An all-star cast battled for supremacy in the men’s finals of a Besh Cup sprint cross-country ski race Saturday at Kincaid Park.
Erik Bjornsen, a two-time Olympian back in Anchorage after spending the last few weeks on the World Cup circuit, won the race by beating a field that included another Olympain plus three skiers who have won medals at the World Junior Championships.
Finishing second and third respectively were Luke Jager and Gus Schumacher, teammates on the relay team that captured the gold medal for the United States at the 2019 World Junior Championships last season.
Fourth place went to 2018 Olympian Tyler Kornfield and fifth place went to Hunter Wonders, who teamed up with Jager and Schumacher to win the silver medal at the 2018 World Juniors.
Sixth place went to Forrest Mahlen, who is part of the Alaska Pacific University nordic program. All of the skiers in the finals train with APU except Schumacher, who trains with the Alaska Winter Stars.
The women’s final was a showcase of past and present Fairbanks skiers, who finished 1-2-3.
Mariel Pulles of Estonia, who skis for UAF, won the race ahead of second-place Kendall Kramer of West Valley High and third-place Becca Rorabaugh, who raced for West Valley in high school but lives in Anchorage now and trains with APU.
Helen Wilson of Eagle River placed fourth, Adrianna Proffitt of Chugiak was fifth and Caroline Brisbois of APU was sixth.
Besh Cup racing continues Sunday at Kincaid Park with an interval-start race beginning at 11 a.m.
Women’s A final
1) Mariel Merlii Pulles, 2) Kendall Kramer, 3) Becca Rorabaugh, 4) Helen Wilson, 5) Adrianna Proffitt, 6) Caroline Brisbois.
Women’s B final
1) Anna Darnell, 2) Annie Gonzales 3) Maggie Druckenmiller, 4) Abigail Haas, 5) Quincy Donley, 6) Alison Arians.
Men’s A final
1) Erik Bjornsen, 2) Luke Jager, 3) Gus Schumacher, 4) Tyler Kornfield, 5) Hunter Wonders, 6) Forrest Mahlen.
Men’s B final
1) Espen Persen, 2) Zanden McMullen, 3) Mike Ophoff, 4) Christopher Kalev, 5) Thomas O’Harra, 6) Michael Earnhart.