Besh Cups 1 and 2 were held Saturday and Sunday at Kincaid Park in Anchorage. For juniors, Besh Cups are used to choose skiers for the Arctic Winter Games and Junior Nationals. Besh Cups also provide racing opportunities for masters skiers.
Besh Cup 1 was held Saturday and had a classic interval start format.
In the 5-kilometer, Under-16 boys event, Homer’s Ethan Styvar was 23rd in 19 minutes, 59.90 seconds, and Kenai’s Joel Moss was 37th in 27:18.10. Vebjorn Flagstad won at 15:57.80.
In the 10-kilometer event for women U18 and older, Soldotna’s Ariana Cannava was 28th in 45:18.60 and Kenai’s Emily Moss was 41st in 52.27.10. Astrid Stav of the University of Alaska Anchorage won in 34:29.60.
In the 10-kilometer event for men U18 and over, Andy Liebner, a 2001 graduate of Soldotna High School, finished 30th at 34:50, while Homer’s Jody Goodrich was 49th at 39:05.90. The win went to Thomas O’Harra of Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center at 29:50.30.
Besh Cup 2 was held Sunday and was a freestyle mass start.
In the 5-kilometer, U16 boys race, Styvar was 19th in 16:29.60. Kieran Kaufman won at 14:36.30.
In the 10-kilometer, U18 and older women’s race, Cannava was 29th in 38:20.00, Emily Moss was 33rd in 41:04.40 and Soldotna’s Danika Winslow was 41st in 52:27.40. The win went to Kendall Kramer at 29:09.30.
In the 10-kilometer, U18 and over men’s race, Liebner was 25th in 29:19.90 and Goodrich was 38th in 31:08.50. Michael Earnhart of APU won at 26:03.60.
