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Chuck Lyda discusses the blue course with Dwight Freund (2004 Royal Gorge Ski-O, Photo: Tony Pinkham)

Royal Gorge Ski-O - Results

Date: Sunday, February 8, 2004
Location: near Norden and Soda Springs at I-80, CA.
Contact: - (650) 969-5320
Event Type: C; Ski-O
Skip to the Results By Class
Skip to the Results By Course

Writeup by Tony Pinkham

We had near perfect skiing conditions for the Royal Gorge event--plenty of fresh snow from two storms and clear skies for the day of competition. These conditions brought a record crowd, easily 20 percent more than we've ever had before for a ski-O event. We had a lot of our usual skiers plus lots of new people, many of them season pass holders who had seen our fliers and the resort advertising for our event.

Related Information

Event Announcement Championship standings Splits by Class Splits by Course 2004 Ski-O Championships

As with all ski-O events, the courses utilized the ski trail network, which includes groomed and bushwacked trails. At this event, participants had to use officially marked trails, so we marked the mapped bushwacked trails with red flags where they intersected with the groomed trails. Some of the groomed trails had rope tows, which were legal though not necessarily a speed advantage.

Kent Ohlund leaving the start (2004 Royal Gorge Ski-O, Photo: Tony Pinkham)

All courses used E-punching. This made managing the event much easier, so long as we had people like Trinka Gillis and Bjorn Widerstrom managing the E-punch system. To our surprise, all of the units were functional throughout the event--typically, one or two units don't turn on at our ski events. Perhaps it helped that we used the units with the lowest power consumption rates.

Racers scrambling to finish (2004 Royal Gorge Ski-O, Photo: Tony Pinkham)

The white course was made for first-time orienteers and children who are typically not very familiar with using maps. It was a 3.0 KM loop that had controls within sight of each intersection. Becky Wong did her first ski-orienteering course there and won it. Four groups of kids from the Auburn Ski Club also raced on the course, and their best team, Sophie Aaron and Annika Taylor, completed the course quickly in 17:42.

Phil Lovalenti and Laurie Paul were the only team to do the blue course at the 2004 Royal Gorge Ski-O, Photo: Tony Pinkham)

The yellow course was a much bigger loop (5.4 KM) in which skiers had to carefully decide which trails to take without being able to see any controls from trail junctions. Like the white course, it was all on beginner ski trails, but unlike the white course it had a big hill to climb just before the finish. Lincoln Cushing and Bill Martinsen were the only single male entrants, and they started and finished just a minute apart. Emma Smith was the only single female entrant and took first place. Jackie Mason missed an opportunity to clinch the championship by skiing in a group with Teague Mason, but sharing a course with a family member or friend is always a delight.

Kent Ohlund waits for Matthias Kohler to start him (2004 Royal Gorge Ski-O, Photo: Tony Pinkham)

The orange course meandered on an even larger loop (8.9 KM). Unlike the easier courses, this one offered multiple route choices on each leg and it used some intermediate ski trails. It also had more hills and utilized the bushwacked trails. This was easily our most popular course--over 35 percent of our participants did it and all seemed to be very happy with it. Abbey Grimmer was the fastest on the course and took first place for the women--she was 19 minutes ahead of her competition. Tom Jahn was first for the men and was 9 minutes ahead of his competition.

Tom Jahn sprints to his finish on the orange course (2004 Royal Gorge Ski-O, Photo: Tony Pinkham)

The green course was a 16.5 KM double loop that offered many long route choices, utilized at least one expert trail, and went up many hills. Like the orange course, it ended with a long climb to the finish area. The women had an especially strong showing with their top four finishers having faster times than any of the men. Clea Sarnquist finished first with Yelena Krasnov close behind. Adolf Jochnick finished first for the men.

Bob Cooley finishes the green course (2004 Royal Gorge Ski-O, Photo: Tony Pinkham)

The blue course was 21.7 KM of punishing double loops to the Upper Cascade warming hut, to the back side of Palisade Peak, down the Mirkwood trail, and then uphill to the finish. Most of the trails were intermediate and expert level trails with a total climb of 360 M and at least a couple steep descents, one with a control half way down. Chuck Lyda, a past member of the US National Guard Biathlon team and the winner of the Burton Creek event in January, was the person to beat, but three skiers were up to the task and Dan Stoll-Hadayia came in first for the day. Anna Voegele, the only single female entrant on the course, automatically took first and is in place to take the championship if she completes the blue course at Bear Valley.

