Yukoners take centre stage at Haywood Ski Nationals

Yukon’s cross-country skiers continued to make their names known on the second day of competition at the Haywood Ski Nationals in Whitehorse Tuesday.

Yukon’s cross-country skiers continued to make their names known on the second day of competition at the Haywood Ski Nationals in Whitehorse Tuesday.

Bill Curtis, from the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club, said the weather conditions were ideal for the races on Tuesday.

“Whitehorse spectators were given a great demonstration in high level competition as skiers from across the country continued with day two at the Haywood Ski Nationals,” Curtis said.

Tuesday’s races were the short distance classic technique. Many of the top spots were taken by national team members in the open male and open female categories.

Several athletes who had just returned from the Olympics were on the podium.

“Several athletes fresh from the Olympics (showed) why they are amongst some of the best in the world,” Curtis said.

Olympic gold medalist in 2006 Chandra Crawford was among some of the top finishers, as well as Madeleine Williams, Graeme Killick and Brent McMurty.

Not to be outdone, the Yukon contingent finished high on the podium as well, with Dahria Beatty securing a second place finish only 1.7 seconds out of the gold medal spot in the junior female division.

Placings were broken down by age category as well, giving Beatty a first place for 1994 junior girls.

Janelle Greer, Beatty’s partner in Sunday’s sprint races where they won a team gold, finished 2.5 seconds later to steal third place in the junior female division.

Kendra Murray, also of Yukon earned first place for 1993 junior girls.

Other notable finishes for Yukoners were Emily Nishikawa, who came in seventh out of 29 in the open female. Nishikawa is returning from an injury-plagued 2008/2009 season.

David Greer was 14th out of 57 in the open male category. Ray Sabo came in 39th and David Gonda was in 53rd place.

Knute Johnsgaard , a gold medalist in the team sprints on Sunday, was sixth out of 68 in the junior male division and team mate Jeff Wood was 20th. Also in that category was Logan Potter who took 23rd place, Lee Hawkings in 37th and Colin Abbott in 41st.

In the junior female division, Heidi Brook was 12th out of 87. Katie Peters was 11th out of 27 in the juvenile girls division, followed by Holly Bull in 15th place, Emily Wilson in 17th and Nesha Wright in 18th.

The competition continues today at the Mt. McIntyre Ski Stadium.