In the final race of her high school skiing career, Abby Mace trailed the leader by more than 20 seconds with 1 kilometer to go. In the midst of a blizzard which created ice conditions, Mace staged a furious rally and won the Class B state title in the classical race

“That race was a defining moment in her season and career,” Maranacook Nordic coach Steve DeAngelis said. “It was a brutal race for the girls in Presque Isle, as fresh wet snow made waxing a nightmare and the entire field struggled with icing skis. It was a remarkable race.”

Mace capped a perfect season with the win, adding that title to a state title in the freestyle competition and Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference titles in both events.

For her outstanding season, Mace has been named the Kennebec Journal Girls Nordic Skier of the Year. Teammates Adrian Huntington and Caroline Colan were also considered.

“I picked up the pace over the last kilometer,” Mace said, remembering her win the Class B classical. “I did ice up and had to work hard to keep it off. When I found out I won, I was so satisfied.”

Mace, one of the top distance runners in the state, struggled at times during the cross country season and had doubts about how she would fare during the ski season. Early season success helped Mace regain her confidence.

“Coming into the (winter) season I didn’t have the spark mentally, I had lost my edge,” she said. “I did well in the first couple of races and my confidence got a big boost.”

By the end of the season, Mace was in top form. She won the conference freestyle title by 23 seconds and the classical title by nearly two minutes.

“I was really happy with the way everything turned out,” Mace said. “I couldn’t of been happier, I tried to keep it fun and positive.”

Mace, who will run cross country and track at the University of Connecticut next fall, showed great leaderhip, according to DeAngelis.

“Abby showed again why she is a top-notch athlete. She knew this was going to be her last competitive ski season as she would going off to college to run, so she made a decision to go out with her best possible effort this year,” DeAngelis concluded. “In the past, Abby could do very well in Nordic racing because she has such a great motor. This year, she worked tirelessly on her technique and became a much better skier. With her improved technique supplementing her aerobic capacity, she was unstoppable.”

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