SuperTour 1 Recap

We just finished the first 4 races of the year that made up “Period 1.” The first race weekend was scheduled to be in Fairbanks, but the forecast there was well below the legal limit so the races were moved to Kincaid. While Anchorage was much warmer than Fairbanks, all 4 races were still extremely cold (“feels like” single digits) and ¾ of them were also extremely windy.

Trail Conditions

The Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage (NSAA) made nothing short of a heroic effort to prepare some great courses for us despite short notice of the venue switch, rain, absurd wind, cold temperatures, limited natural snow, and debris on the trails. Thank you NSAA! If it were up to me I may have thrown in the towel.

Cold Tolerance experiment conclusion

To briefly sum up my “cold tolerance experiment,” I think the most helpful part of this experiment was giving the cold weather some necessary attention instead of passively assuming it would be fine. I dressed absurdly warmly for all the races (2 wind-blocking base layers on top and bottom) and didn’t cut any corners. I did actually manage to stay warm enough. This warmth came at the cost of style, as you can see.

How the races went

The races went well. I was 5th, 7th, 8th, and 5th, which was the most consistent I’ve ever been across sprint, distance, classic, and skate. I’m ranked 5th in the overall standings, which is the highest I’ve ever been by a lot. These courses were fast, icy, and not especially hilly, which have historically been challenging conditions for me as compared to warm, hilly, and slushy conditions. I had great skis throughout the week thanks to my coaches and wax techs, which for better or worse is a huge part of this sport, so I’m super grateful for their work. My team as a whole skied really well, which made the races feel like even more of a success.

Eyes-closed podium with Hailey and Novie (in blue)

Other things of note

• My dad came to cheer, which is always the best!

• A moose ran onto the course while the boys were sprinting which unfortunately derailed some peoples’ races. Never a dull moment at Kincaid. 

• Thank you to everyone who came to cheer, and to those who followed along from afar.

• It was so fun to see everyone from around the country. The SuperTour is a special atmosphere and I’m so glad to be back

Up next: Lake Placid, New York for US Nationals in January!

Thanks for checking in,

-Renae

The amazing staff crew :)