Matthias Kohler checks his map before committing to one of nine trails (2004 Royal Gorge Ski-O, Photo: Tony Pinkham)

Setting up this event was relatively easy thanks to the experienced help from Tom Jahn (the person who created the map), Adolf Jochnick, and Matthias Kohler. Each of them also helped with event functions and control pickup. Many others helped as well. Dan Stoll-Hadayia, Anna Brunzell, and Dwight Freund also helped with control pickup, and Dan Greene, Tapio Karras, Jaakko Karras, and Jukka Karras also helped by picking up the flags used for bushwacked trails. Those people, Bjorn Widerstrom, and Trinka Gillis helped straighten out the equipment brought in from the field. There seemed to never be a shortage of volunteers and all their efforts made this event the success that it was.

Thorsten Graeve at the 2004 Royal Gorge Ski-O, Photo: Tony Pinkham)

A special thanks goes to Bob Cooley, who not only printed the course maps, but also left home early on the event day to make sure that the maps were at the event before the first starts. I had forgotten to stop by his home in my excitement to work on this event and had to ask him for this special favor so that I could set everything else up.

Eric Ramberg sprinting to his finish (2004 Royal Gorge Ski-O, Photo: Tony Pinkham)

Now that we have completed a couple of ski-O events, we have standings for the California Ski-O Championships. No titles have been clinched yet, which means that all the titles will be decided at Bear Valley on February 29. If you've already competed, you stand a reasonable chance of claiming a championship if you show up and complete your course...ahead of your competition.

Here are the general results. Distances are all flylines (as the crow flies), and optimal routes.

BAOC Royal Gorge Ski-O
Soda Springs, CA
Sunday, February 8, 2004


Results By Class


  Pl  Name                                Club     Time

White Course - Female     (2.60 km/3.0 km, 8 controls)

   1  Becky Wong                          BAOC     56:49


White Course - Group      (2.60 km/3.0 km, 8 controls)

   1  Sophie Aaron and Annika Taylor      ASC      17:43
   2  Lesar, Coburn, Flanagan, McElroy    ASC      24:06
   3  Rachell Nadell and Kelsey Brennan   ASC      28:11
   4  Whenschel, Marresan, Jerdare        BAOC   1:01:21


Yellow Course - Female    (4.50 km/5.4 km, 8 controls)

   1  Emma Smith                          BAOC   1:51:05


Yellow Course - Male      (4.50 km/5.4 km, 8 controls)

   1  Lincoln Cushing                     BAOC   1:13:39
   2  Bill Marthinsen                     BAOC   1:13:44

      Alan Davis                          BAOC     DNF


Yellow Course - Group     (4.50 km/5.4 km, 8 controls)

   1  Jackie and Teague Mason             BAOC   1:50:54
   2  Vanessa Smith, Gene Gilligan               2:06:28


Orange Course - Female    (6.08 km/8.9 km, 10 controls)

   1  Abbey Grimmer                                52:05
   2  Trinka Gillis                       BAOC   1:33:50
   3  Lisa Reinke                                1:43:54
   4  Nancy Lindeman                      BAOC   2:40:08


Orange Course - Male      (6.08 km/8.9 km, 10 controls)

   1  Tom Jahn                            BAOC     53:02
   2  Doug Bass                           BAOC   1:02:17
   3  Blake Heckendorn                           1:12:31
   4  Dan Greene                          BAOC   1:13:49
   5  Grant Glouser                       BAOC   1:17:14
   6  Elliott Delaye                      BAOC   1:19:16
   7  Jordan Nadell                              1:27:01
   8  Jay Hann                            BAOC   1:41:06
   9  Christopher Hann                    BAOC   1:45:12
  10  Phillip Hoare                       BAOC   1:48:34
  11  Stefan Reinke                              1:53:54
  12  Andrew Ross                         BAOC   1:56:54
  13  Glenn Mason                         BAOC   2:11:02


Orange Course - Group     (6.08 km/8.9 km, 10 controls)

   1  Tapio, Jaakko, Jukka Karras         BAOC   1:25:31
   2  Mel and Janell Glouser                     1:37:25
   3  Brendan Dreaper, Noam Marthensen    BAOC   1:38:25


Green Course - Female     (11.15 km/16.5 km, 10 controls)

   1  Clea Sarnquist                      BAOC   1:29:16
   2  Yelena Krasnov                      BAOC   1:33:28
   3  Anna Brunzell                       BAOC   1:44:11
   4  Colombe Tresan                      BAOC   1:54:59
   5  Carol Schick Lyda                   BAOC   2:28:21

      Johanna Merriss                     BAOC     DNF


Green Course - Male       (11.15 km/16.5 km, 10 controls)

   1  Adolf Jochnick                      NEOC   2:14:53
   2  Bjorn Widerstrom                    BAOC   2:24:25
   3  Eric Ramberg                        BAOC   2:47:03
   4  Bob Cooley                          BAOC   3:05:44
   5  Pete Olsten                         GCO    3:09:58


