Glacier Nordic to send three to nationals
Anne Miller and Stella Holt each found the podium in the 10-kilometer free event on Feb. 13 at Bogus Basin, Idaho — the third of three Junior Olympic qualifying races for the Glacier Nordic ski team. Their top-tier finishes, coupled with strong performances in the previous two qualifiers, means the duo has clinched a spot on the Intermountain national team.
Joining Miller and Holt at nationals will be teammate Jack Steele, who placed third in the 15K free race among J1 men.
"It was our day to shine," coach Ben Morley said. "It's a big deal to make the team. They all have a great shot at nationals. We have some of the best skiers in the country."
In the women's 10K free race, Holt was the first J1 racer to cross the finish line, just three seconds back of Miller, who took second place overall, and second among OJ racers. Miller was 15 seconds off the pace behind Natalie Flowers, of the Bridger Ski Foundation.
"Anne had the race of her life," Morley said. "It was incredible really. Anne's success comes from a combination of years of training and all the time she put in this fall. She really wanted it, was determined and worked hard for it."
Steele finished the 15K free course in 38:16.3, six seconds behind Daniel Sundali, of Sun Valley, Idaho, and 21 seconds back of Johnny Springer, from the Jackson Hole Ski Club.
"Jack was racing against kids who were in the Scandinavian Cup," Morley said. "They are some of the fastest juniors in the country, and he was right there with them."
The team was strong in the 5K classic races on Feb. 14, too. Holt took second place in her age group with a 16.36.9, which was good enough for third overall.
"Stella has been racing stronger and stronger and should do really well at nationals," Morley said.
Miller finished second in her age group with a 17.03.9, which was the sixth-best time in the race. Two racers from the Bridger Ski Foundation, Flowers and Katie Gill, took the top spots for OJ and J1 women.
Steele was eighth among J1 men with a 14:33.1. His time was a little more than one minute back of Erik Fagerstrom, of Sun Valley.
Henry Holt raced strong for the Glacier Nordic team in the 3K free and classic races. The J3 skier was first overall in his age class in the free race with a 9:54.5, nearly 30 seconds in front of Cole Greenberg, of Bogus Basin. In the classic, Holt took first place and was 21 seconds better than Kellen Crawford, of McCall, Idaho.
"Henry had some really strong races," Morley said. "It's a good confidence builder for him moving into the J2 races next year."
Glacier Nordic's lone J2 female, Grady Madison, skied well with a 16th-place finish in the 5K classic and 21st in the 5K free.
The team's J2 boys, Izaak Castren and Fischer Gangemi, finished in the middle of the pack in the 5K free and the 5K classic.
"Our J2 skiers gain experience with every race we go to," Morley said. "They're competing in a very tough group this year."
The Glacier Nordic team now turns their attention to the national event, slated for March 5-14 in Presque Isle, Maine. Holt, Miller and Steele will focus on logging as many kilometers as possible this week before going into a few days of high intensity workouts.
The national competition will feature hundreds of skiers from teams from across the nation. Alaska typically sends a powerful team, Morley said, as does the Midwest and Northeast. But, he said, the Intermountain squad, which is made up of skiers from Montana, Utah, Wyoming and Idaho, will make some noise and be in contention for a place on the podium.