.

We, as athletes, are tremendously appreciative of this community’s support. When you come out to cheer on your local athletes as they race heart and soul during U.S. Nationals at Kincaid Park, remember that you are also an integral part of our community.

Chelsea Holmes is a Girdwood-raised and Alaska-based skier who races for Alaska Pacific University.

Chelsea Holmes:Representing family, friends, fellow skiers and the state that makes us strong


COURTESY APU NORDIC SKI CENTER

Chelsea Holmes, in front, is a Girdwood-raised and Alaska-based skier who races for Alaska Pacific University.



Scott Patterson:Kincaid Park is the heart of Alaska skiing, where champions are born

BY SCOTT PATTERSON

If there is one thing that Anchorage and Alaska-based, cross-country skiers are good

at, it is racing in Anchorage. This makes it a particularly exciting year for our local skiing com-

munity, as Kincaid Park and the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage will be hosting U.S. Cross-Country Skiing Nationals in early January, which also serve as Olympic trials. Last time Anchorage held national-caliber races in 2014, having a connection to the city corresponded to good results for many top-level athletes. In one race, eight of the top 10 finishers had lived in Anchorage. The snow, trails and weather are ingrained and part of our memories.

The famous biting wind of Kincaid that makes 20 de-grees feel like minus 20 degrees is a predictable feature for those of us who’ve grown up training in it – nothing to be alarmed by. At U.S. Nationals in 2009, when it was minus 4 degrees and too cold to race, some local skiers still had the brilliant idea to ski a lap in their underwear. Waxing in the old missile bunker, which is the norm for most big races at Kincaid, reminds me of the days of leaving sweat stains on the tired workout equipment inside during Alaska Winter Stars club practices while I was in high school. Even now, Winter Star coach Jan’s Polish accent echoes through the bunker when I think about it: “More dips, work harder!”

Every terrain feature at Kincaid Park brings back training or rac-ing memories. I raced to my first Junior National victory in Anchor-age in 2008. As a high school sophomore during those Junior Na-tionals, I had no idea how to handle all the nerves I had built up; my logical outlet was to sprint every punchy hill. Luckily, the race was only a short 5 kilometers and I had enough fitness to make it to the end. For every moment of achievement, there are 10 more memories from training at Kincaid, filled with athletic suffering. Those hills I sprinted up during Junior Nationals are the same ones I have been dropped on countless times before and since. Only days ago, I was repeatedly dusted in 15-second speeds with Alaska Pacific University teammates on those trails; this is relatively standard as I focus on longer distances. It made me feel right at home, and was therefore a good confidence booster before leaving for the World Cup season.

This season will be my first time starting on the World Cup rather than with domestic racing. The World Cup represents one track to Olympic selection for the 2018 Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. Most of the Olympic team will be selected from World Cup results; there will only be a few spots remaining to be selected from the January races in Anchorage. Athletes will get to stare each other in the eye, battling for elusive tickets to PyeongChang. With all those emotions running rampant, it will be an exciting time and a com-

COURTESY SCOTT PATTERSON

Scott Patterson celebrates a victory in the Skiathlon, held at Birch Hills Ski Area in Fairbanks. Patterson may be among the Alaskan elite skiers racing at U.S. Nationals for a potential spot on the U.S. Winter Olympic team.

petitive set of races. However, my hope is to qualify for the Olympics through the World Cup pathway, remaining in Europe for the Tour de Ski rather than returning to Anchorage.

For a Nordic skier, Kincaid Park – with its extensive network of trails, snow-making infrastructure, frequent grooming, and race-ven-ue history – is the heart of Anchorage. This January, the Anchorage skiing community will be out in force, organizing races and cheer-ing on athletes, showing the U.S. skiing community how important this sport is to our state. My own dad will be rejoining the legendary “Green Grunt” volunteers of the organizing committee; even the fact that he now lives several thousand miles from Anchorage couldn’t keep him away. The nature of the competition – high-level races, open to all athletes but conferring Olympic selection spots to the most elite – will undoubtedly bring emotion and excitement to the week of races, and Kincaid will be the beating heart of the U.S. ski world.

