XC Junior Olympics: Photo finishes in CL races

Less than two seconds separated the top three OJ boys at Friday's 15 km classic race at the 2008 Junior Olympics. Three Alaskans scored their second golds of the week: Amy Glen, Scott Peterson and Becca Rorabaugh.
LESS THAN two seconds separated the top three OJ boys at Friday's 15 km classic race at the 2008 Junior Olympics. Three Alaskans scored their second golds of the week: Amy Glen, Scott Peterson and Becca Rorabaugh.
    Three OJ boys came into the stadium together, with Reese Hanneman won by 1.5 seconds over Noah Hoffman. Max Treinen finished third, just 1.7 seconds back.
    The boys J1 race presented almost a carbon copy, but with four skiers involved. Eric Packer scored a 2.9-second victory over David Norris. Andrew Dougherty and Lex Treinan were 3.0 and 4.7 seconds back, respectively.
    In the girls OJ race, Becca Rorabaugh won by 0.8 seconds over Wednesday's champ, Mali Noyes. Parker Tyler from New England took third. In the girls J1, Amy Glen won her second gold medal, beating Sophie Caldwell by about 10 seconds. Jessie Diggins was third, 28 seconds back.
    Scott Patterson of Anchorage won his second gold medal of the week in the boys J2 category, beating his Alaska teammate Eric Ryan by about 15 seconds. Logan Hanneman of Fairbanks made it an Alaska podium sweep by taking third.
    Joanne Reid from the Far West and New England’s Elizabeth Anderson emerged from the Kincaid tunnel together, but Reid hammered home on the straight, double-poling for a 1.7 second victory. Kinsey Loan of Alaska was third, just 2.3 seconds back from Reid.
    Conditions at Kincaid were fast with the course in excellent shape. The jury’s decision to switch the freestyle and classic races turned out to be the right move, as colder temperatures the last two nights allowed groomers to prepare both the course and stadium.