Freeman, Nelson win sprint crowns

PRESQUE ISLE – Kris Freeman of Andover, N.H., and Alice Nelson of Hanover, N.H., swept their four races to earn TAMC Nordic Heritage Kilometer Freestyle Sprint Championship titles Thursday.

Freeman was an easy winner in his morning qualifier, and his quarterfinal and semifinal heats. He then poured on more speed in the final to best New Brunswick provincial team member Vincent Ruel and Ian Murray of Nova Scotia.

Maine Winter Sports Center coach Jens Johansson of Caribou placed fourth.

Nelson, 17, also dominated the preliminary runs, but faced a strong challenge in the women’s final. Whitney Coombs of Putney, Vt., raced out to the early lead, but went off-course over an embankment at the bottom of a downhill turn and into the trees.

Nelson then outlasted Susan Dunklee of Dartmouth College and Hannah Dreissigacker of Morrisville, Vt., for the victory.

In the Junior 2 boys division final, the Stratton (Vt.) Mountain trio of Steven Bedard, Fritz Horst and Kyle Dewey finished 1-2-3.

In the Junior 2 girls event, Nova Scotia’s Natasha Landry won the final, followed by Stratton Mountain’s Parker Tyler, Madeleine Talkington and Karmen Whitham.