Steer, Peterson split SuperTour races in frigid Fairbanks

Steer, Peterson split SuperTour races in frigid Fairbanks{mosimage}U.S. biathlete Rachel Steer won the 7.2km freestyle race Sunday in Fairbanks, Alaska, during the second day of USSA SuperTour events at Kincaid Park.

Steer, 25, won in 21:20.6, half a second ahead of Fairbanks native Aelin Peterson (21:22.1), who won the previous day’s race. Kikkan Randall was third in 21:33.6. In the 11.8km men’s event, James Southam won in 30:36.4, outsprinting Dave Chamberlain (30:37.1) to the finish.

Steer and Peterson had an encounter with two moose — a cow and a small calf — on course during the race. “Both of us had to snowplow — that was a scary deal,” Peterson told the Anchorage Daily News. “I’m just so thankful Rachel was with me.” Fortunately for the skiers, the two animals finally ducked into the trees.

Both men and women started their races in cold temperatures. It was 8 degrees Farenheit when the women started, and only 4 degrees when the men started an hour earlier. Southam, 25, edged Chamberlain, a 27-year-old from Bethel, Maine, who skied on the world championship team last season.

Chamberlain was also the runner-up in the classical racing on Saturday, finishing second to University of Alaska-Anchorage assistant coach Trond Flagstad in the men’s 10km. Southam was third. In the women’s 5km classical race, Peterson, 29, beat Randall, 20, by a second for the win. Kate Pearson was third.

The winners each earned $750 from the $10,000 purse for the weekend put up by the USSA. The SuperTour series continues November 28 and 29 in West Yellowstone, Montana.

USSA Cross-Country Super Tour
Kincaid Park, Fairbanks, Alaska

Women’s 7.2km Freestyle
November 17, 2003
1) Rachel Steer 21:20.6
2) Aelin Petersen 21:22.1
3) Kikkan Randall 21:33.6
4) Kate Pearson 22:02.4
5) Tazlina Rose Mannix 22:03.2
6) Nicole DeYoung 22:35.6
7) Katie Ronsse 22:54.6
8) Chrissy May 23:18.2
9) Erin Hamilton 23:25.6
10) Susanne Maarit Kumpulainen23:27.2

Men’s 11.8km Freestyle
November 17, 2003
1) James Southam 30:36.4
2) Dave Chamberlain 30:37.1
3) Trond Flagstad 30:39.0
4) Scott McArt 30:39.1
5) Owen Hanley 30:42.6
6) Casey Ward 30:56.3
7) Erik Flora 31:34.9
8) Adam Verrier 32:23.3
9) Colin Quinn-Hurst 32:30.7
10) Zachary Violett 32:30.8

Women’s 5km Classic
November 16, 2003
1) Aelin Petersen 14:53
2) Kikkan Randall 14:54
3) Kate Pearson 15:31
4) Katie Ronsse 15:41
5) Rachel Steer 15:55
6) Sarah Hansen 15:55
7) Tazlina Rose Mannix 16:11
8) Chrissy May 16:20
9) Elizabeth O’Mara Quinley 16:44
10) Davya Baker 17:00

Men’s 10km Classic
November 16, 2003
1) Trond Flagstad 24:52
2) Dave Chamberlain 25:12
3) James Southam 25:39
4) Erik Flora 25:58
5) Scott Mcart 26:03
6) Zachary Violett 26:18
7) Tobias Schwoerer 26:19
8) Casey Ward 26:33
9) Adam Verrier 26:44
10) Colin Quinn-Hurst 27:11