Anchorage Daily News

For more than a year, as race organizers prepared for the U.S. Cross Country Championships, a list of worse-case weather scenarios was developed to deal with unfavorable temperatures at Kincaid Park.

From farming snow around town to switching the venue to a higher elevation in the Chugach Mountain foothills, organizers considered about 10 scenarios, most involving a warm spell that turns trails to mush.

Unfortunately, sub-zero temperatures weren't on the list.

"This is one thing that's truly out of our control," said Joey Caterinichio, co-chairman of the championship's organizing committee.

One of the longest stretches of sub-zero temperatures in Anchorage history continued Tuesday, forcing officials to cancel the classical races and hope temperatures will rise for today's individual sprints and Thursday's final events.

"We had our third Groundhog's Day," U.S. nordic director John Farra said in a press release after the third cancellation race this week.

Today could be No. 4. The National Weather Service calls for highs of minus-10 to zero, depending on where you are in the city.

On Wednesday, Kincaid stadium was near minus-4 at the 1 p.m. start time, which was pushed back an hour to let it warm up, said Mike Miller, chief of competition.

Minus-4 is the official cutoff for races according to United States Ski and Snowboard Association rules. But rules also say temperatures must be above the legal limit everywhere on the course.

The temperature dipped to minus-13 at the bottom of a section of trail called Elliott's Climb, Miller said, leading a five-person panel to call off the classical races.

"They're making the right decision," said Sun Valley (Idaho) coach Travis Jones, sporting a knit head band, earrings and a puffy down jacket.

It's one thing to go for a leisurely ski when temperatures dip below zero, Jones said. But when racers are inhaling large volumes of cold air it can cause such permanent damage as cold-induced asthma, a respiratory disorder caused by ice forming in the lungs.

"That's the biggest issue," he said.

Some of his skiers sported protective breathing masks -- similar to a medical face mask -- to keep cold air out. The mask retains warm air and lets moisture out.

"It's like you're skiing in Alaska but you're breathing in Hawaii," Jones said.

Some of the 200-plus skiers in Monday's freestyle races suffered frostbite on their ears and below the belt, Miller said.

Despite a week of cancellations, Caterinichio, who helped prepare Anchorage's bid for the championships last summer, has been pleased with the event's organization.

Anchorage will host the U.S. Cross Country Championships again next winter.

"We've executed it well," she said, noting that a least 200 volunteers have reported every day since Saturday.

Even so, cross-country skiers like Katie Gill won't be happy if she travels home to Bozeman, Mont., after only one race.

Then again, life could be worse -- at least there's snow here. Back home, she'd heard it's becoming harder to find enough snow.

"The snow is melting," she said. "It's going to feel like summer when I go home."

Find Kevin Klott online at adn.com/contact/kklott or call 257-4335.

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