Heidi Widmer was untouchable through her five kilometre race while Brent McMurtry returned to the top of the podium in a 10 kilometre race to win gold in the 16th annual Sharkfest at the Canmore Nordic Centre, Sunday (March 10).
Taking advantage of a technical course, Widmer sped her way to a 27-second lead over her nearest competitor, Alana Thomas (13:33.9). Widmer is traditionally a sprinter, but has worked hard to improve her distance results over the past year. She won the 55 km Canadian Ski Marathon in Edmonton in mid-February, but says her sprinting background is closer to 5 km races.
“I’ve always liked a 5 km pace. You have to be ready to go. Sometimes you blow up and have to crawl in,” Widmer said.
“I was really disappointed with my distance races last year and I worked really hard with my coaches and my teammates over the summer to get it back up to snuff.”
The twisting, rolling Sharkfest course was well-suited for Thomas, who has found her stride late in the season.
“I’m a mountain biker at heart, so it’s really fun,” Thomas said. “My strategy was to punch it off the start and try to hold on.”
The podium finish comes off a strong showing at the cross-country Western Championships in Grande Prairie, and Canadian Ski Nationals will also host a 5 km skate sprint.
“My form is coming together later in the season. I’m hoping for some top five finishes,” Thomas said.
Biathlon Alberta Training Centre Athlete Julia Ransom finished third, 28.5 seconds behind Widmer. She’s had strong results as a cross-country skier and biathlete this year. The technical course suited her well, as she managed the multiple transition area.
“It’s such a short race, you just hammer off the start and hope you don’t blow up too soon.”
Splitting her time between the two sports is something she’ll continue. She appeared in the Canmore cross-country ski World Cup and Biathlon IBU circuit this season.
“That’s what I wanted to do off the start. I started as a cross-country skier. It was only when I moved to Canmore that I thought I have to focus on biathlon in order to do both,” Ransom said.
She’ll race as a senior at ski nationals.
“I’m definitely hoping for a few podiums there,” Ransom said.
McMurtry finished more than eight seconds ahead of national biathlon team member Nathan Smith (24:10.09), as cross-country skiers and biathletes grappled throughout the variable Sharkfest course. The course shifted from glazed, fast sections to slow slogs through natural snow, creating a challenging mix for the skiers. Aaron Gillmor, another biathlete, finished third (24:45.00).
“It was pretty tough. The back section is kind of deceiving. It’s a long gradual working section and slower on the natural snow,” said McMurtry.
The men’s course was technical and lacked big climbs, which suited McMurtry, who only used his offset technique (a ski stride designed to climb hills) about 15 to 20 times over the 10 km course. Most of the Nordic Centre’s World Cup trails are full of tough climbs.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve won a ski race, so I’m happy with that,” McMurtry said.
Full results are available on zone4.ca
