SOLDIER HOLLOW — Marcus Nash defended his national sprint championship title while the Canadians swept the women's 1.5k sprint at the U.S. Cross Country Championships Saturday.
It was the first major competition held at Wasatch Mountain State Park's Soldier Hollow, the Olympic venue for Nordic skiing.
"It's nice to start off the first race with a win," said Nash, a two-time Olympian and former University of Utah Nordic skier of Fryeburg, Maine.
Nash won the men's race by breaking away from a tight pack. Canadian Phil Villeneuve held off a late charge by U.S. Justin Wadsworth, who placed third.
"I felt like I was fast enough to win," said Wadsworth, a two-time Olympian of Bend, Ore. But he fell behind Villeneuve on the downhill portion. "It was too hard to get around Phil. You have to fight hard in the sprint."
That's exactly what Nash did.
"My strategy was to have the lead," said Nash. "I had enough of a lead on top of the hill so I wouldn't be drafted."
Rob Whitney of Salt Lake City was the top qualifier but didn't make it to the final competition. He came in seventh overall.
On the women's side, Canadian Beckie Scott led from start to finish. Canadians Sara Renner and Jamie Fortier placed second and third. Canadian women dominated all day, with three at the top of the qualifying list. They also won most of the individual heats.
U.S. Nina Kemppel finished fourth overall but won the U.S. National championships as the top American finisher. This is her sixth consecutive win and 10 overall.
"I was tired," said Kemppel, three-time Olympian of Anchorage, Alaska. "In the sprint you have to be aware of everyone behind you so when you start to hurt your lead drops."
About 250 racers competed to qualify in the sprint. Racers were qualifying for heats all morning. The top 24 competitors advanced to a quarter final round, with the top 12 advancing to the semi-finals. The top six racers went to the final.
The 1.5k course started with a long uphill climb, finished with a long curving descent, leading to a hairpin turn and a 100 meter uphill dash.
Kemppel said the uphill turn made it tough. Nash said it's important to have the lead so racers won't catch a draft and speed ahead.
Some competitors complained about it being a tight course, making it tough to squeeze ahead. But they also found it fun.
"It's a good combination of downhill," said Nash. "I also had unbelievably fast skis."
The secret was to get to the crest of the hill and ski as fast as you can, he added. The snowy conditions in the afternoon affected skiers because the new fallen snow in the outer edges slowed skiers down and made it harder to pass, Wadsworth added.
The championships will continue through Jan. 15.
There are a full slate of races ahead — the 15k women classic and 30k men classic on Monday, the 10k men freestyle and .5k woman freestyle on Wednesday and the 10k women classic pursuit and 15k men classic pursuit. The week's events will wind down Saturday with the mass start races. A host of activities are planned for Saturday's closing ceremonies, including sky divers, dogsleds and live entertainment.
The U.S. Cross Country Championships are sponsored by Chevy truck. The top winner takes home $1,000, second and third place receive $500 and $250. This is the first time the prize money has been awarded to non-U.S. competitors.