Nordic Junior squad gets eight top 6 finishes

Duntroon - The North Bay Nordic Junior Racing Team attended Ontario Cup races three and four, of the eight race series this past weekend. Highlands Nordic hosted the race.

Approximately 350 elite skiers from Ontario and the U.S. took part in the two-day event. Three races were held; a classic race on Saturday and a distance pursuit free-style race on Sunday. A pursuit race continues the first race to provide an overall winner from the two separate races.

The North Bay squad led by Kaytlyn Faucon put in some very promising performances with 8 top six placings. Faucon's determination during the free-style race earned her a spot on the podium for a bronze metal while both Jake Porter and Ezekiel Williams just missed the podium with a fourth place finish each.

Saturday's classic race was held in biting cold conditions with high winds blowing off Georgian Bay. The 3.5 km juvenile girl's race demanded competitors to climb 1.0 km up steep terrain followed by an immediate decent. Faucon concluded the race in 10:01, in 6th place in a tight field, 27 seconds out of first place. Faucon quickly caught the front runners of the field during Sunday's 5 km free-style pursuit race. Faucon's early rush and free-style time of 16:48 earned her the bronze medal. Faucon however, maintained a 6th place overall pursuit finish in 26:49, just 15 seconds out of first place.

In the same event, Samantha Odrowski also put in solid performances during the two days. Owdroski put in a 15th placing in the classic leg with a time of 11:08 and a 19th place finish in the pursuit. Odrowski finished 20th in the free-style race with a time of 19:35.

Jake Porter, a first year juvenile boy, displayed his conditioning and potential over the two days. Porter concluded the 5 km classic race in 6th place with a time of 16:20, but climbed 2 positions and just missed the medal podium during the 7.5 km free-style race with a time of 21:54. Porter's 4th place finish led to a 5th place in the pursuit race and puts him among the big guns in that category.

Brenton Farintosh, another first year juvenile also competed, putting in strong performances with a 25th in the classic leg with a time of 19:30. Farintosh broke out in the free-style leg to finish 18th in 24:40 and concluded the pursuit in 22nd place.

Mini-midget sensation Ezekial Williams raced up in large field of midget boy's. The course was run over the same grueling terrain as the juvenile girls. Williams completed the classic leg in the top ten with a 9th place finish in 10:55, but stunned the field during the free-style race. Williams just missing the medal podium in the 5 km free-style race with a 4th place finish in 16:55, just 12 seconds out of first place. The strong performance by Williams earned him a 5th place finish overall.

In the junior girls category Ava Rudachyk, a seasoned technical skier displayed solid results. Rudachyk just missed the top ten during the 5 km classic race in 11th spot with a time of 18:42. Rudachyk held onto her 11th spot during the pursuit, but dropped one position in the 5 km free-style leg with a time of 16:46.

In the Junior Boy's 8.5 km classic race David Weiskopf put in a strong showing for the North Bay squad to finish 12th in 27:05. Weiskopf improved that placing during the 7.5 km free-style leg with an 11th place showing in 22:05. Weiskopf concluded the pursuit in 12th position.

Jesse and Jonathon Winter along with Zale Apramian did not race do to illness.

Submitted to www.BayToday.ca