NDC-Thunder Bay skiers sweep podium at men's 10K event in Quebec

MONT SAINTE-ANNE, Que. -- National Development Centre-Thunder Bay skiers aren’t greedy – honest.

But one can excuse them for not wanting to share space atop the podium at Mont Sainte-Anne, Que., where on Saturday Bob Thompson, Andy Shields and Michael Somppi earned a 1-2-3 finish in the 10-kilometre classic race at a Haywood NorAm cross-country ski event.
Thompson edged Shields by a mere 0.2 seconds, with Somppi finishing 14.4 seconds off the pace.

“I felt very good today and was able to push through the early hills of the course,” Thompson said in a release issued by the team.

“I am very pleased to get my first NorAm win in a distances race.”

His coach was equally ecstatic.

“I am excited for our team that we swept the podium. We were close to a sweep in December when our women’s team finished first, third and fourth in a NorAm race in Alberta. It is something the team has been working together toward and today we did it,” said Timo Puiras in the same release.

In Germany, NDC-Thunder Bay’s Julian Smith was the top Canadian, finishing 33rd in the open category 10-kilometre classic race, while Sam Greer finished 50th.

Mia Serratore was 42nd in the women’s 5-kilometre event, part of the Junior B Europe Tour.