Onion River Sports Dash for Cash

Friday evening January 29, 2010

An exciting new event for the Craftsbury Marathon/National Masters Championships weekend has been scheduled for January 29, 2010 at 6:00 PM. The "Onion River Sports Dash for Cash" on Craftsbury Common is open to all skiers and will kick off the weekend. Local heroes will go head to head with some of the fastest skiers in the country in semi-final and final heats on an out-and-back 200 meter course. The Common will be like a three ring circus, brightly lit with a 4000 watt light tower: The announcer will keep spectators informed of the action on the sprint course. A barbeque, pasta, and hot drinks will keep spectators and competitors energized and warm. Registration packets will be available to pick up. You will be able to check out the wax recommendations and demo the latest in ski equipment. Kids will challenge local VIPs including the principal, teachers, coaches, and school board members in snowshoe sprints and a sled pulling contest for great prizes.

Timed starts in the initial qualifying round of the Onion River Sports Dash for Cash will give skiers of all ability levels and ages a chance to compare their speed with others in their age class. All age/gender class winners, based on the timed qualifying round, will be awarded locally crafted pottery bowls while the top eight overall men and women, based on the qualifying round, will sprint head-to-head for the $1000 cash purse. The purse will be evenly split among men and women paying out $200 to the top female and male sprinters and so on, $100, $75, $50, $30, $20, $15, and $10 for 8th place female and 8th place male.

JUST ADDED (21 January 2010) - The top 4 competitors in each age/gender class after the qualifier will go to a final heat as well to determine the age/gender group winner of the pottery bowls.

Race Director John Brodhead enthuses, "The night-before-dash tradition is hugely popular with European spectators and most often takes place over a specially prepared snow track on the main street through town. Spectators crowd the sidewalks to get a glimpse of their heroes as the announcer introduces the top invited athletes. It is probably the best chance to see your favorites in action." Brodhead hopes that the Craftsbury, Vermont version of this prologue event will encourage participation, not only by the top athletes, but citizen skiers of all abilities and ages. "This will be a very short, fun event for the novices and finalists alike and should not negatively impact performance in the main event on Saturday" he said.

Competitors should not be shy about bringing the family either: the "Common Games" are being put on by Craftsbury Academy students with snowshoe and sled races will taking place on the Common from 5:00 to 6:00 pm using our electronic timing and awarding bowls at 7:00 pm.

Skiers can sign up for the Onion River Sports Dash on-line at the Craftsbury Marathon web site for an additional $5. Day of race registration will be available for $10 on the Town Common starting at 5:00 PM. Awards will be on the Common at 7:00 PM.

See the course map here.