RESULTS: Patterson and Vanais win Frosty Freestyle

Wed, Jan  14, 2015 - By Mike Muha

The 6th Annual REI Frosty Freestyle lived up to its name, with temperatures just above zero and a bit of a breeze blowing. Racers bundled up in extra layers and balaclavas. Course conditions were excellent, with a base of man-made snow covered by a mix of man-made and natural snow. The skate lane was firm but with a soft top for getting a good edge. A classic track was set along the right side or the trail. Although new snow covered the natural snow trails at Huron Meadows Metropark, it was not deep enough for the race. Fortunately, the man-made snow trail, Buck's Run, was lengthened this year from 1.2km to 2.25km (with a new hill added), reducing congestion on the race course.

All photos by Mark Irish, Huron Meadows Metropark

15K Frosty Freestyle

The 15K Frosty Freestyle started at 10:30am and consisted of six laps around a 2.25 km loop, for an actual distance of 13.5k. (Six laps was enough to keep track of in your head...)

Kaitlyn Patterson fought off Erica O'Hearn to take first in the Women's 15k Skate, 46:08 to 46:38. Rebecca Davis took third in 48:43.

The Men's 15K Skate was closely contested, with a pack of men sharing the lead through the first five laps. Alex Vanais (fresh from racing at the US Cross Country Ski Championships) pulled away on the last lap to win in 38:44. Local skier Daniel Yankus was 8 seconds back in 38:52 for second, with former Michigan Tech ski team member Jay Woodbeck in third in 38:56.  (Jay was later heard to say, "I didn't realize there were so many fast skiers down here in the Lower Peninsula!").

In the 15K Classic division, Gwenn Stevensen was the first women in 1:39:18. Daniel Trepod was the top male in 1:06:28, followed by Adam Dares and Jeffrey Hess in 1:13:30 and 1:15:34.

For Michigan Cup points, the skate and classic skiers were combined into a "Freestyle" category.

5K Frosty Freestyle

The 5K event started at noon, after the 15K race finished, so that newer racers would have less contention on the race course. The 5K event was also a Michigan Cup points race for juniors, and a Michigan Cup Fun Series Race for seniors (seniors racing the 5K received 10 Michigan Cup points). Skiers raced two laps for an actual distance of 4.5K.

In a sweep of Ann Arborites, Erica Prombro was the 5K Women's Skate champion in 17:40. Sara Nestor took second in 18:21, with Emily Fisher third in 20:08.

Peter Shambaugh was the top 5K Skate Male in 16:16, just edging out Matt Villaha by 1 second. Willliam Schneider was third in 17:23.

In the 5K classic division, Kari Alsages, Jennifer Bruns, and Lea Maurer topped the podium in 32:45, 45:04 and 44:15.

For the men, the top three 5K Classic skiers were Tom Wernette, Eric Dancey and, in the 80 year old and older age class, Marvin Stevenson, in 29:22, 37:20, and 46:21.

Frosty the Snowman also raced, unofficially, in the 5K. Many skiers found him tough to beat! 

Full results below Frosty. Oh, and many more photos by Mark Irish at https://www.flickr.com/photos/125884958@N02/.

