FORT KENT – After one of the coldest weeks of the winter in Northern Maine, temperatures rose barely into the single digits for the start of the aptly named Frostbite Ski Marathon, held at the 10th Mountain Center in Fort Kent Jan. 27.
The cold air and stiff winds forced this year’s participants to consider their apparel as carefully as their ski strategy for the 40-kilometer, 20-kilometer and five-kilometer races.
Skiers in the marathon completed three laps around the course on Sunday, which wound through the woods, hills and fields of the 10th Mountain Center. Participants in the 20-kilometer freestyle race or tour took on a two-lap course, while skiers in the five-kilometer event completed a no less-challenging single lap course.
The events serves as the second in the Aroostook Cup Series.
In the five-kilometer women’s event Anna Soderberg of Caribou’s Northern Skiers Club skied to the win in a time of 22:33, Gentle Prescott of 10th Mountain finished second in 24:51 and Sandy Caron, also of 10th Mountain, was third in 27:05.
On the men’s side it was Kamron Husain taking the top spot in 16:50, followed by 10th Mountain teammate Cody Johnson in 18:16. Jesse Sandstrom of Stockholm’s Snowy Mountain Trails claimed third in 19:31.
In the 20K race, Katrina Howe of 10th Mountain won in 1:06:58, with Emily Ramsey of Snowy Mountain second in 1:09:05 and Sarah Dominick, also of Snowy Mountain, third in 1:09:16.
In the men’s 20K, the largest field of the day, Marco Boucher of Four Seasons in Madawaska was the winner in 1:05:06. In second place was Martin Pelletier of Four Seasons in 1:09:28, and in third was Northern Skiers’ Brendon Cyr in 1:10:06.
Finally, in the 40K marathon, a small field of seven total participants took on the three-lap event. The women’s race saw Sherry Dubis of 10th Mountain win in 2:47:20 and Susan Plissey of Snowy Trails in second in 2:51:29.
For men, Jeff Dubis of 10th Mountain was victorious in 2:09:01, followed by Mike Smith of Presque Isle’s Nordic Heritage Sport Club in 2:10:52 and Raul Siren of Brighton Plantation in 2:24:30.
For more information on the Aroostook Cup series and a full listing of results and point standings, visit GoAroostookOutdoors.com.
