First BFA Fairfax Nordic Ski Race Held Tuesday

This was the first cross-country ski race ever held at Fairfax! This was also our first race of the year and we are encouraged. One the women's side we were without junior Megan Kane, our #1 skier, and the only athlete we have capable of contesting Savannah Kittel- Mitchell, but our depth paid off with her sister Shannon Kane finishing 2nd, freshman Mattie Hayes taking third and juniors Michelle Ambrisco and Larisa Marco in 4th and 5th places.

The duel on the boy's wide went into skiing's equivalent of overtime when BFA st Albans and Fairfax were tied after four skiers for each team were in. Ben Pearce was dominating in first place for St albans, but juniors Kyle Bochanski and Dustin Hayes finished next to each other for second and third. St Albans placed skiers Nick Smart and John Lavoie in places 4 and 5 but Fairfax followed with juniors Zach Bochanski and Simon Mann-Gow. At teh 2.5k mark Fairfax's Kody White trailed BFa's Alex Venuti by 40 seconds but somehow managed to overtake him on the second half of the course to secure the victory for Fairfax by one point.

The race was hosted on the new trail system built in Fairfax over the summer and fall by community volunteers. It was a difficult but fair course that held up well to the traffic. The numbers on Fairfax nordic squad took a quantum leap from 34 to 47 this year, with 19 of them never-evers when the season started. We've begun to gel as a team, but from a coaches standpoint moving the sheer number of skiers and equipment from point A to point B remans a challenge.

While we have some talented younger skier the strength of both the men's and women's team lies with our junior veterans. It is far too early to make any predections but if we continue to work hard and develop our technique while improving our conditioning, we can be competitive in D-2

Many volunteers from among the skiers' parents and community volunteers helped coordinate the race.
Background:

Classical Ski Race
12/23/08
Fairfax, VT
5K course

Results Team

Girls:

BFA Fairfax: 14 points
BFA St Albans: 28 points
Inc: Lamoille, Oxbow

Boys:
BFA Fairfax: 27
BFA St Albans: 28

Results:

Girls

1. Savannah Kitell-Mitchell BFA 22:48
2. Shannon Kane, Fairfax 24:51
3. Mattie Hayes, Fairfax 25:44
4. Michelle Ambrisco, Fairfax 26:03
5. Larisa Marco, Fairfax 26:37
6. Andrea, Canzano, BFA 26:44
7. Emma Scneidmuller, Oxbow 27:43
8. Kate wells, Fairfax 27:48
9. Heather Peatman, Fairfax 28:08
10. Madeline Larrow, BFA 28:27

Boys
1. Ben Pearce, BFA
2. Kyle Bochanski, Fairfax
3. Dustin Hayes, Fairfax
4. Nick Smart, BFA, 19:29
5. John Lavoie, BFA, 20:35
6. Zach Bochanski, Fairfax, 21:10
7. Simon Mann-Gow, BFA, 21:38
8. Robbie Morril, BFA, 22:08
9. Kody White, Fairfax, 23:01
10. Alex Venuti, BFA, 23:26

Rev. Elizabeth and Fred Griffin