RUMFORD — The North Yarmouth Academy boys and Merriconeag girls of New Gloucester each had four skiers finish in the top 10 in the Nordic classical championship at Black Mountain on Monday.

NYA was led by Ian Moore, who finished first in 12 minuts, 58.6 seconds and scored 18 points to lead Merriconeag by 17.

Zoe and Emeli Chance-Donahue led the Merriconeag girls, finishing first and second, respectively. Merriconeag finished 19 points, ahead of Fort Kent, which is second with 43. Zoe Chance-Donahue won with a time of 16:05.2.

The Class C skiing championships will continue today with the freestyle competition at Black Mountain and the giant slalom competition at Mt. Abram in Greenwood.

Monmouth Academy sophomore Dylan Thombs finished 10th in the boys classical race with a time of 14:51.6. Winthrop junior Aaron St. Pierre, meanwhile, finished 22nd with a time of 15:53.8.

Thombs had skied the Black Mountain course a number of times this season and knew how to attack the rugged hills that dot the difficult course.

“I felt strong the entire way,” Thombs said. “I felt really good on the hills, I knew when they were coming and maintained my focus.”

Said St. Pierre: “I really tried to double pole the small hills, it was more push as hard as you can for me, St. Pierre said. “This turned out to be my best race of the year.”

Wax was a key factor on the icy course for the girls, who raced at the warmest time of the day.

Monmouth freshman Becki Bryant was the top local finisher, coming in 20th with a time of 19:42.9.

“I was hoping my wax would be good and it was perfect,” Monmouth Academy freshman Becki Bryant said. “I went out on the course with the attitude I was going to push as hard as I could to find out what I needed to do to get better.”

Winthrop sophomore Rachel Ingram finished 21st in 20:00.3.

“This was a tough course today,” Ingram said. “I got really tired but I had my best time of the year.”

 

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