The U.S. Ski Team (USST) wrapped up its first full week of a 14-day training camp in Park City, UT on Friday with an individual start classic rollerski time trial at Soldier Hollow.
In the crisp Utah air at just under 6,000 feet, 16 men and 11 women completed the 16.5 k and 12.3 k courses, respectively.
Noah Hoffman (USST/Team Homegrown), skiing on a pair of Swenors, bested the men’s field by over two minutes on the four-lap rolling course. Kris Freeman (USST) and Erik Bjornsen (USST/APU) rounded out the top three.
“Rollerski races are a total crapshoot,” said Hoffman Friday afternoon. “I beat Kris by two and a half minutes, which is ridiculous. It’s just craziness; I’d be winning World Cups if I did that on snow.”
Joining the USST athletes were skiers from Central Cross Country (CXC), Alaska Pacific University (APU) and Maine Winter Sports Center (MWSC), as well as a few independent and college skiers.
On the women’s side, Kikkan Randall (USST/APU) proved that she can get things done even when coming up from sea level. Over the course of three laps, she put a few seconds between herself and Canada’s Daria Gaiazova (Rocky Mountain Racers), who started 90 seconds ahead of her. Holly Brooks (APU) finished third.
Brooks said that individual start format provided a good opportunity for athletes to work hard by themselves. “It wasn’t a bunch of people in a train, drafting,” she said. “It was a good, hard effort, which I haven’t done in a while, so it was really valuable.”
USST men’s coach Pete Vordenberg was happy with the effort he saw at the 2002 Olympic venue. He noted that in a race with varying wheel speeds, the results are largely meaningless. The race was more a chance for athletes to get in a solid intensity workout, focusing on individual pacing and good technique.
“The results are just something for the coaches to do while the racing is going on,” said Vordenberg. “But I was really impressed with people holding the hammer down the whole time, skiing with powerful, efficient technique.”
Contributed by Audrey Mangan, www.fasterskier.com
