Karl Danielson, a 2018 graduate of Kenai Central High School who currently skis for the University of Alaska Fairbanks, led the Kenai Peninsula at Besh Cup racing at Government Peak at Hatcher Pass on Saturday and Sunday.
The Anchorage Daily News reported the two days of racing included five 2018 Olympians, four 2018 World Junior medalists and three 2018 NCAA All-Americans. Besh Cup racing is used to determine Team Alaska for the Junior Nationals. Junior Nationals will be March 10 to 16, 2019, at Kincaid Park in Anchorage.
In Saturday’s 15-kilometer interval start classic for Under-18 skiers and above, Gus Schumacher took the win in 43 minutes, 23.11 seconds. Schumacher was on a U.S. relay team that won a silver medal at the World Junior Championships in February 2018.
Danielson finished 31st in the race at 51:24.55, while Soldotna High School’s Jeremy Kupferschmid was 64th in 59:51.97 and SoHi teammate Bradley Walters was 65th in 59:59.74. The women’s 10-kilometer classic interval start for Under-18 and above was won by Rosie Frankowski in 32:28.01. Frankowski skied for the United States in February’s Winter Olympics.
In Sunday’s 10-kilometer freestyle start for Under-18 and above, Schumacher won again at 26:17.07. Danielson was 30th at 30:50.60, while Kupferschmid was 64th at 35:46.70 and Walters was 72nd at 39:09.00.
The women did a five-kilometer freestyle and Olympic skier and 2018 Mount Marathon Race champion Jessica Yeaton took that race in 14:47.25.
Besh Cup 3 and 4 are scheduled for Jan. 19 and 20, 2019, at Tsalteshi Trails.
