The podiums at the U. S. National Distance Championships last week at Sun Valley, Idaho, were dominated by Nordic skiers familiar to the Methow Valley.
On the women’s side, Caitlin Gregg won the 30-kilometer race with a commanding lead. Sadie Bjornsen, fresh off five months of racing on the World Cup circuit in Europe, was third. She also dominated the races earlier in the week.
The men’s 50K race attracted competitors from Canada, Norway and Finland as well as U.S. athletes vying for the national distance title. The top three American finishers were Noah Hoffman of Colorado, first, followed by the Methow Valley’s Eric Bjornsen and Brian Gregg in second and third respectively.
Also skiing the 30K race was biathlon skier Kelsey Dickinson from the Methow Valley. Olivia Ekblad, of Winthrop, was sixth in the Junior Women’s 15K distance race.
