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Whitehorse Nationals 2016 Race Report #1
By:  Kyla Vanderzwet   (2016/03/20)

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Whitehorse Nationals are underway and we all have a race or two under our belts!

Sheila and I kicked off the week with the team sprint, competing for Nakkertok. The conditions were tricky, to say the least! Our wax crew was working very hard, but when the conditions change as quickly as they were and the snow varies throughout the course, you can only do so much! We used some creative technique adaptations and switched skis after the first lap and did what we could. In the end it was a great challenge and a lot of fun. The awesome scenery was an added bonus. Sheila and I finished in 12th. We were also excited that Alex Slobodian and Clair Grall-Johnson of Nakkertok made it onto the podium with a silver medal!

Sheila and I after finishing the team sprint.

Sunday’s race was a classic short-distance event – 5km for the women and 10km for the men. Conditions were much the same as Saturday…character building! There’s a growing trend of skiers opting to double-pole full classic races. This was the strategy Alex Harvey used today to win the men’s race by nearly 1.5 minutes. Predictably, Whitehorse native Emily Nishikawa won the women’s race. Full results are available at zone4. Monday is a rest day, followed by the mid-distance races and sprints on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Alex Harvey on his way to a win in the men's 10km.


Cary, Brendan, and Maks (Nakkertok skiers) enjoying the nice weather.


Megan Evans (Carleton) and I on a pretty nice cool down ski!

 
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