Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

CROSS COUNTRY SKIING

Bond Brook cross country course draws rave reviews

46 entrants try new challenging 2.5-kilometer course

By Gary Hawkins ghawkins@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

AUGUSTA -- Cross country skiers from throughout Maine and New England got what they came for Sunday at the Bond Brook 10k Nordic Race.

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SPEEDING AROUND THE CORNER: Nolan Poulin, of Manchester, rounds the corner coming down a hill during the Bond Brook 10k Nordic Race on Sunday in Augusta. Racers took four laps past the start/finish area in the 10-kilometer race.

Staff photo by Joe Phelan

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MAKING THE CLIMB: Lily Koffman, of Orono, climbs a hill at the Bond Brook 10k Nordic Race on Sunday in Augusta. She won the girls junior class 3 race in 16 minutes, 33.3 seconds.

Staff photo by Joe Phelan

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The 46 entrants received strong competition during a challenging 2.5-kilometer course that in the end had enough snow. The race served as an introduction for many to the Bond Brook Recreation Area, a 268-acre, city-owned parcel of land in the heart of Augusta that organizers envision as a four-season draw for hikers, mountain bikers, snowshoers and casual and competitive cross country skiers.

"This isn't going to be their regular race loop," Maranacook ski coach Steve DeAngelis said. "They played around with it a little bit because of low snow, but even what they have here today is spectacular. When they have the whole course ready I think it's going to be the most fun course in the state of Maine."

Bill Rogers, an orthopedic surgeon who lives Fayette, was the driving force behind the creation of the ski trails. A Nordic expert who refereed at the 2009 NCAA championships, Rogers commissioned renowned designer John Morton of Vermont to lay out the trails.

A hoped-for snowfall late Saturday and early Sunday amounted to less than an inch and had little effect on the course, which nonetheless was covered, groomed and reasonably fast.

"That we can attribute to a pretty hearty group of volunteers who did shovel a lot of snow onto the course (Saturday) morning," Rogers said.

Eric Tremble of Jericho, Vt., was the overall men's winner in a time of 28 minutes, 6.1 seconds. Maeve McGovern of Stowe, Vt., and a freshman on the Colby College ski team, was the overall women's winner in 34:17.5.

"There's one big hill at the beginning then the rest is rolling with tough turns," second-place finisher Cara Sprague said. "It's fun."

Sprague is a senior at Harvard University of was joined at Sunday's event by her coach and Harvard junior Torin O'Brien, a Winthrop High School graduate. The team is training in North Conway for a week for the upcoming season and also competed at the U.S. Nationals this past week in Rumford.

"Because the two of us didn't race, and our coach wanted to race, too, we came over here," Sprague said.

Rogers said hosting a major collegiate race or eventually the U.S. Nationals was in the plans when the course was designed.

"The course is designed to host any category of ski racing, probably just short of World Cup because of the support structure," he said. "The biggest thing is you have to develop a volunteer base. I read where Rumford had 250 volunteers. You need that number. We probably had 25 volunteers here today."

DeAngelis said he hopes to have his Maranacook team for a race this winter and a middle school race is also scheduled. Spectators and competitors had access to hot and cold food and beverages Sunday and a small tent was erected for shelter.

Mike Seitzinger, president of non-profit Augusta Trails, said building a warming hut is part of the next phase of fundraising as well as the purchase of snowmaking equipment.

Because it sits on an aquifer, snowmaking should present no problem. Seitzinger also pointed out the city plows and dumps a lot of snow that could be used to supply the course.

"This area holds the snow well," he said.

The trails are reached from Mount Hope Cemetery near the Augusta State Airport. Sunday, vehicles could drive to the course down a steep access road which is normally gated. Casual users will have to walk down a quarter mile road to reach the trails. More access roads are planned for next year.

Gary Hawkins -- 621-5638

ghawkins@centralmaine.com