Black Mountain race draws top skiers

A slick track greeted skiers taking part in the Black Mountain Classic Ski Race Saturday. People from several states and a Nordic racing legend from Canada were among the participants in the race. Although the conditions were challenging for the participants, the racers had good things to say about the course and the area, said organizer and top finisher Denny Paull. Paull, of Cheboygan, took first overall at 1:51:10 and first in his age bracket (40-49).

AN AVID SKIER and runner who is a multiple winner of the Nautical City Run, Paull said the Black Mountain area has been considered a ?diamond in the rough? for many years. ?A lot of them didn?t know northeast Michigan had a location like this to offer,? Paull said. ?They were totally impressed with Black Mountain.? Due to changing temperature conditions, groomers waited until 11 p.m the night before and worked until 10 a.m. to get the track ready. The results of the effort was a very fast track with quick times around the 18.4-mile (30 kilometers) course.

?WE HAD the most challenging conditions a groomer could imagine. The temperature varied from a warm 42 to a chilly 25 degrees over a few hour span, making it a challenge to groom, and for the racers to prepare,? Paull said. Organizers had to move the start of the race to the road in front of the Chateau Restaurant due to a few bare spots in the original route. Some snow had to be hauled, then removed.

Paull said about 40 volunteers had to monitor the course and move snow across the two places where the course crossed a road. Among the participants was Nordic racing legend Tenho Tikka from Ontario. Tikka, 70, has dominated his age group for nearly 50 years, Paull said. Tikka finished the race in 2:37:27.

Other top finishers for the men were Dave Fanslow, 37, of Ann Arbor (1:52:51),Jim Morgan, 39, of Milford (1:54:42), Chris Weingart, 48, of Petoskey (1:54:46), Leonid Tikh, 40, of Bloomfield (1:55:08), Jeff Potter, 47, of Winston (1:59:10), Allen Sorgenfrei, 39, of Northville (2:01:10), Dell Todd, 36, of Grand Rapids

(2:01:13), Robert Fairman, 46, of Ann Arbor (2:02:19), and Jamie Green, 43, of Gaylord (2:05:21). Top finishers for the women were Daniela Gebhart, 43, of Ontario (2:12:35), Tracy Hardin, 47, of Cheboygan (2:14:51), Amy Todd, 34, of Grand Rapids (2:43:00), and Carol Mueller-Brumbaugh, 49, of Rockford (2:45:14).

PAULL SAID there would be a few changes for next year, including devising a better way of monitoring the racers, but the course would remain the same. He said many told him they were most impressed with the course. Amateurs who didn?t wish to be timed competed in a 10K race around an abbreviated course.

The first-ever Black Mountain event, part of the Michigan Cup Series, was sponsored by the Presque Isle County Tourism Council and several other community businesses.

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