Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation Cross Country Gold Team member Mary Rose won the women’s title Sunday at the Climb to the Castle in Whiteface, New York. Rose, 24, rollerskied her way up Whiteface Mountain’s 4,867 feet in 45:14.1.

“It’s a testament how hard work pays off over time. She’s clearly been putting the work in for the last several years and now one of the better distance skiers in the country. It is not a surprise she had success at this event. Good job, Mary,” SVSEF Cross Country Program Director Rick Kapala said.

Rose crossed the finish line 27 seconds ahead of runner up Annalies Cook (USBA). SVSEF teammate Paige Schember was 6th in 51:51.3.
Fellow Gold Team members Rogan Brown, Miles Havlick (9th) and Ben Lustgarten (12th) were also in the mix. Brown finished fourth in the men’s race, 15.3 seconds behind winner Patrick Caldwell. SVSEF alumni Max Durtschi was 10th.
Lake Placid, New York, where Whiteface Mountain is located, was the site of the 1980 Winter Olympics. The Gold Team has been training on the East Coast for the past couple of weeks with head coach Colin Rodgers.
For a full account of the event, please check out Faster Skier.