Winter Break in Maine

Happy New Year!  We're right on the verge of starting up again with team training - for now, here's an update from Riley:

After coming home from Craftsbury, where the Millers graciously housed a large portion of the team, I was able to train with my brother Spencer Eusden ’12, who just flew in from California for the holidays. The snow was super hard-packed and fast because of the ice storm, but fortunately there was enough base that some places were still open. I skied at Bethel Inn until there was enough snow from the big storm to ski elsewhere. I also have frequently been going to Robert’s Farm, a groomed trail system 15 minutes from my house.

My brother and I getting in from a late ski session.

Robert’s Farm is a brand new cross country trail system as of a few years ago and was funded and put together by the local land trust. They provide snowshoes and skis for anyone to use for free. The trail grooming is all done by volunteers. 

The land trust was able to come up with a very good selection of equipment for people.

Additionally, they put on a race on Saturday: 6k freestyle biathlon. The shooting was from 15 feet away and the guns were air powered. The SMBC (Southern Maine Biathlon Club) provided the equipment and instruction.

Here are some people shooting during the race. Some of the guns were pump powered an others had a gas canister attached, which made faster reloading. Time was deducted if you had to use a pump-action gun.

The race was a mass start! Spencer and I were the fastest skiers in a small field of recreational skiers. The format was three laps of 2k with a five shots after the first and second laps. I held with Spencer easily for the first lap but unfortunately I missed a shot during the first round of shooting, whereas he shot five clean. My penalty lap made it hard to catch up with him. I shot too fast during the second round trying to catch up and missed three! Spencer did not miss any and beat me by 2 minutes.

            Spencer was asked at least five times if he was going to the Olympics. I tried not to smile too hard. He had on his new Far West gear with all their sponsors showing so he looked pretty flashy. He did make a point in that spurring their enthusiasm about a potential Olympic athlete only encourages people’s excitement in the sport!