FARMINGTON – The University of Maine at Farmington Nordic Ski Team has qualified for the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) National Championship from March 1-7 at Mount Bachelor in Bend, Oregon.
The women’s team qualified after finishing fourth at the USCSA Eastern Regional Championship last week in Vermont. Emily Ramsey, Ellie Pinto, and Alisha Labbe will represent the team.
In last weekend’s 8.5 interval start, Emily Ramsey raced her way to a sixth place finish out of 30 qualified racers and only 38-tenths of a second out of the top five. Her overall race time was 29:59 and two seconds off the lead pace of Clarkson’s Olivia Dawson. Alisha Labbe placed 17th (35:26) and Ellie Pinto came in 24th (44:03).
In the 0.8k sprint qualifier, Ramsey once again sat in sixth on the leader board with a time of 2:55. Labbe came in 14th place after crossing the line at the 3:23 mark.
Ramsey nearly claimed the top spot in the 15k mass skate in fourth place (59:28) and two seconds behind Cornell’s Sarah Nadeau’s leading time. In ninth place, Labbe was seven seconds off the lead pace and finished with an overall time of 1:04:31.
On the men’s side, Bryce Neal and Joshua Richards qualified for the USCSA Nordic National Championship as eligible individuals.
Neal ranked 20th out of 42 qualified racers after posting a 28:22 time in the 8.5k interval last weekend in Vermont. Neal also placed 24th in the 0.8k sprint qualifier with a time of 2:58.
Richards placed 37th (3:39) in the event. In the 15k mass skate, Neal posted a 1:04:27, which placed him in 27th and Richards followed in 32nd at 1:12:41.
The USCSA will be streaming the national championships live on the USCSA Broadcast Network or follow the races on live-timing.com/races.php.
Congratulations and good luck this weekend!
Congratulations! Go UMF!!!
Bryce! You Rock! So do the rest of you! Go UMF!!!