Jackson Randonee
Jackson Hole, Wyoming -After climbing and skiing 6,000 vertical feet in just over two hours, including Corbet's Couloir, only seconds separated the top three competitors in the Marmot North American Championship ski mountaineering event, held in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Ethan Passant of the Crested Butte Ski Patrol claimed first place with a very fast time of 2hours 3 minutes and 16 seconds. Brendan O'Neill, of Jackson Hole was just six seconds behind and third place finisher, Greg Hill of Revelstoke, Canada was just 27 seconds behind Passant.
O'Neill had won the Crested Butte event on Passant's own hill and Passant returned the favor in Jackson Hole. Hill was the winner of the Whistler, Canada race in January. "All of the top dog's, the best backcountry skiers in North America were here to compete in the most difficult ski mountaineering competition in North America," stated John Scott Executive Vice-President of Life-Link Backcountry Travel, the organizers of the race series.
Fourth place was taken by Chris Kroger of the Jackson Hole Ski Patrol which earned him enough points to claim the overall series title. Toti Bes of Spain, who won the event last year and was ranked sixth in the world in 2003, came in fifth this year.
O'Neill claimed second place in the overall race series standings despite missing two races while racing a World Cup race and the World Championships, both held in Europe and Passant came in third overall.
Jeannie Wall of Bozeman, Montana won the women's racing event in a time of 2 hours, 22 minutes and 4 seconds. Wall placed fourth in the recent World Cup event held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Second was claimed by Monique Merrill of Breckenridge, Colorado. Heather Paul of Jackson Hole who won the overall women's title last year placed third.
The women's racing winner of the Life-Link/Dynafit Randonnee Rally Race Series was Polly Samuels of Park City, Utah. Second was taken by Wall and Merrill placed third in the overall series standings.
As the final stop of the 2004 Race Series the Jackson event was the most challenging of all especially with the addition of the Corbet's Couloir climb. "It's the hardest race of the series for sure," said O'Neill. "It was very similar to the European races, but the major difference was that there was more boot packing here." "This race for me was the hardest because it was such a close race and so closely contested. You had to hammer the whole way or you were going to be left behind. The finish was the most difficult of any race in the series."
Sponsoring the series are: Marmot, Couloir Magazine, Suunto, Mountain Hardwear, Buff Headwear, Backcountry Magazine, Petzl, Cloudveil, Off-Piste Magazine, Croakies, Breckenridge Brewery, Daggers Sunglasses, Cliff Bar, Arc'teryx, Avalanche Ale, Adventure Medical Kits, Crazy Creek, Honey Stinger, Teton Brewery, and Pro Ski Service.
For more information call Claire Johnson at 800.443.8620 ext 104 or Claire@life-link.com.