Syracuse.com - Sunny Sunday makes for good day of snowshoe racing at Highland Forest

[HuntingNY-News]

See photo slideshow and video. Three races were held, with participants given the option to race or walk. The races included a 5K, a 10K and a 1K fun run/walk for the youngsters. Watch video

Whether you were racing or just out walking the courses, it was a great day Sunday to snowshoe at Highland Forest.

Three races were held, with participants given the option to race or walk. The races included a 5K, a 10K and a 1K fun run/walk for the youngsters.

The weather for the races -- 32 degrees and sunny -- was "perfect", said Chary Griffin, the event's director. "I'll take a day like today any day."

There were 16 participants in the 10K race; 31 in the 5K and six in the fun run, Griffin said.

The male and female winners in the 10K were Cole Crosby of Cortland, with a time of 50:34, and Shannon Cutting, of Hamilton, finishing at 1:00:06.

Scott Sears, of Clay, was the top male competitor in the 5K, running 32:05; with Rachel Jones, of Fairport, taking the women's category with her 33:53.

Eight-year-old Willam Olson of Cazenovia, N.Y. won the 1K fun run/walk, finishing in 12 minutes.

Anyone could participate in these races, Griffin said. Many of the racers rented snowshoes from Highland Forest, and Griffin and one of her sponsors lent out their collections of snowshoes to racers as well.

Racers in the 5K and 10K race could qualify for the national snowshoe teams, said Griffin. There is an elaborate set of snowshoe rules for national qualification, she said, but all the winners and several other racers are now eligible to compete at the national level.

Crosby said he competed in this race so he could qualify for the 2013 National Championships held in Bend, Oregon, in March.

This was his first 10K snowshoe race and although the course was difficult, it suited his strengths, Crosby said in an email. He said he hopes to compete on not only the national snowshoeing team, but possibly the mountain and trail running teams as well.

Jones, 14, may also compete in the national snowshoe championships. She was one of the youngest on the 5K course.

"This is one of my favorite snowshoe races," Jones said. "It was so fun crossing the line out there...I felt very accomplished."

Team Red, White & Blue joined the race as a veterans sporting group this year, and raced to raise funds to benefit veterans. Team Red, White & Blue is a national organization, and Syracuse's chapter competes in different sporting events throughout the year. All 12 Team RWB racers were sponsored by outside donors.

Syracuse has put in a bid to host the 2014 Dion National Snowshoe Championships at Highland Forest. The winner will be announced in the next few months by United States Snowshoe Association officials. Syracuse last hosted the event in 2010.

Complete results will be put up on the USSSA website within a week or so, Griffin said.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog