GRP Ski at US Nationals Days Three and Four

Last Updated: 11.Jan.2016

Green Racing Project skiers capped off US Nationals in Houghton, MI with two more National Championship titles in the 20k Freestyle and the Classic Sprint, the end of a 4-race series that saw at least one GRP skier on the podium in every race.

In Thursday’s 20k Freestyle, GRPer Caitlin Patterson broke away with the lead pack of four, which included 2 athletes from Vermont's SMS-T2 and APU’s Chelsea Holmes. In the end she outlasted all of them to take the victory by 4 seconds. The win was her second of the week, including the opening 10k classic race. Kaitlynn Miller was with the chase pack and ended up 10th, while Liz Guiney and Heather Mooney took 20th, and 35th, respectively.

Saturday’s classic sprint started off very well for the GRP women, with all 4 skiers qualifying for the heats. Kaitlynn Miller led out qualification with the fastest time on the 1.5k course, and Liz Guiney took the 2nd spot in qualifying followed closely by Heather Mooney in 5th and Caitlin Patterson in 11th. Both Caitlin Patterson and Kaitlynn Miller advanced through their quarterfinals and semifinals, Miller winning both of her heats and Caitlin with a 2nd in the quarterfinal and 3rd in her semi to advance as lucky loser spot. Guiney and Mooney were eliminated in their semifinal and ended up 7th and 10th. However, the A Final brought the best action of the day as Kaitlynn Miller led from beginning to end and took her first National Championship title over Annie Hart of SMS-T2. Caitlin Patterson just missed the podium, taking 4th in the Final.

Heather Mooney’s 2nd place U23 result in the classic sprint clinched her spot on the U23 World Championships squad that will represent the US in Rasnov, Romania in Late February. Congrats Heather!

The domestic GRP skiers have a break now until the USSA SuperTour resumes in late January in Lake Placid, NY.
Full results from US Nationals are available on www.superiortiming.com

Kaitlynn Miller sprints for the line and her first National Championship (Photo Christopher Schmidt)

Women's 20k Freestyle Mass Start Podium, GRP skier Caitlin Patterson front and center! (Photo Christopher Schmidt)