This is an open invitation, an open request: Come to Kincaid the first week in January. Become part of the journey for the high school racer stepping up a level, the young skier chasing a World Junior Championship qualification, or the future Olympian cementing their spot. Wish the racers luck, and cheer them on loudly; I’ve seen the community rally around us Olympic hopefuls more than ever before, and your words of support are appreciated by racers at every level. Even if I’m not physically on the scene at Kincaid, I know I’ll be drawing on the energy of the races. Come be a part of the com-munity that every Anchorage skier is proud to represent.

Scott Patterson is an Alaska skier currently on the World Cup, who races for Alaska Pacific University.



Organizing CommitteeThank you for your participation. The U.S Cross Country Ski Championships committee has

worked hard to bring you a fantastic event! In addition to this committee, there are many more in-dividuals working with this event. For a complete list to include the numerous other positions and volunteers please log on to: www.usnationals2018.com.

Chair of Organizing Committee .................... Joey CaterinichioUSSA Bid Preparation ...................................... Joey CaterinichioRace Secretary ................................................. Steve PattersonAssistant Race Secretary............................... Diane MoxnessEvent Logo ........................................................... Dawn GeretyEvent Website ................................................... Amber Adams & Jan HazenVolunteer Coordinator .................................... Lauri BassettChief of Competition ....................................... Matt PauliChief of Course ................................................. Anson MoxnessCourse Maps ...................................................... Brian LooneyChief of Announcing ....................................... Adam VernierChief of Grooming ............................................ Craig NormanChief(s) of Stadium ........................................... Buzz Scher & Trevor ClaytonChief of Start ...................................................... Lin Hinderman Chief of Finish .................................................... Peter JohnsonChef of Course Control .................................... Brandon FontanaChief of Venue ................................................... Tamra Kornfield & Laurie Bassett Chief of Medical ............................................... Dr. Peter MjosChief of Timing .................................................. Joey Caterinichio & Tim Brabets

Timing Contractor ............................................. Superior TimingChief(s) of Media ............................................... Josh Niva & Elizabeth ArnoldChief of Ceremonies .......................................... Holly Brooks & Rob WhitneyChief of Banquet ................................................. Calisa KastningConocoPhillips Liaison .................................... Natalie LowmanMunicipality of Anchorage Liaison ............... Brad CookeVisit Anchorage Liaison ................................... Marlene GeilsUSSA Représentative ........................................ Robert LazzaroniCompétition Technical Delegate ................... Matt LaueCompetition Asst. Technical Delegate ......... Jim Tervo


has forged more opportunities for women and skiers in the United States than any other cross-country skier. The United States’ new-found success largely relies on Kikkan breaking barriers, being a role model and paving the way for top results. While pulling up a team of young skiers, she has helped the United States rise to the top as one of the Top 5 cross-country ski countries in the world. Kikkan paved the way and has mentored World Cup winners Jessie Diggins, Sophie Caldwell, Sadie Bjornsen and soon-to-be others – and she continues to build camaraderie and success at the highest level.

In Kikkan’s 20-plus years of Nordic racing and years of being on the U.S. Ski Team, her contributions to the United States are unprec-edented. Kikkan is the only American to have won a Chrystal Globe, the Overall Female Sprinter in the World, multiple medals at the World Cup level and attend five Olympics.

Her contributions continue off the trails with her community ser-vice work, As president of the Fast and Female U.S. chapter, Kikkan organized and participated in multiple Fast and Female inspirational camps in the United States, touching the lives of thousands of young girls from all over the nation. When I sit back and think about all the years I have had the privilege to be part or witness, I don’t just think about her success, instead I think about what an amazing person Kikkan is and her top-notch character. Kikkan, you are an inspira-tion and an amazing friend. Bring home the gold! Alaska is so proud of you.

