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Five Summit County competitors win Up & At ‘Em Frisco Nordic races

The 2018-19 Up & At ‘Em Nordic Ski Race Series came to a close Wednesday morning at the Frisco Nordic Center after five races this season that featured five different Summit County winners.

Race 5

On Wednesday, Summit County resident Pete Swenson braved the frigid elements along with 18 other racers. Swenson crossed the finish line in the quickest time of 27 minutes and 40 seconds on the 7.5-kilometer skate course. The 51-year-old was joined in the top three by Sam O’Keefe, 25, of Breckenridge (25) and top female finisher Jill Sorensen of Dillon (31:32).



Race 4

Thirty-nine skiers took to the fourth race of the season series on Feb. 6, which featured a 7.5-kilometer classic course and a 4-kilometer skate course. In the 17-skier classic race, Frisco’s Andy Hardy, 37, won with a time of 25:45 while Summit County youth skiers Galen Grohusky, 14, and Christopher Rohlf, 17, finished in second and third places, with times of 26:27 and 26:43, respectively. Silverthorne’s Mary Taylor, 48, was the top female skier in the classic race with a time of 30:55.



In the 22-skier, 4-kilometer youth skate race, young skiers Jacob Shriver, 14, James Sowers, 12, and Jonah Mocatta finished in the top three positions with times of 11:14, 11:53 and 12:07, respectively. The top female finisher in the skate race was 12-year-old Sophia Bertonneau (12:24).

Race 3

Hardy also found success on the Nordic Center’s cross-country ski trails at the third race of the series on Jan. 23, where his time of 31:24 resulted in a second-place finish in the 26-skier, 7.5-kilometer skate race. It was only behind Stephen Oppito, 40, of Silverthorne (30:21). Oppito and Hardy were joined in the top three by Frisco’s 14-year-old Galen Grohusky (32:50), while Dillon’s Sorensen posted the top female time of 33:39.

Race 2

Grohusky and Rohlf also finished in top-three positions at the 28-skier, 7.5-kilometer classic race on Jan. 9. Rohlf’s time of 26:58 was good enough for second place, behind race winner William Rawstron, 43, of Dillon (26:02). Grohusky finished in third place with a time of 27:40. Kate Zander, 32, of Breckenridge was the top female on the day, crossing the finish line with a time of 33:27.

Race 1

The Up & At ‘Em Race Series got underway for the season on Dec. 19 when Summit Nordic Ski Club head coach Olof Hedberg, 40, of Breckenridge won the 32-skier, 7.5-kilometer skate race in a time of 20:59. That time was nearly a full minute faster than second-place finisher Brad LaRochelle, 42, of Breckenridge (21:56). The two Breckenridge skiers were joined in the top three by Dana Query, 49, of Silverthorne (22:20). Dillon’s Sorensen was also the top female skier at the season-opening race, as her time of 23:39 was more than three minutes quicker than the next closest female finisher, Mary Taylor, 48, of Silverthorne (26:44).


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