5K Frosty Freestyle Results

5K Classic Men
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Tom Wernette	Holland MI	Winner	52	1	29:22
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Kevin Waldi	Shelby Township	30 to 39	36	5	56:54
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Eric Dancey	Ann Arbor MI	40 to 49	48	2	37:20
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	George Stengren	Mount Pleasant	50 to 59	56	4	49:07
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Marvin Stevenson	Rochester Hills MI	80+	80	3	46:21
5k Classic Women
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Kari Alsages	Ypsilanti MI	Winner	26	1	32:45
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Lea Maurer	Ann Arbor MI	30 to 39	38	3	45:04
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Jennifer Bruns	Troy	40 to 49	42	2	44:16
5k Skate Men
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Peter Shambaugh	Ann Arbor MI	Winner	15	1	16:16
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Ethan Gibb-Randall	Ann Arbor MI	12 to 13	12	9	23:56
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	William Schneider	Solon OH	14 to 15	15	3	17:23
2	Colin Wadsworth	Avon Lake OH	14 to 15	15	4	18:57
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Matt Villaha	Minneapolis MN	18 to 19	18	2	16:17
2	Benjamin Jepson	Ann Arbor MI	18 to 19	19	6	22:22
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Dave Reppeal	Brighton MI	40 to 49	46	8	23:29
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Tim Faas	Farmington MI	50 to 59	52	5	19:23
2	Tim Mulhall	Novi MI	50 to 59	55	7	22:49
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Bruce Freeburger	Roseville MI	60 to 69	63	10	30:08
5k Skate Women
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Erica Pombro	Ann Arbor MI	Winner	20	1	17:40
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Gwen Wright	Cleveland OH	14 to 15	14	4	22:31
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Emily Fisher	Ann Arbor MI	18 to 19	18	3	20:08
2	Madeleine Somers	Burlingame CA	18 to 19	18	5	23:41
3	Laurel Wellman	Applegate MI	18 to 19	18	7	25:40
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Sara Nestor	Ann Arbor MI	20 to 29	27	2	18:21
2	Ann Armstrong	Albion MI	20 to 29	20	8	32:30
3	Kari Neier	Ann Arbor MI	20 to 29	27	9	37:28
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Ceri Faas	Farmington MI	50 to 59	50	6	24:55

