Peninsula X-C skiers compete at Besh Cup

The second Besh Cup race of the season was held Sunday at the Beach Lake Ski Trails in Eagle River. Besh Cup races are used to choose Alaska's team for the United States Skiing Association Junior Olympic National Cross Country Ski Championships and for the Arctic Winter Games.

In the girls Junior 2 race, a 5-kilometer classical race, Kendra Merkes paced all peninsula finishers with a 13th-place finish in 22 minutes, 33.9 seconds. Erika Klaar of Homer was 14th in 22:34. Becca Rorabaugh won the race in 19:05.

In the girls Junior 1-Older Junior-Open race, also a 5-kilometer classical event, Aleta Phelps of Homer paced the peninsula by finishing eighth in 18:14.9. Kelli Boonstra, who grew up in Ninilchik, was 10th in 18:20. Also from the peninsula, Elisabeth Habermann of Skyview was 23rd in 19:28 and Elisha Tarries of Skyview was 42nd in 21:27. Sarah Hansen, who skies for University of Alaska Anchorage, won in 17:19.9.

In the boys Junior 2 race, Kenai's Christopher Hall finished the 5-kilometer classical event in 19:11 to lead area skiers. Also from the peninsula, Soldotna's Max Milliron was 13th in 19:23, Kenai's Dustin Reid was 15th in 20:39, Skyview's Taylor Karnikis was 16th in 20:54 and Seward's Kipp Dixon was 24th in 23:55. Service's Patrick Johnson won the race in 16:19.9.

In the boys Junior 1-Older Junior-Open race, Soldotna graduate and UAA skier Brent Knight was third in the 10-kilometer classical event in 31:15. Todd Boonstra, who makes his summer home in Ninilchik, was fifth in 31:40.9. Also from the peninsula, Soldotna's Ryan Walton was 43rd in 35:36.9, Homer's Morgan Jones was 66th in 38:07, Soldotna graduate Daniel Harro was 69th in 38:35,

SoHi's Matthew Habermann was 70th in 38:43.9, SoHi's Spencer Litzenberger was 78th in 39:55.9, Seward's Jerry Dixon was 99th in 54:19.0 and Kasilof's Tiger Demers was 100th in 57:00.9. UAA's Eric Strabel won the race in 29:21.0.