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Show vv ,, K . , .... r. . . , pK "tc I Cindy Collinson (left) gives Jennifer Wilson a run for her money on the dual telemark course at Snowbird last Saturday. Kucera; Hassard are telemark champions of the Wasatch - X n ':V::!,,'yW:S ji. umb., V ,. jf. I VJifi;"1.:;, by Nan Chalat Kay Kucera and Charlie Hassard telemarked their way to Los Angeles by winning the Expert division season titles in the Wasatch Telemark Series. The final race was held at Snowbird last Saturday. And while Kucera is enjoying her reward in sunny California, she can also bask in the knowledge that she made local history by achieving a perfect score in the seven-race series. Kucera's name topped the score sheet in the Women's Expert division in every race but one the last, and only because she bowed out to allow the other women a shot at the first-place prize. With six firsts in a best-five-out-of-seven competition, Kucera had nothing to worry about. Charlie Hassard, however, had to fight to the finish for the two tickets to Los Angeles. Tore Nilssen almost grabbed the prize, finishing the season just six points behind Hassard. Meanwhile Nilssen himself was feeling the pressure from Steve Baeder, who ended up in third place for the season just two points behind him. With a strong showing in the final race, Brad Makoff grabbed fourth place in the Men's Expert season? standings and Jim Poore earned fifthj place. In the Women's Expert class, Cindy Collinson led the field behind Kucera's matchless first-place showing. show-ing. Collinson consistently appeared appear-ed among the top three winners and her cumulative total gave her a six-point lead over Ann Sullivan, who won third place in the season standings. Ginny Lee Sprague and Jennifer Wilson tied for the fourth-place slot and Laura Gray and Leah Turner tied for sixth place. Though the Kucera win was a given long before last Saturday's final race, the drama was still being played out in the Men's Expert division. While Hassard decided to rest on his laurels from previous races, it was up to Tore Nilssen to push for a win to knock Hassard out of first. But because of the pressure or just overcautiousness, Nilssen dropped into 13th place in the final event. Ned Randolf, however, seemed to thrive on the pressure and the wide-open course, scoring his first first-place win of the season. Randolph finished the season in eighth place. Geo Bullock finished second Saturday and Brian Burnett was third. Kucera's absence in the Women's Expert class gave Jennifer Wilson a chance to shine. She won first place Saturday and Moira Wilson was. second. Fia Gulliksson was third. . , Race coordinator Jessie Whitmore was pleased with the participation in this year's telemark series and said tthe competitors, will definitely have, a ,' ' t&ance to do it all over again next year. "In fact, a number of the racers are planning to make a bid to hold the North American Telemark Championships in Utah next year," she said. The championships have been held in Colorado, but Whitmore said she thinks growing interest in telemark racing in Utah may change that. i photos by Jessie Whitmore Brad Makoff powers into one of the last gates of the season to win fourth place in the Men's Expert division of the Wasatch Telemark Series. |