Harwood running news: Skyrunning in Italy, triathletes in Vt., HU Fun Run
August 17, 2023 | By Waterbury Roundabout Harwood runners have been busy this summer doing what they love. We’ve received some highlights this past week about competitions near, far, and really far away where local student-athletes took part.
Harwood XC runner Heidi Haraldsen competes in Italy
Heidi Haraldsen in the Sky Race. Photo courtesy of the International Skyrunning Federation
FONTE CERRETO, Italy—Harwood Junior Heidi Haraldsen joined 13 other American runners for the 2023 Youth Skyrunning Championships in Fonte Cerreto, Italy, earlier this month.
A member of the Harwood Girls Cross Country team, Heidi joined Vermonters James Underwood of Woodstock High School and Baxter Harrington of Middlebury High School for the races on Gran Sasso Mountain.
Heidi competed in the youth B (age 15-16) girls race and in both the Vertical Kilometer and the Skyrace. This was Heidi’s first international competition.
Heidi Haraldsen in the Vertical Kilometer on Gran Sasso, Italy, Aug. 4. Photo courtesy of the International Skyrunning Federation
Heidi placed ninth in both the VK and the 15K Skyrace. The VK was run on a difficult 5 km course over rocks and scree. The skyrace included the VK course and an additional 10 km that scaled several mountains and descended sharply over very steep terrain.
“Heidi was one of the most consistent Americans. She finished ninth in both races in a strong international field of runners,” said U.S. Youth Skyrunning Coach Ryan Kerrigan. “Heidi prepared for the VK and Skyrace with runs on Mount Hunger, Stowe Pinnacle, Camels Hump and Sugarbush. Those mountains are barely over 1,000 meters. The race courses were between 2,000 and 3,000 meters.”
Heidi appreciated the difference. “They were much steeper than I had ever experienced,” the 11th-grader said.
Kerrigan said Heidi’s training in ski mountaineering last winter was helpful in her skyrunning preparation.
Harwood XC Coach John Kerrigan, also a coach with the skyrunning program, submitted this dispatch and remarked that the experience will have Heidi in great shape for the upcoming Cross Country season. “I think she will be snickering when her teammates complain about running repeats on Kerrigan’s Killer,” the Harwood coach said.
Read more about the U.S. Youth Skyrunning team’s participation at the 2023 World Championships in Italy here.
Vermont Sun Triathlon
Harwood junior Christopher Cummiskey, senior Cooper Hansel, and junior Indy Metcalf at the Aug. 13 Vermont Sun Triathlon at Lake Dunmore. Courtesy photo
On Sunday, Aug. 13, three Harwood students competed in the Vermont Sun Triathlon at Branbury State Park, Lake Dunmore.
Juniors Christopher Cummiskey of Warren and Indy Metcalf of Waterbury came in first and second place respectively in their age group of the Olympic Triathlon. That event consisted of a 0.9 mi. swim, 28 mi. bike ride, 6.2 mi. run. Christopher finished in 2:53:12 and Indy finished in 3:11:42.
Senior Cooper Hansel of Waterbury competed in the Sprint Triathlon (600 yard swim, 14 mi. bike ride, 3.1 mi. run), coming in 4th in his age group with a finish time of 1:30:29.
Results by age group are online at 802timing.com.
~ Submitted by Susan Cummiskey
One more Harwood XC Summer Fun Run Aug. 22
Kids Race runners, left to right: Mallory Mitchell, Julia Hill, River Senterfitt, and Jackson Mitchell, all of Moretown; Grant, Chase and Ethan Dabrowski of Waterbury Center, James Barry of Waterbury Center, and Jackson Migonis of Waterbury. Courtesy photo
This week saw a great turnout for the HU XC Fun Run Kids Race with eight runners participating. First across the finish was Chase Dabrowski of Waterbury Center at 2:33, followed by his brothers Ethan at 2:34, and Grant at 2:35 with Jackson Migonis of Waterbury right behind at 2:36. Next was James Barry of Waterbury at 2:47, Jackson Mitchell of Moretown at 3:45, River Senterfitt of Moretown at 4:04, and Matthew Barry of Waterbury at 4:05.
Left to Right Julia Hill and Mallory Mitchell of Moretown, Atticus Ellis of Fayston, Andrew Reed of Middlesex, and Patrick Migonis of Waterbury. Courtesy photo
In the 3K, Atticus Ellis of Fayston was the first to finish at 26:12 followed closely by Julia Hill of Moretown at 26:14 and Mallory Mitchell at 26:21. Patrick Migonis of Waterbury finished first in the 5K with a time of 24:02 followed closely by Andrew Reed of Middlesex at 24:03.
The next and final Fun Run of the summer will be Tuesday, Aug. 22. Registration starts at 6 p.m. and the races start at 6:30 p.m. There will be a Kids Run for kids age 7 and under, and a 3K and 5K run for the rest. The entry fee is $5; no charge for Harwood runners and kids 7 and under. Proceeds support the Harwood Union Cross Country program.
Find this season’s schedule for high school XC meets on the Harwood Tandem calendar online.
~ Submitted by Tom Cahalan