Ultimate Mountain Challenge is understatement
Leif Zimmermann at the head of the Nordic freestyle 10-kilometer race Friday at the Winter Teva Mountain Games. Dominique Taylor, Vail Daily
By Lauren Glendenning, Vail Daily
VAIL — Watching the skiers cross the finish line in Friday morning's 10K Nordic Freestyle was proof to those on the sidelines that these athletes have what it takes — the heart and the lungs — to set a serious precedent during the inaugural Winter Teva Mountain Games.
It was the first event of the Teva Winter Mountain Games, and you could see the skiers floor it as they left the start gate together, fighting to gain a spot toward the front of the pack. The Vail Nordic Center in East Vail transformed from its typical serene oasis into a place where athletes went to battle.
The competition was two-fold, as the Nordic Freestyle race included both those competing for the Nordic win and those competing toward the Ultimate Mountain Challenge win, which includes two more races — Ski Mountaineering and the Vail Uphill — and culminates Sunday. The athletes with the fastest overall times will be crowned the Ultimate Mountain Challenge champions.
For Rebecca Dussault, of Gunnison, her sights were set on both wins Friday morning. Dussault, a 2006 Olympian, was determined to win. She felt competitive and strong, and it paid off for her.
“Gosh, I just wanted it really bad,” she said. “Colorado's my home state — I wanted to perform for the home crowd.”
Read more about Friday's race and the competitions scheduled Saturday and Sunday.
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