Courtesy Breckenridge Recreation
BRECKENRIDGE — In the middle of leading the Summit High School varsity hockey team through the winter season, senior Max Bonenberger won Monday morning’s first Breck Ascent ski mountaineering series race of the season: the Peak 8 Ascent.
Bonenberger completed the course — which involved uphill skin ascents, downhill skiing and boot-pack hikes — in 50 minutes and 35.7 seconds. Bonenberger’s time was more than a minute faster than runner-up Tim Faia in 51:47.8. Duke Barlow finished in third-place in 52:15.1.
Breckenridge local Nikki LaRochelle won the long-course race among women with a time of 54:11.9 ahead of women’s runner-up Kate Zander (56:31.4) and third-place finisher Jen Schappert (1:03:44.9).
The long-course race had skiers ascend from the Mountain Thunder Lodge before going up the Gondola Ski Back trail to Lower 4 O’Clock, Crosscut and 4 O’Clock to the top of Mach One. There, skiers descended Mach One before going up Sawmill and Peak 8 Road to a boot-pack hike up 4 O’Clock to Vista Haus. At Vista Haus, skiers descended Tiger to the finish line at the Peak 8 SuperConnect midstation.
In the short-course race, Breckenridge local Eva Hagen won with a time of 35:43.3 ahead of runner-up Jill Sorensen (36:11.8) and third-place finisher and 13-year-old Ella Hagen (43:27.4). Dennis Kuhn was the fastest men’s finisher in the short-course race, with a time of 49:34.1.
The short course ascended from a start line at Mountain Thunder Lodge before skiers went up Gondola Ski Back to Lower 4 O’Clock, Crosscut and 4 O’Clock to the finish at Vista Haus.
The Breck Ascent Series will continue Jan. 27 with the Peak 9 race, followed by Peak 10 on Feb. 3 and Peak 7 on Feb. 10. For more information and to register, visit breckenridgerecreation.com/programs/special-events-and-tournaments/breck-ascent-series.
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