Blue Course - Female      (13.85 km/21.7 km, 10 controls)

   1  Anna Voegele                        BAOC   1:45:53


Blue Course - Male        (13.85 km/21.7 km, 10 controls)

   1  Dan Stoll-Hadayia                   BAOC   1:32:44
   2  Matthias Kohler                     BAOC   1:38:35
   3  Blake Tresan                        BAOC   1:43:00
   4  Chuck Lyda                                 1:43:15
   5  Kent Ohlund                         BAOC   1:50:34
   6  Alex Krasnov                        BAOC   1:57:46
   7  Thorsten Graeve                     BAOC   2:15:51


Blue Course - Group       (13.85 km/21.7 km, 10 controls)

   1  Laurie Paul and Phil Lovalenti      BAOC   3:28:44

Panoramic view of the starts at Royal Gorge 2004 (Photo: Tony Pinkham) 
BAOC Royal Gorge Ski-O
Soda Springs, CA
Sunday, February 8, 2004


Results By Course


  Pl  Name                               Club     Time

White Course     (2.60 km/3.0 km, 8 controls)

   1  Sophie Aaron and Annika Taylor     ASC      17:43
   2  Lesar, Coburn, Flanagan, McElroy   ASC      24:06
   3  Rachell Nadell and Kelsey Brennan  ASC      28:11
   4  Becky Wong                         BAOC     56:49
   5  Whenschel, Marresan, Jerdare       BAOC   1:01:21


Yellow Course    (4.50 km/5.4 km, 8 controls)

   1  Lincoln Cushing                    BAOC   1:13:39
   2  Bill Marthinsen                    BAOC   1:13:44
   3  Emma Smith                         BAOC   1:51:05
   4  Jackie and Teague Mason            BAOC   1:50:54
   5  Vanessa Smith, Gene Gilligan              2:06:28

      Alan Davis                         BAOC     DNF


Orange Course    (6.08 km/8.9 km, 10 controls)

   1  Abbey Grimmer                               52:05
   2  Tom Jahn                           BAOC     53:02
   3  Doug Bass                          BAOC   1:02:17
   4  Blake Heckendorn                          1:12:31
   5  Dan Greene                         BAOC   1:13:49
   6  Grant Glouser                      BAOC   1:17:14
   7  Elliott Delaye                     BAOC   1:19:16
   8  Tapio, Jaakko, and Jukka Karras    BAOC   1:25:31
   9  Jordan Nadell                             1:27:01
  10  Trinka Gillis                      BAOC   1:33:50
  11  Mel and Janell Glouser                    1:37:25
  12  Brendan Dreaper, Noam Marthinsen   BAOC   1:38:25
  13  Jay Hann                           BAOC   1:41:06
  14  Lisa Reinke                               1:43:54
  15  Christopher Hann                   BAOC   1:45:12
  16  Phillip Hoare                      BAOC   1:48:34
  17  Stefan Reinke                             1:53:54
  18  Andrew Ross                        BAOC   1:56:54
  19  Glenn Mason                        BAOC   2:11:02
  20  Nancy Lindeman                     BAOC   2:40:08


Green Course     (11.15 km/16.5 km, 10 controls)

   1  Clea Sarnquist                     BAOC   1:29:16
   2  Yelena Krasnov                     BAOC   1:33:28
   3  Anna Brunzell                      BAOC   1:44:11
   4  Colombe Tresan                     BAOC   1:54:59
   5  Adolf Jochnick                     NEOC   2:14:53
   6  Bjorn Widerstrom                   BAOC   2:24:25
   7  Carol Schick Lyda                  BAOC   2:28:21
   8  Eric Ramberg                       BAOC   2:47:03
   9  Bob Cooley                         BAOC   3:05:44
  10  Pete Olsten                        GCO    3:09:58

      Johanna Merriss                    BAOC     DNF


Blue Course      (13.85 km/21.7 km, 10 controls)

   1  Dan Stoll-Hadayia                  BAOC   1:32:44
   2  Matthias Kohler                    BAOC   1:38:35
   3  Blake Tresan                       BAOC   1:43:00
   4  Chuck Lyda                                1:43:15
   5  Anna Voegele                       BAOC   1:45:53
   6  Kent Ohlund                        BAOC   1:50:34
   7  Alex Krasnov                       BAOC   1:57:46
   8  Thorsten Graeve                    BAOC   2:15:51
   9  Laurie Paul & Phil Lovalenti       BAOC   3:28:44

_______________
***Distances given as flylines and optimal trails
DNF = Did not finish