PHOTOS COURTESY KIKKAN RANDALL

At top, Kikkan Randall admires her second straight FIS Sprint CrystalGlobe for World Cup sprint racing. Above, Randall celebrates a third-place World Cup relay finish with teammates Jessie Diggins, Holly Brooks and Liz Stephen, in Gallivare, Sweden. The 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics will be Randall's last, as she plans to retire after the season is over.

KIKKAN RANDALL STATS Born: Salt Lake City Utah, Dec. 31, 1982Years on APU team: 18 World Cup Career began: 2001 U.S. Ski team: 13 years

American Firsts• First World Cup women’s podium• First World Cup women’s victory• First World Championships women’s gold medal• First Olympic women’s Top 10• First World Cup overall women’s discipline leader• First World Cup overall Sprint Champion

Career Highlights2017 World Championships bronze medalist (Sprint F, Lahti)2013 World champion (ladies team sprint with Jessie Diggins)2012, 2013 & 2014 World Cup Overall Sprint champion2009 World Championships silver medalist (W’s sprint)13 x World Cup victories, 27 x World Cup podiums4 x Olympic Top 10s17 x U.S. National Champion4 x Olympian (soon fifth!)

Other random facts and accomplishmentsKikkan can ride a unicycle • Kikkan was born on New Year’s Eve • Kikkan became a mom to son Breck in April 2016• Fastest woman in Alaska on skis 74.14 mph (1994, Speed Skiing)• Foot Locker Western Regional Cross Country Running Championships: 10th place (1997)• 7-time Alaska State High School track champion (800m, 1600m, 3200m)• 3-time Alaska State High School cross-country champion• 7-time U.S. Junior National Ski champion• Winter Goodwill Games: 2000 U.S. team member• Alaska Gatorade Track Athlete of the Year (2000, 2001)• Anchorage Daily News Prep Athlete of the Year (2000, 2001)• NCCSEF National Skier of the Year (2001)• East Anchorage High School Graduate – Summa Cum Laude (2001)• USSA Cross-Country Skier of the Year (2008-2014)• Alaska Sports Hall of Fame Inductee (2011)• Mount Marathon winner in 2011 (following in her mother’s footsteps- she won it in 1975 and Aunt Betsy won it three years in a row in 1979-1981)• World Cup and Olympic stats prior to 2017-18 season beginning— Olympic Games starts 12 (7 individual + 5 team)— World Cup championships starts 32 (21 individual + 11 team)— World Ski Championships podiums 3 (2 individual + 1 team)— World Championships victories 1 (1 team)— World Cup starts 196 (individual)— World Cup podiums 28 (individual)— World Cup victories 13 (individual)

Kikkan, continued from Page 6

MATT WHITCOMB



The 2018 U.S. Cross Country Nationals is an open event that invites clubs and racers from all around the country to compete head to head with the top skiers from our nation.

Many elite teams will be picked from this competition.

The 2018 Olympics PyeongChang, South Korea Feb. 9- 25, 2018

The U.S. XC Nationals will serve as one of the tryout events to pick the 2018 Olympic team. Selection for the Olympic team: In addition to tryout races, other criteria is also used, including Olympic FIS points, FIS World Cup Cross Country Competitions, Discretions and Super Tour Points.

While our top World Cup athletes such as Kikkan Randall, Jessie Diggins, Sadie Bjornson, Erik Bjornson and Sophie Caldwell will re-main in Europe racing the World Cups, many other athletes will be racing in Anchorage, Alaska, vying for the extra spots on the Olym-

What's at stake:The U.S. Nationals are actually competitions within competitions

pic Team. Skiers to watch: Scott Patterson, Alaska; Patrick Caldwell, Vermont; Brian Gregg, Minnesota; Tyler Kornfield, Alaska; Tadd Elliott, Colorado; Matt Gelso, California, David Norris, Alaska; Kris Freeman, Vermont; Reese Hanneman, Alaska; Logan Hanneman, Alaska; Caitlin Gregg, Minnesota; Caitlin Patterson, Alaska/Ver-mont; Chelsea Holmes, Alaska; Kaitlyn Miller, Vermont; Anne Hart, Minnesota/Vermont; Erika Flowers, Vermont; Jennie Bender, Montana; Becca Rorabough, Alaska; and many other outstanding athletes not mentioned.

