Eastern Cup #4 - Holderness Day 2
March 1, 2024
Sunday, Classic 5/10k
Sunday started off chilly and warmed up quickly throughout the day. Coaches started off in insulated pants and thick mittens, and quickly had to delayer as the sun came out.
The U16 boys started off the day with a classic 5k. With bomb-proof kick, the boys had lots of fun and we saw some very strong striding from all of them. Zach Scopinich-Burgel, Jasper Lloyd, and Nolan McNeil all finished within 2 seconds of each other, in 15th, 16th, and 18th respectively. A highlight was a special appearance from Zach’s brother, Xander, who has been off doing amazing things in cyclocross. Xander cheered Zach and his teammates over one of the hills (photo evidence below).
The U16 girls stayed close together as well, with Abby and Avery in 31st and 33rd, April and Iris in 40th and 41st, and Keira, June, and Anna in 45th, 46th, and 47th. It was great to have three EMXC youth skiers join in for this race (June, April, and Anna).
Next up was the U18/20 boys classic 10k. The boys were raving about their kick after their races. The wax team crushed it! Without any worry of slipping, the boys could really focus on skiing strong. We had a few standout results, with an 19th place and personal best from Ian. Despite a big crash and a twisted ankle, Ian skied well and even hung onto one of the top finishers for one of his laps. Jared Rife also had a strong race, placing in 27th. Jared used his skills as a runner to stride right over the tops of all the hills. Sam Currie may have been tired from yesterday’s sprints, but still managed to snag 34th.
Our four U18/20 girls finished the day on a strong note. Fran secured 5th overall and 3rd U18. Hannah and Sarah had another awesome day in 22nd and 27th! Polina skied a smooth race, and could be seen tucking fast all the way across the flats; keeping pace with skiers double poling next to her.
The End of the Eastern Cup Season
Well, that season went by quickly and there are a few people who deserve some shoutouts.
Firstly, THANK YOU parent volunteers! Whether on the wax team, leading course tours, managing the food table, schlepping gear, taking photos, or cheering - we could not do it without you. All your hard work is reflected in the smiles on athletes’ faces at the end of the day.
This weekend was our last eastern cup weekend with Coach Meg, who will be heading to Vermont after the season ends. Don’t worry, we’ll still have her at practice until then! Meg has been essential in keeping the machine running on these busy race weekends and has been an amazing support system for so many of athletes. We will miss her!!!
And finally, this was our last Eastern Cup with our nine Seniors. This crew is fun, dedicated, kind, and so much more! They are leaders and friends to their teammates and each of them brings something unique and important to EMXC. It was so special to have all of them present this weekend to finish off the Eastern Cup circuit. Nathan and Xander both attended despite not racing; just to cheer for their teammates! Sarah, Andrew, Owen, Tyler, Luca, Xander, Nathan, Ian, and Ethan - congrats on some awesome racing thus far, and get excited for a few more weeks of skiing together!
