Holt dominates at Soldier Hollow

| January 31, 2008 10:00 PM

The Glacier Nordic Ski Team traveled to the 2002 Olympic venue at Soldier Hollow, Utah, on Jan. 18-19 for elite cross-country ski races.

Twenty-five teams from five divisions across the Rocky Mountain western region competed in skate-sprint races and distance-classic races.

Whitefish High School freshman Stella Holt won overall in the J2 division in the skate-sprint races, winning all four of the 1.2-kilometer elimination heats by a wide margin of 2-6 seconds.

Erik Anderson, a 12-year veteran of the Glacier Nordic Ski Team, proved again that he's among the best junior skiers in the U.S. with his fifth-place finish in the grueling 15-kilometer classic-technique ski course.

"The Soldier Hollow course has such unrelenting steep hills that it would bring tears to any ordinary ski racer," said coach Molly Bruce.

Ten team members competed at Soldier Hollow to gain selection points for this year's Junior National Championships in Anchorage, Alaska, on March 7.

Race results

Sprint Skate Jan. 18

J2 Girls

Stella Holt 1st

J2 Boys

Jack Steele 20th

Carl Talsma 38th

J1/OJ Girls

Clare Miller 39th

Anne Miller 43rd

Megan Shaver 46th

J1/OJ Boys

Erik Anderson 12th

Marshall Opel 21st

Peter Vanhorn 46th

Zach Heskett 58th

Classic Technique

Distance Races Jan. 19

J2 Girls 5 kilometer

Stella Holt 7th

J2 Boys 5 kilometer

Jack Steele 16th

Carl Talsma 56th

J1/OJ Girls 10 Kilometer

Clare Miller 42nd

Anne Miller 48th

Megan Shaver 54th

J1/OJ Boys 15 kilometer

Erik Anderson 5th

Marshall Opel 28th

Peter Van Horn 38th

Zach Heskett 39th