Skiers excel at Besh Cup events

Skyview High School's Jacob Fellman led a contingent of peninsula cross-country skiers at the first Besh Cup competitions of the season Friday and Saturday.

Fellman skied to a second-place finish in Friday's 1-kilometer freestyle sprint heats in the Junior 1/Older Junior bracket at Kincaid Park in Anchorage. Fellman was ranked fourth overall for his efforts.

Sprints are not typical of Besh Cup competition, but race organizers opted for the format to make the most of available snow at Kincaid. Qualifying heats took place in the morning with elimination quarterfinals, semifinals and finals in the afternoon.

Nikiski's Zach Hall was 12th in the J1/OJ competition, followed by Skyview's Adam Tressler in 13th and Soldotna's Andy Liebner and Brent Knight in the 14th and 15th spots, respectively.

Homer's Ida Martin finished fourth in the girls J1/OJ race. Skyview's Amy Lambe finished 12th in the event.

Martin was the top peninsula finisher in Saturday's 5-kilometer classic event at Beach Lake Trails in Chugiak, completing the course in 16 minutes, 13.7 seconds to finish seventh. Lambe was just behind, taking the eighth spot in 16:16.4. Kenai's Mary Krusen crossed the line in 20th place with a time of 18:00.6.

Homer's Casey Watson took 10th in the boys J1/OJ race with a time of 14:04.4. Knight was 15th in the event with a time of 14:17.4, followed by Fellman in 16th in 14:20.8. Hall was 19th in 14:23.1 and Kenai's Greg Landua finished 20th in 14:24.3.

Besh Cup results are used to determine Alaska's representatives to Junior Olympic competitions.

The next races are scheduled for the Kenai Peninsula. The freestyle races will take place on Jan. 20 at the McNeill Canyon Trails in Homer while the classic races will be at Tsalteshi Trails behind Skyview High School on Jan. 21.

Besh Cup No. 1

Friday at Kincaid Park, Anchorage

Freestyle Sprint Format

Boys/Men

Junior 1/Older Junior (1 kilometer) -- 2. Jacob Fellman, Skyview; 12. Zach Hall, Nikiski; 13. Adam Tressler, Skyview; 14. Andy Liebner, Soldotna; 15. Brent Knight, Soldotna; 17. Casey Watson, Homer; 18. Orion Berryman, Homer (UNH); 26. Greg Landua, Kenai; 27. Andrew Peters, Homer; 28. Dominick Lemas, Seward (UAA); 31. Daniel Harro, Soldotna; 34. Michael Penland, Soldotna (Air Force); 40. Eric Nyce, Kenai; David Hernandez, Soldotna.

Junior 2 (1 kilometer) -- 8. Jordan Engel, Kenai.

Girls/Women

Junior 1/Older Junior (1 kilometer) -- 4. Ida Martin, Homer; 12. Amy Lambe, Skyview; 34. Mary Krusen, Kenai; 39. Wendy Wiles, Kenai.

Junior 2 (1 kilometer) -- 8. Stephanie Lambe, Skyview; 13. Heather Strutz, Homer; 21. Rachel Goldstein, Soldotna.

Besh Cup No. 2

Saturday at Beach Lake Trails, Chugiak

Classic

Boys/Men

Junior 1/Older Junior (5 kilometers) -- 10. Casey Watson, Homer, 14:04.4; 15. Brent Knight, Soldotna, 14:17.4; Jacob Fellman, Skyview, 14:20.8; Orion Berryman, Homer (UNH), 14:22.2; 19. Zachary Hall, Nikiski, 14:23.1; 20. Greg Landua, Kenai, 14:24.3; 23. Adam Tressler, Skyview, 14:41.7; 26. Andy Liebner, Soldotna, 14:56.6; 27. Eric Nyce, Kenai, 14:57.3; 28. Dominick Lemas, Seward (UAA), 14:58.2; 29. Daniel Harro, Soldotna, 15:03.4; 43. Andrew Peters, Homer, 16:21.4; 47. Michael Penland, Soldotna (Air Force), 16:58.5; 49. David Hernandez, Soldotna, 17:05.2.

Junior 2 (5 kilometers) -- 9. Jordan Engel, Kenai, 16:07.3.

Girls/Women

Junior 1/Older Junior (5 kilometers) -- 7. Ida Martin, homer, 16:13.7; 8. Amy Lambe, Skyview, 16:16.4; 20. Mary Krusen, Kenai, 18:00.6; 30. Wendy Wiles, Kenai, 19:24.1.

Junior 2 (5 kilometers) -- 11. Stephanie Lambe, Skyview, 18:30.5; 13. Heather Strutz, Homer, 18:46.9.