Stockholm skier on elite team> Caribou High’s Sprague to compete with Maine Nordic Elite

Anna Sprague of Stockholm couldn’t quite believe what she saw when she opened an envelope in June.

Inside was an invitation for the Caribou High School junior to join the Maine Nordic Elite ski team. Oh, and an invitation to join the squad on an all-expenses paid trip to British Columbia for a week of skiing instruction and workouts on some of the best early-season snow in North America.

Sprague got another letter a few weeks later, requesting her presence at a meeting with Gov. Angus King to discuss the program. The group will speak with King this morning.

“It was a shock,” Sprague said. “I wasn’t expecting it.”

Sprague was selected, along with nine other Maine public high school nordic skiing standouts, for the program, which was started by Cape Elizabeth High Nordic team coaches Anne and John Upton.

The squad will spend the last week of November at Silver Star Mountain near Vernon, British Columbia, where the Canadian National team trains. The program is directed by Marty Hall, a former U.S. and Canada cross country coach.

U.S. national champion Marcus Nash and U.S. team member Scott Loomis, both former Maine public school champions, will also work with the team. Nash attended Fryeburg Academy and Loomis skied for Yarmouth High School.

Sprague, who is from Stockholm, was an easy choice based on her finishes at high school and regional meets.

The team members were chosen based on finishes at high school meets and New England Nordic Skiing Association sponsored events.

In last year’s state Class A championship meet, Sprague finished second in the freestyle catagory and fourth in the classical. Sprague won the state NENSA qualifier at Farmington last March and followed that up at NENSA’s Junior-2 races in Putney, Vt., where she won the ages 14-15 classical event and was fourth overall.

Anne Upton said she has only seen Sprague ski a few times but could make an accurate determination of her ability.

“She’s a very gutsy skier and it shows all over her face,” Upton said. “The way she races, she leaves everything on the course.”

Bob Sprague, Anna’s father and the Caribou coach, said Anna’s work ethic has been key to her success.

“She’s worked very hard,” he said. “She trains hard all year round. She runs in the summer and tries to do something aerobic to increase her upper body strength.”

As for missing Thanksgiving, Sprague isn’t too worried.

“I haven’t even thought of that,” she said with a laugh. “I just can’t wait to go.”

Other team members are Eileen Carey of Leeds (Leavitt High School), Justin Easer of Jay (Jay High School), Karen Frost of Oxford (Oxford Hills High School), Megan Greenleaf of Norway (Oxford Hills), Ian Hubbard of Farmington (Mt. Blue High School), Andrew Hunter of Readfield (Maranacook High School), Ethan Masterman of Phillips (Mount Abram High School), Jonathan Riley of Cape Elizabeth (Cape Elizabeth High School) and Cecily Upton, also of Cape Elizabeth.

The exchange is being sponsored by Auto Europe, a travel services company.