World Juniors and U23 Championships Goms-Kandersteg, Switzerland Jan. 27-Feb. 2, 2018

The World Juniors and U23 Championships feature the nation’s best skiers, ages 18-23. Eleven women and 11 men are selected between the two teams. The US XC Nationals Championships is the sole selection series for this event.

FLYING POINT PHOTOGRAPHY

American Junior skiers Katherine Ogden, Julia Kern, Hailey Swirlbul and Hannah Halverson made the first podium ever, a silver medal, at the World Juniors in 2017. They are among the skiers to watch during the 2018 U.S. Nationals in Anchorage.


Skiers to watch: Hannah Halverson, California; Julia Kern, Mas-sachusetts; Katherine Ogden, Vermont; Hailey Swirlbul, Colorado; Leah Lange, Utah; Vivian Hett, Minnesota; Molly Gellert, Alaska; Gus Schumacher, Alaska; Luke Jager, Alaska; Cully Brown, Colo-rado; Adam Martin, Minnesota; Ezra Smith, Sydney Palmer-Leger, Wyatt Gebhardt, Canyon Tobin, Alaska; Noel Keefe, Ben Ogden, Nolan Herzog, Ti Donaldson, Alaska; and many other outstanding athletes not mentioned.

U18 Nordic Junior Countries CompetitionVuokatti, FinlandJan. 21-31, 2018

The US XC Nationals will serve as the sole selection races for the U18 Nordic Junior Countries Team. The nation’s best 16- and 17-year-olds – six female and six male – will be selected. Skiers to watch are all the young juniors, ages 16 and 17. This age group can bring many surprises to each competition every year, so who will be selected remains to be seen.

The Junior NationalsSoldier Hollow, UtahMarch 5-10, 2018

Junior Nationals is the premier junior event with, more than 400 Junior skiers, and will take place in Soldier Hollow, Utah. The U.S. XC Nationals serves one of many tryout races for this event. Skiers that compete at U.S. Nationals are awarded points, and any skier making the Top-20 Junior ranking list at the end of the competition

prequalifies for Junior Nationals. Skiers to watch: This age group is 14-19. All skiers will be vying for this list.

The World Junior & U23 teams along with the U18 Nations Cup team will be announced on Jan. 6, 2018, at the U.S. National Ban-quet, hosted by ConocoPhillips.

For more information visit. www.ussa.org, click on Nordic, click on Cross Country, click on Coaches, and click on Criteria.

COURTESY JAN BURON

Alaska Winter Stars skier Gus Schumacher rounds a corner during the 2017 U.S. Nationals in Soldier Hollow, Utah. He is among the junior skiers to watch at the 2018 U.S. Nationals in Anchorage.

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Championships!



After the training, the travel and the rush of racing (or spectating) has

come to a close, sightseeing might seem like an afterthought. Still, this is Alaska, and if you’re a visitor here, you’ll see Alaska’s largest city is far more than just a skier’s dream. Turns out there is fantastic food to fuel your energy, great day trips to explore the wilds beyond and lots of shops and vendors to check out while on the city streets.

Make the most of your limited visiting time by getting oriented at the downtown Fourth Avenue Visitor Center (www.anchorage.net). Located in a quaint little log cabin, this is “information central” for every brand of adven-ture and the start of a self-guided walking tour through downtown Anchorage – pick up the tour brochure inside.

Who isn’t starving after burn-ing so many calories skiing? For a city with a population just around 300,000, the cuisine scene in Anchorage is quite impres-sive. The dining options range from classic Alaska seafood to Pacific Rim-inspired creations to locally grown and sourced vegetables and meats. There’s Italian, Chinese, Thai, Korean, Mexican, Brazilian, Indian, African – even one restaurant featuring food from Nepal and Tibet. So, feed that post-race hunger and find some fine food.

