Seeley Lake Nordic Team Assistant Coach Darren Zellman leads the mass start for the 20K Race Jan. 20. Zellman finished second with a time of 51:00, one minute behind Missoula's Tory Kendrick.
Siblings Ella and Will Batchelder battle it out at the finish in the 5K both crossing the finish line in 20:32. This earned Ella second place behind teammate Cora Stone and Will fifth place for the boys.
Seeley Lake Nordic Team skier Cora Stone digs deep as she pushes to the finish in the 5K. Stone won the race in 17:14, more than three minutes ahead of her nearest competitor for the girls.
20K racers Missoula's Aidan Duffield and Ovando's Tim Swanberg stride it out to the finish. It was a photo finish crossing the line in 52:03.
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Nordic Trails were packed for the sixth annual Skiesta hosted by the Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Team. More than 80 racers participated in five different races for youth and adults.
"With great weather, fantastic trail conditions and 83 dedicated racers from all over western Montana, the day was pure racing fun," wrote Bridget Laird, Race coordinator and Head Coach for the Seeley Lake Nordic Team.
This was the first year for the 20K race. Laird said the 20K race "bridged the racing community from small aspiring Nordic tikes to seasoned veteran racers." The 20K race was the most popular with 35 racers competing.
Laird thought the consistency with the race being held on the same weekend for the past several years and the wonderful trail conditions also helped bolster the race. It has also become a great training race for the 36th annual OSCR 50K next weekend at the Seeley Lake Nordic Trails. Many racers were sporting their OSCR hats from last year's race.
Laird said, "it takes a village to pull off a great ski race and that's what happened at the Skiesta." She was thankful to the Seeley Lake Nordic Club and Seeley Lake Driftriders who made sure the trails were in top condition; the parents and Seeley Lake Elementary staff for all the volunteer hours they put in; the coaches expertise and examples they set on the race course; the use of the yurt provided by Seeley Lake ROCKS; the US Forest Service's partnership in the race and all the participants.
Many of Seeley's Nordic Team that participated in the Glacier Glide two weeks ago shaved several minutes off their time. Many of the racers agreed the course was fast and just an incredible day to race.
"It's always a privilege to show off our incredible ski trails and the racers from away took notice as they gushed about our great network of trails and trail conditions," wrote Laird. "The synergy of the Skiesta and the OSCR was palpitating this weekend. This was a great weekend but next weekend at the OSCR will be even better!"
Official Results (Seeley Lake Nordic Team BOLD)
1K Boys: 1st, Evelle Browne, 6:50; 2nd, Kimber Hanson, 8:06; 3rd, Logan Radley, 10:15
1K Girls (only 2 racers): 1st, Isabel Burguiere, 6:33; 2nd, Sabine Shyock, 22:50.
3K Boys: 1st, Jacob Henson, 8:10; 2nd, Nate Inglefinger, 8:35; 3rd, Barrett Gacia, 8:37
3K Girls: 1st, Maeve Inglefinger, 10:33: 2nd, Erica Burguiere, 10:34; 3rd, Charlotte Lehmann, 10:55
5K Boys: 1st, Casey Schneider, 11:40; 2nd, Winslow Nichols, 15:08; 3rd, Klayton Kovatch, 16:15
5K Girls: 1st, Cora Stone, 17:14; 2nd Ella Batchelder, 20:32; 3rd, Sadie Smith, 21:14
10K Boys: 1st, Owen Hoag, 29:21; 2nd Cullen Bertsch, 33:27; 3rd, Russ Schnieder, 29:43ds
10K Girls: 1st, Freya Jones, 31:25; 2nd, Cynthia Ingelfinger, 33:11; 3rd, Emmaline Derry, 33:30
20K Men: 1st, Tory Kendrick, 50:07; 2nd, Darren Zellman (Seeley Lake Nordic Team's Assistant Coach), 51:00; 3rd, Tim Swanberg, 54:02
20K Women: 1st, Vonda Garcia, 56:17; 2nd, Robin Welling, 56:38; 3rd, Lisa Steiner, 1:00:45
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