It was a perfect, calm blue-sky-fresh-tracks kinda day and HURT high school racers sported their high school unies and battled it for individual and team honors. Emma Underwood led the charge for the varsity girls and Ben Anderson skied to the top spot in the boys 3K skate loop. Seth Mares, Matt Forshey, Patrick Brodrick, Sarah Duclos, Amy Duclos, Brian Chrzan and Ethan Katz all had strong laps and a good performance to build on.
Noticeably absent from the first race were HURT tough guys, Brian Halligan (who was TEARING IT UP biathlon-style in Minnesota!...3rd place!!), Austin Huneck (don't ask...something with a chainsaw) and "Always a Director" Huneck (Aaron, our best wishes for a speedy recovery from the HURT family).
The biggest news in HURT nation was the formation of "HURT Winter-Academy-Of-Kicka##iness" with it's first ever showing in a NY high school race. The sorting hat had spoken and has placed MIKEY HALLIGAN confidently at the helm of this newly formed HS race team. He shows some serious development potential and flies around on his Madshus skis like H.Potter on his dust mop. Having enrolled in Spa Catholic (a school with a one person nordic program....mikey) the HURT board of Director's felt like Halligan would be a perfect fit for the new academy. And he had his brother's old uniform. And that fit too. It also works out the due to his top quality and unique education at Spa Catholic he will have a deeper understanding of suffering, sacrifice, pain, begging for mercy and overall hurt than most young skiers. It should all bode well for young Halligan.
Keep an eye out for all our up-n-comers as the season moves on.
The OPEN/MASTERS Team get their shot on Jan 1st in Old Forge.....stay tuned.
Smiling faces on a perfect nordic day
Wise choice...She is a heck of a lot safer than a chainsaw...I think.
