SNOW! was the operative word on January 9th at Onondaga County's Highland Forest. There was snow, and plenty of it, on the ground and in the air, for the 2nd ESG Ski-O qualifier of the season, a welcome delight after cancellation, postponement, and marginal conditions experienced so far. On the other hand, the heavy snowfall caused some delay in travelling to and from the event.
Since the park provides no grooming operation, early skiers faced the challenge of unbroken kilometers, and later racers had the additional consideration whether to follow someone's tracks or take a fresh, untrampled trail. However, the air and snow temperatures were pleasant in the upper 20's F, and a warm bundle wood shed with electric light and adequate number of tables was provided.
The event director is grateful to all 28 orienteers who made the long trip to Fabius, and especially to those whose unsolicited assistance helped to keep things to running smoothly: Mary Smith recording times, Ann Leonard preparing hot drinks, Owen Baird, Heather Barker, Rick and Dayle Lavine picking up controls.
Courses:
Blue, 15K, 9 controls
Red, 9.5K, 7 controls
Green, 6.8K, 4 controls
Orange, 4K, 5 controls
Key: * = ESG Qualifier
Blue Course, 15K
Men Open:
1 *Scott Pleban 82:51 AOK, Old Forge 2 *Owen Baird 86:13 CNYO, Holland Patent 3 *Steve Halasz 100:24 (unaffiliated), Ithaca 4 *Mike Olson 103:23 CNYO, Vestal 5 *Eric Smith 141:08 CNYO, Freeville 6 *Eric Hamilton 154:58 EMPO, Clifton Park 7 *Chris Kvam 158:25 (unaffiliated), Clifton Park 8 *Charles Leonard 167:11 CNYO, Freeville
Men Masters:
1 *Mike Skelly 121:54 CNYO, Manlius 2 *Phil Hawkes-Teeter 122:24 EMPO, Berne 3 *Aims Coney 147:28 (unaffiliated), Blue Mountain Lake 4 *Rick Lavine 156:47 ROC, Rochester 5 *Tob DeBoer 171:07 CNYO, Ithaca 6 *Ed Kobos 171:32 CNYO, New Hartford
Red Course, 9.5K
Women Open:
1 Michelle Hoyt 80:58 (unaffiliated), Goldsboro, NC 2 *Ann Leonard 88:40 CNYO, Freeville 3 *Dayle Lavine 91:05 ROC, Rochester 4 *Mary Smith 102:00 CNYO, Freeville 5 *Heather Barker 113:28 CNYO, Ithaca
Women Masters:
1 *Kathy Bannister 125:25 ROC, Gainesville
Green Course, 6.8K
Women Scholastic:
1 *Melissa George 106:48 EMPO, Clifton Park
Men Scholastic:
1 *Matt George 62:45 EMPO, Clifton Park 2 *Sean Kobos 72:50 CNYO, New Hartford *Michael George DNF EMPO, Clifton Park
Group:
1 Stein Rimehaug, 105:53 CNYO, Syracuse Joe Sexton, (unaffiliated), Syracuse Alison Mazzette (unaffiliated), Syracuse
Orange Course, 4.0
1 Louise Cook 105:50 ROC, Churchville
Barb Sleight