In case you hadn’t noticed, the views surrounding Anchorage are a bit spectacular, especially in winter with the low light and the pink alpenglow lighting up the slopes. Also, January is high time for northern lights viewing, so keep your eyes to the sky once the sun sets — you just might be in for a treat.

While you focus on the racing at Kincaid, there are outdoors lov-ers hiking, climbing and biking their way along the many beautiful trails and paths that grace the city. If your schedule permits, check out some of the many options to enjoy Alaska’s natural spaces with a visit to the Alaska Public Lands Information Center (www.alaska-centers.gov/anchorage.cfm) in the old Federal building at Fourth Avenue and F Street. Plan everything you need, from a simple, safe-from-avalanches day hike to a weeklong skiing adventure at Alyeska Ski Resort. Winter hours at the Center are limited (open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesdays-Fridays), so plan accordingly.

Anchorage’s parks are some of the best places to enjoy nature closer to creature comforts. In fact, Kincaid Park is considered the

crown jewel of all the city’s parks. However, on the south end of the city, the Hillside Trail system, off of Abbott Road, offers some great skiing conditions, as well as a downhill ski area and ski-jump facil-ity. The trails are hilly and scenic, and provide some alternative op-tions for those who might want to try something other than Kincaid.

To explore the other activities and dining options available in Anchorage, go to www.anchorage.net.

COFFEE For a quick cup of Joe (or hot tea), look no further than downtown.

Numerous coffee shops are located in Downtown, providing several opportunities to rest weary feet.

• Kaladi Brothers Café is conveniently situated on the corner of the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts at Sixth Avenue and C Street; 907-344-6510.

• SteamDot Coffee at Williwaw (which, incidentally is a great din-ing option) is convenient and tasty. It’s at 609 F St.; (907) 868-2000

• Cafe 817 & Muffin Man Bakery, 817 W. Sixth Ave., is the perfect place for breakfast, lunch or to enjoy homemade baked goods; 907-279-6836.

Out on the town:Fuel your performance and find some fun while in Anchorage

JODYO PHOTOS / VISIT ANCHORAGE

January is a great time to see northern lights, like these over Anchorage. A drive to Flattop at night can offer excellent night-sky viewing.

By MELISSA DeVAUGHN



DINING • Glacier BrewHouse

features Alaska seafood and crafted ales, as well as wood-fired pizzas. 737 W. Fifth Ave.; 907-792-3729.

• Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse serves more than 40 beers, house-style fettuccini, live music and football all day Sunday. 610 W. Sixth Ave.; 907-276-2337.

• Williwaw, Humpy’s newest addition to its family of awesome eat-eries, is just next door and serves finer foods in a beautifully remodeled downtown building. 609 F St.; 907-868-2000.

• Orso Ristorante is an upscale restaurant that is good for celebrations and pasta cravings. 737 W. Fifth Ave.; 907-222-3232.

• 49th State Brewing Co.’s in-house brewery is a great place to relax on a cold winter night. Enjoy some munchies with a cold-brew, small batch ale. 717 W. Third Ave.; 907-277-7727.

• New Sagaya Markets is an organic grocery with an eat-in or take-out deli. Good for a healthy grab and go. Three locations: 900 W. 13th Ave.; 907-274-6173 or 3700 Old Seward Hwy.; 907-561-5173 or 1101 Whitney Road; 907-272-5173.

• Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzeria is always crowded with locals, and with good reason. The pizza is fantastic and beer goes down smooth. No reservations taken. 3300 Old Seward Hwy.; 907-258-2537.

