The 2002 edition of the Mora Vasaloppet had a number of Olympic sized
stories:
First and
foremost, the Mora Vasaloppet volunteers. The extreme weather conditions
this season have forced the cancellation of a majority of races
on the calendar. With almost no snowfall all year in Mora, and warm
temperatures leading up to the race date, it seemed like it would
be impossible to run the race. But a final day snowstorm granted
a thousand wishes and dumped just enough snow on the course late
Saturday. Just enough, but was it too late? In most cases, a late
snowfall like this would spell certain soft course condition (i.e.
a slugfest). But the Vasaloppet groomer crew deserves a gold medal
for their performance. Skiers were greeted to a firmly packed 15
foot wide track, and unbelievably solid and deep classic tracks.
It truly was an incredible feat!
Olympic
connection #2: Chad Giese, a Mora native, had just came up short
in his quest to make the 2002 U.S. Olympic Team (as did Factory
teammate Nathan Schultz and Rossi skier, Marc Gilbertson). But like
some kind of fairy tale, local boy makes good, Giese put the hammer
down in the final 1/2K and held off hard charging Gilbertson to
win the 45K freestyle race. "And the town goes wild!"
Olympic connection #3: Former Olympian, Kevin Brochman, who spent
much of last summer working with current Olympian Lindsey Weier,
showed he still has the guns as he pounded out a major double-pole
fest to win going away, over Allen Limberg and Jey Carlson.
Olympic connection #4: Last year, Dan Campbell won the 35K race
at the Vasaloppet. This season, Campbell made the step to the next
level and made the 2002 U.S. Olympic biathlon team. One of Campbell's
good friends is Pat Lorentz, who last summer helped organize a fundraiser
for Dan's Olympic quest. In a leg burning sprint, Pat Lorentz just
managed to stay ahead of Per Nelson (even with a fall at the finish).
Campbell will be proud.
Olympic connection #5: Sara Zimmer, from the Gitchi Gummi training
group run by former Olympian and Russian coach, Nikolai Anikin,
also had hopes of making the 2002 Olympic Team. Today she put on
a performance of her strong training base, outlasting JoAnn Hanowski
to win the womens 45K freestyle race.
There were many other great performances out there, including
Lynne Cecil's repeat as the 30K freestyle womens champion, as well
as Josie Nelson's victory in the womens 30K classic.
Sidenotes
- Chad Giese said that a number of the lead pack skiers in the 45K
race found that good old-fashioned marathon skiing worked very well
on the last lap.
- Pat Lorentz, the 30K freestyle winner, said he had originally
planned to do the 30K classical race, but when he didn't have his
pair of classical boots in time for the race, he decide to do the
30K freesyle event instead.
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First and
foremost, the Mora Vasaloppet volunteers. The extreme weather conditions
this season have forced the cancellation of a majority of races
on the calendar. With almost no snowfall all year in Mora, and warm
temperatures leading up to the race date, it seemed like it would
be impossible to run the race. But a final day snowstorm granted
a thousand wishes and dumped just enough snow on the course late
Saturday. Just enough, but was it too late? In most cases, a late
snowfall like this would spell certain soft course condition (i.e.
a slugfest). But the Vasaloppet groomer crew deserves a gold medal
for their performance. Skiers were greeted to a firmly packed 15
foot wide track, and unbelievably solid and deep classic tracks.
It truly was an incredible feat!
Olympic
connection #2: Chad Giese, a Mora native, had just came up short
in his quest to make the 2002 U.S. Olympic Team (as did Factory
teammate Nathan Schultz and Rossi skier, Marc Gilbertson). But like
some kind of fairy tale, local boy makes good, Giese put the hammer
down in the final 1/2K and held off hard charging Gilbertson to
win the 45K freestyle race. "And the town goes wild!"
Olympic connection #5: Sara Zimmer, from the Gitchi Gummi training
group run by former Olympian and Russian coach, Nikolai Anikin,
also had hopes of making the 2002 Olympic Team. Today she put on
a performance of her strong training base, outlasting JoAnn Hanowski
to win the womens 45K freestyle race.
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