Utopia

The team had been away from Alaska for the past week, and I couldn't stand to be apart from them any longer so I boarded a jet and flew a few thousand miles to join them here in Utah.

Above the western desert.

Utopia?  No, just Utah.  Salt Lake City.

The coaches agreed to let me stay at the team hotel if I would agree to carry their bags and wax some skis.  Apparently the first choice for ski tech, Andrew's daughter Sylvie, was left home so there was an opening for me.

I hear Sylvie's been working on some innovative new methods for preparing skis.

It was immediately obvious to me when I arrived that we weren't in Alaska any more.  Davis pointed out a strange yellow object in the sky, the likes of which I did not recognize (though vaguely familiar), and reassured me with the words, "Don't be afraid, it's just the sun."

• Étienne and Lucky

Hypothermia was not a concern.

Today, we had our first RMISA (Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association) race of the year, which also happened to be the US National Championships and Olympic Team qualifying races.

Marine won her first NCAA college race ever this morning, a 10km individual start classic race!  She was ninth overall in the national championship event, and when the RMISA results were segregated out, she won the RMISA race and was the second-best American college woman, behind Anja Gruber from University of Vermont (EISA).  Congratulations, Marine!  Full results are available here:  Link to US Nationals Results

Synnøve wanted to cheer for her teammate Marine (on the right in the frame) before going to the start.  This photo captures the exact moment when Synnove realized she had only about 90 seconds to get to the starting gate. I appreciated the team spirit!

Mackenzie at the base of Hermod's Hill.  That's Synnøve ahead in the distance.

Marine debriefing Nicole after winning her first college race.

Post-race; Mackenzie, Pati, Synnøve, Nicole

Davis

Andrew Arnold at the base of Hermod's Hill.

• Étienne