THUNDER BAY - Only two seconds separated Michael Somppi and Brian Gregg at the finish line, but after learning a few tricks from last year’s race, the local skier, Somppi, was able to seize his first Sleeping Giant Loppet win in the 50-kilometre freestyle.
“I skied the race last year and we had a tight finish between four guys,” Somppi said after the race. “I learned some tricks from that and had my spot where I wanted to go and it worked out that Brian didn’t attack right before that. So I had the lead going in to where I wanted to make my move and luckily I had enough in me to draw Brian.”
Somppi finished the 50-kilometre freestyle in a time of 2:11:29 during the 41st Sleeping Giant Loppet on Saturday, just edging out Gregg of Minneapolis, Minn. who finished with a time of 2:11:31.
“Brian and I were kind of head to head the entire race,” Somppi said. “It was pretty tactical. There were a few attacks, but nothing too crazy. We were very strategic racing today.”
Last year was the first time Somppi competed in the Loppet where he finished third, but he already has a number of ski titles under his belt, including 2017 Ski Nationals, the 2015 Haywood Ski Nationals, and a first place finish in the 2014-15 NorAm Series.
And there is more competition ahead, with the 2018 Ski Nationals at Lappe Ski Centre next weekend. But skiing the Loppet is not just about competing for top place finishes; it’s about the experience.
“It’s a fun event when you have a few top guys here and Brian and I will both be racing next weekend in the National Championship, so this is a good tune up for that,” he said.
The women’s top finisher was Caitlin Gregg of Minneapolis, Minn., who finished the 50-kilometre freestyle in a time of 2:22:28, handily beating out Alannah MacLean of Thunder Bay who finished in a time of 2:27:00.
“I spent the first half just trying to ski relaxed and try to conserve as much energy as possible,” Gregg said. “I did a few attacks to just kind of warm the body up and make sure I was feeling good. With about 20 kilometres to go, I put in a big surge and tried to ski as hard as I could all the way in.”
Gregg, who has raced for the United States in the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Games, is coming off another victory just last weekend, where she placed first in the 2018 American Birkebeiner in Wisconsin.
“Back to back 50ks, that’s a lot of racing,” she said. “My strategy today was just to try and be smart and not to go too hard and too soon.”
The last time Gregg raced the Loppet was in 2011, and she said she was very excited to be back at the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park to take on the amazing trails and the beautiful scenery.
“It gives me the opportunity to remember why I love doing this and it gives and it gives others opportunity to see us when we come back from world cups and Olympics or world championships and compare themselves to us and meet us and get to enjoy what we love doing, which is being outside cross-country skiing,” she said.
This year, more than 800 skiers participated in the Loppet. Peter Gallagher, coordinator of the Sleeping Giant Loppet, said this year everything just fell right into place, the weather in particular.
“With the snow that we had last weekend, it had everybody excited and the glorious weather we had all week, with the 800 skiers we have, everything is going fantastic,” he said.
“We always have a very competitive core of elite racers either local or from out of town,” Gallagher continued. “The trail is spectacular. It’s a great crowd, but it’s not crowded. Some of the other big events, it’s hard to ski because you are shoulder to shoulder with other skiers. The scenery is spectacular through the park. It’s truly tremendous and that draws in the people.”
Top three men in 50-kilometre freestyle
Michael Somppi (Thunder Bay, Ont.) – 2:11:29
Brian Gregg (Minneapolis, Minn.) – 2:11:31
Nathan Rhode Arden Hills, Minn.) – 2:25:56
Top three women in 50-kilometre freestyle
Caitlin Gregg (Minneapolis Minn.) – 2:22:31
Alannah MacLean (Thunder Bay, Ont.) – 2:27:00
Brook Latimer (Thunder Bay, Ont.) – 2:35:53