15K Frosty Freestyle Results

15k Classic Men
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Daniel Trepod	Royal Oak MI	Winner	3	1	1:06:28
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Jeffrey Hess	Royal Oak MI	30 to 39	36	3	1:15:34
2	Ken Kelbert	Royal Oak MI	30 to 39	35	6	1:32:04
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Adam Dares	Northville MI	40 to 49	47	2	1:13:30
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Phillip Wadsworth	Avon Lake OH	50 to 59	58	5	1:23:05
2	David Dodd	New Baltimore MI	50 to 59	55	7	1:48:54
3	Ali Turfe	Ann Arbor MI	50 to 59	51	8	2:34:34
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	John Koski	Dearborn MI	60 to 69	64	4	1:16:52
15k Classic Women
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Gwenn Stevenson	Oxford MI	Winner	48	1	1:39:18
15K Skate Men
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Alex Vanias	Leroy MI	Winner		1	38:44
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Jay Woodbeck	Cohoctah MI	20 to 29	23	3	38:56
2	Philip Tosteson	Ann Arbor MI	20 to 29	23	5	39:31
3	Scott Hoffner	Milford MI	20 to 29	23	13	46:57
4	Michael Davis	Homer	20 to 29	23	17	48:41
5	Dan Polasky	Ann Arbor	20 to 29	24	18	49:26
6	Kevin Isane	Ann Arbor MI	20 to 29	23	34	54:03
7	Greg Brown	Grand Blanc MI	20 to 29	22	36	54:47
8	Josh Novacheck	Ann Arbor MI	20 to 29	27	40	55:58
9	James Saraideridis	Ann Arbor MI	20 to 29	25	47	1:00:14
10	Gale Westcott	Ann Arbor MI	20 to 29	24	60	1:17:58
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Daniel Yankus	Milford MI	30 to 39	33	2	38:52
2	John O'Hearn	Traverse City MI	30 to 39	34	6	40:41
3	Scott Ries	South Lyon MI	30 to 39	36	15	47:49
4	Guillaume Girard	Lansing	30 to 39	34	23	50:53
5	Ryan Darnton	Ann Arbor MI	30 to 39	33	44	57:39
6	Bradley Plummer	Essexville MI	30 to 39	30	49	1:02:17
7	Todd Bolton	Canton	30 to 39	39	62	1:22:02
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Chris Strahm	Stratford	40 to 49	42	7	42:03
2	Stephen Smigiel	Ada MI	40 to 49	49	8	44:23
3	Glenn Goodman	Bellaire MI	40 to 49	48	10	45:45
4	Dave Fanslow	Ann Arbor MI	40 to 49	47	14	46:57
5	Theo Vonwallmenich	Alma MI	40 to 49	44	29	51:56
6	Steve Clark	Perrysburg OH	40 to 49	49	56	1:12:21
7	Khalil Raffoul	Temperance MI	40 to 49	49	57	1:15:05
8	Brad Plymale	Northville MI	40 to 49	46	61	1:20:10
9	Anthony Bruley	Bloomfield Hills MI	40 to 49	45	63	1:33:16
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Milan Baic	Williamsburg MI	50 to 59	55	4	39:19
2	James Beebe	Grand Haven MI	50 to 59	54	9	45:19
3	Jonathan Morgan	Milford MI	50 to 59	50	11	46:20
4	Douglas Cornell	Corunna MI	50 to 59	55	16	48:13
5	Julian Kuz	Ada MI	50 to 59	50	19	49:47
6	Jim Pryor Jr.	Saginaw MI	50 to 59	56	20	50:03
7	Valarian Kanaby	Bad Axe	50 to 59	53	21	50:28
8	John Britton	Zanesfield OH	50 to 59	52	22	50:29
9	Bruce Barton	Homer MI	50 to 59	57	24	50:55
10	Scott Baker	Bay City	50 to 59	52	25	51:19
11	Blair Zordell	Berrien Springs	50 to 59	54	28	51:41
12	Mike Temkin	Troy MI	50 to 59	51	30	53:00
13	Anthony Percha	Walled Lake MI	50 to 59	55	31	53:28
14	Bob Triebold	South Bend IN	50 to 59	51	32	53:28
15	Jeffois Moore	Northville MI	50 to 59	58	35	54:41
16	Devan Thielfoldt	Troy MI	50 to 59	58	37	54:48
17	Ken Roth	Northville MI	50 to 59	50	39	54:57
18	Tim Cook	Freeland MI	50 to 59	51	43	57:29
19	Mark Madorski	Leonard MI	50 to 59	57	45	57:58
20	Rick Neier	Tawas City MI	50 to 59	57	48	1:00:14
21	John McKeon	Swartz Creek MI	50 to 59	54	51	1:07:53
22	Mark Smith	Clinton Township MI	50 to 59	51	53	1:10:31
23	Rex Donahey	Farmington Hills MI	50 to 59	59	54	1:11:19
24	Dale Ernst	Sandusky MI	50 to 59	51	55	1:12:14
25	Greg Worrel	Southfield MI	50 to 59	59	58	1:16:46
26	Douglas Ball	Linden MI	50 to 59	56	59	1:17:12
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Don Camp	Grand Haven MI	60 to 69	62	12	46:55
2	Robin Luce	Farwell MI	60 to 69	63	26	51:19
3	William Kaltz	Pinckney MI	60 to 69	67	27	51:19
4	Steve Smigiel	Ada MI	60 to 69	69	33	53:48
5	Randy Kessler	Milford MI	60 to 69	60	38	54:49
6	Daniel Nolan	Holland MI	60 to 69	63	41	56:14
7	Lee Ries	Howell MI	60 to 69	66	42	56:57
8	Frank Rynalski	Bay City MI	60 to 69	60	46	59:45
9	Spencer Ruffner	Tecumseh MI	60 to 69	63	50	1:06:21
10	Richard Proctor	Ann Arbor MI	60 to 69	69	52	1:08:34
11	Larry Mergentime	Ortonville MI	60 to 69	63	64	1:37:29
12	Richard Wells	Hamtramck MI	60 to 69	69	65	1:46:18
15k Skate Women
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Kaitlyn Patterson	Cadillac MI	Winner	24	1	46:08
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Abby Potts	Ann Arbor MI	18 to 19	18	4	53:31
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Rebecca Davis	Homer MI	20 to 29	24	3	48:43
2	Samantha Barton	Homer MI	20 to 29	22	7	1:01:46
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Erica O'Hean	Traverse City MI	30 to 39	31	2	46:38
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Cheryl Darnton	Ann Arbor MI	40 to 49	47	5	53:58
2	Mary Dorazio	Whitmore Lake	40 to 49	46	9	1:16:40
3	Lavirnia True-Raffoul		40 to 49	49	10	1:19:25
4	Leigh Whetstone	Whittemore MI	40 to 49	41	11	1:59:02
Place	Name	City	Age Class	Age	Overall	Total Time
1	Karen Dawson	Farmington MI	60 to 69	61	6	58:54
2	Catherine Susan	Ann Arbor MI	60 to 69	60	8	1:04:35