• Middle Way Cafe is a perfect option for the vegan athlete, but also with light breakfast choices from the Farmer Starter, a traditional eggs, meat and fruit meal, to more hefty meals like the Breakfast Burrito. You can chow on organic food while washing it down with their protein-packed smoothies or juices. Middle Way is conve-niently located a few doors down from REI so you can pick up that Gu or energy bar you need for race day. Breakfast runs until 11 on weekdays. 1200 W. Northern Lights Blvd., next to REI and Hearth. 907-272-6433

• Hearth is the latest pizzeria to open with wood-fired pizzas, fresh veggies and small dishes for the health-conscious diner. Hearth also offers a wide range of brews and beverages. 1200 W. Northern Lights Blvd., in the same shopping center as REI. 907-222-0888

• Yak & Yeti, also in the same Northern Lights area where some of Anchorage's best eateries abound, offers Himalayan-inspired food in a cozy setting. The cafe is at 1360 W. Northern Lights Blvd., and the restaurant is just around teh corner at 3301 Spenard Road. 907-743-9090

• The Rustic Goat is a window-filled neighborhood restaurant and brewpub featuring some of the best food in Anchorage. Enjoy such treats as in-house cured meats, handmade pasta and great local brews on tap. 2800 Turnagain St., 907-334-8100

• Red Chair Café, located downtown, is a small cafe with many healthy options that will fill you up without putting you into a sleep coma. Try the gluten-free kale bake skillet or the quinoa pancakes. The quirky vibe will want you to sit back and relax while watching the eclectic people of Anchorage. 337 E.

Fourth Ave.,• Spenard Roadhouse

is a local and slightly upscale diner, but still

very casual. Once you step into this quirky restaurant it feels like you just walked on set of a Wes Anderson movie. The breakfast choices are limited but delicious. A go-to for the health nut: fruit and yogurt parfait or the corned beef hash. Other options that reside on the menu should not be overlooked either. The Roadhouse only serves breakfast items on the weekends from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 1049 W. Northern Lights Blvd., 907-770-7623 • For diner lovers, Jackie’s Place is across from Bear Tooth The-atrepub (also a great place to eat and/or catch a movie), and has a wide selection of breakfast options with more than 20 omelets to choose from – including egg-white selections. This is a must for the whole family. As one reviewer flagged it, “The best diner-style in An-chorage,” it’s no wonder why locals have kept this restaurant under the radar. 2636 Spenard Road, 907-274-3211

GEAR SHOPPINGLooking for last-minute gear or forgot to bring the right wax with

you? Within walking distance of each other is REI, 1200 W. North-ern Lights Blvd., or Alaska Mountaineering & Hiking, 2633 Spenard Road, a locally owned option that outfits most of the high-level ski-ers in the Anchorage area and beyond.

ARTS, MUSEUMS, THEATERS• First Fridays Art Walks are a popular wintertime event to while

away the dark evenings. On the first Friday of every month, local art galleries and many small shops stay open late, featuring a new artist solo or group show. It’s a great way to see Anchorage, socialize and enjoy an array of food and beverages.

• Catch an independent film while sipping a beer and devouring a specialty pizza at Bear Tooth Theatrepub, 1230 W. 27th Ave. Visit www.beartooththeatre.com or call 907-276-4200.

• The Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center provides a contin-ued schedule of locally inspired and international exhibitions as well as traditional displays of art, local history and educational fun for kids. www.anchoragemuseum.org.

• Alaska Center for the Performing Arts is home to three theatres and a variety of perfor-mances, Native art and more. 621 W. Sixth Ave.; 907-263-2787.

CATHRYN POSEY / VISIT ANCHORAGE

There are no shortage of excellent pizza places in Anchorage, including Brew-House (shown above), as well as Moose's Tooth, Bear Tooth Theatrepub and Hearth, among others.

CATHRYN POSEY / VISIT ANCHORAGE

Spenard Roadhouse's salmon salad is a protein packed recovery food worthy of any elite skier.

December 2017 • COAST • www.coast-magazine.com • 41

Unlocking Alaska’sEnergy Resources

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2018 U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships€¦ · December 2017 • COAST • • 13 U.S. National...

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