Wholistic Fitness

…can there exist on this Plane(t) a more beautiful arena for warriors than that of the Outdoor Sports? ilg TAF’s not…

“Steve has done every race here – both summer and winter except for one, I think,” said Tim, “every time he sees me or anyone else, he always gestures in the Namaste manner. His ongoing efforts to bring more people and energy to winter sports in Northern Arizona will be sorely missed.”

National caliber nordic ski racing has been officially reborn in Northern Arizona! Under magnificently mercurial skies pregnant with blinding sunshine one moment before offering bushels of snow the next, over twenty Freestyle nordic racers toed this morning’s Start Line for the final race of the season at Flagstaff Nordic Center (FNC).

It took less than an hour of elite level suffering to see 2-year reigning State Champion, Steve Ilg fall prey to the fierce strength and poetic technique of Karl Garnoth of the National Guard Biathlon Team.

The Women’s State Championship was won in classic fashion (pun intended) by Flagstaff stalwart nordic princess Louella Holter who actually chose to classic ski the Freestyle Race! “I had tremendous kick on the uphills,” quipped a smiling Louella at the finish before accepting her coveted Arizona Cup trophy from Race Director Tim Allen.

At the 9:00 am intended Start Time, some of the 15-kilometer Race Course – the same as last weekend’s Classic race – still lay buried under a fresh 5″ of snow moment’s before the Start. Race officials delayed the start by 15 minutes so the grooming could be finished, by FNC owner, Wendell Johnson himself!

Once the race got under way, Garnoth, Ilg, and former winner Ryan Schmidt set the pace going into “Abineau” the first of two menacing 2.2 kilometer hills. Soft was the snow, yet high was the tempo set by Garnoth as the pack began to splinter as the hurt deepened. By the top of Abineau, the wicked pace set by Garnoth was realistically only kept in check by Schmidt. The blood-letting had begun…by the top of “Reese” – the second of the two spectacular 400′ climbs – it was purely a two-man show; Garnoth followed by a badger-like Schmidt who will be racing in a national event in Yellowstone next month.

Two minutes in back and the ‘old men’ – Ilg and FNC Professional Nordic Ski Instructor and southwest nordic icon Ken Walters – were going mano-y-mano, attempting to break the spirit of the other. Both, however, were behind surprise of the season, 30 year-old Bradley Johnson.

Ilg eventually outlasted Walters but would give up nearly 9 minutes to Garnoth as the State Title went on this day to a superior caliber of ski racer. Garnoth, in fact, could not attend the awards ceremony; he was due to race in Germany and was late! Such international pedigree upon FNC’s race course is a treat!

The women’s race saw newcomer Daniela Penickova, who also has international racing experience, decimate the lungs and limbs from her competition, gapping second place finisher and rookie to nordic racing, Carol ‘Fritz’ Fritzinger, by nearly five minutes. We hope to see Daniela in the Classic Race next year; she has State Champion written all over her!

No one however, threatened Steve Ilg’s 4-peat of the Flagstaff Winter Triathlon crown which includes both nordic races and a 10k snowshoe race. Ilg, who is moving back to his hometown of Durango, intends to defend this “Most Versatile Winter Endurance Athlete” competition next year.

With over 11 racers now vying for the “Arizona Cup,” we can hardly wait until 2011! Keep training, and special thanks to the superb groomers and staff at FNC; Arizona’s Nordic Gem within the incomparable San Francisco Peaks!

1. Daniela Penickova 38 1:13:16
2. Carol ‘Fritz’ Fritzinger 53 1:18:38
3. Michele Metcalf 41 1:21:58
4. Louella Holter 58 1:37:21 3:09:39 AZ Cup Champion
5. Sara Sullivan 27 1:56:54

1. Karl Granroth 36 52:10 1:46:31 AZ Cup Champion
2. Ryan Schmidt 32 53:42
3. Bradley Johnson 30 58:12 1:57:58 3rd Place AZ Cup
4. Steve Ilg 47 59:23 1:55:03 2nd Place AZ Cup (Champion; Flag Winter Triathlon)
   
5. Ken Walters 61 59:48 2:03:41 4th Place AZ Cup
6. Robert Barry 41 1:00:15 2:14:36 7th Place AZ Cup
7. Paul Kuefler 61 1:00:58 2:10:21 6th Place AZ Cup
8. Paul Grams 42 1:01:26 2:05:02 5th Place AZ Cup
9. Curtis Franklin 24 1:01:42
10. Michael Franklin 26 1:06:37
11. Sean Ryan 28 1:07:12 2:29:44 8th Place AZ Cup
12. Michael O’Donnell 45 1:12:15
13. Carlton Johnson 27 1:15:34
14. John Eastwood 54 1:18:12 2:33:18 9th Place AZ Cup
15. Mark Spinti 48 1:27:06 2:47:08 10th Place AZ Cup
16. Steven Franklin 1:27:30