Hard'ack Challenge 2025

Hard’ack Challenge

2/16/2025

Results

The Hard’ack Challenge lived up to its name today!  A hearty group of mostly local skiers made the journey to Hard’ack for the annual event.  The big variable was the weather.  Race Director Tyler Magnan made it clear that the race would go on as skiing at Hard’ack is not only happening, but it is good!  The club mantra, Ski Anywhere, Anytime, No Matter What, was invoked as the guiding principle.  The venue, which is normally windy, was fairly sheltered from the worst of the nor’easter, and being Northwest Vermont, the particular weather pattern is generally milder than in the rest of the state.   That is not to say that it was smooth sailing, but other areas had it a lot worse.

Driving to the race was better than anticipated.  The road crews were doing a good job clearing the travel lanes, and commuters made decent time.  Some places were more slick, especially approaching the venue, but upon arriving, the parking had been plowed, and things were ready to go.  The old joke about applying kick wax to your tires for extra grip was exchanged, and people were anxious to get on their skis and check things out.

Grooming was continuous as promised, starting at 5 a.m.  The course was prepared, and grooming passes were prepared by the official start time. However, the race took place as some of the heaviest showers of the storm passed over.  Snow accumulated significantly between the laps of the two machines.  Grooming was done with a tracked side-by-side pulling a Tidd and a tracked quad pulling a roller.  The efforts optimized the conditions for the race.  We knew it was going to be soft, but during the course inspection, the track was holding up great.

The conditions were a light-machine groomed track with temperatures in the mid-twenties.  The wind shifted throughout the race but was generally favorable for what it could have been.  A few tested their skis, and it was found that the older models were moving more freely in the accumulating snow. 

The course went north along the tree line from the start.  We made our way through the first, second, and third fields and turned left to ski the new trail.  The new trail took us into the woods and rolled nicely up to Mashtare’s Massacre.  We skied the full hill and zig-zagged back down with some of the nicest skiing on the course.  Before looping through the Lap/Finish zone, we had one more little climb.  Skiers did two laps for a little over 5km and three laps for about 8 km. 

Due to low pre-registration numbers, the volunteer crew was minimal.  Registration was covered, as were the essentials of any race, grooming, and timing.  As we gathered to start, Jessica Bolduc (NWVE), Cipperly Good (NWVE), and Meredith Mashtare (NWVE) lined up together.  Jessica noted that they would be the women’s podium, being the only three women in the race.  After giving the pre-race instructions and taking a spot on the line, Tyler Magnan (NWVE) noticed he did not have a starter.  Volunteer and legendary skier and coach Perry Bland (NWVE) did the honors.  Perry gave the instructions that there would be two commands: skiers ready and the gun.  With no hesitation, Perry said skiers ready and clapped his hands, and we were off.  The abruptness of the start had some questioning whether that was it or not, but for the rest of us, it was enough.  The seasoned racers really should not have needed practice at this point. 

The first half kilometer of the race was a false-flat downhill with a bit of a tailwind.  The pack stayed together until the turn in the third field when we started climbing in the soft snow.  The race field was big enough to chop up the trail but not pack it down.  So, the climbs in the soft snow were turning into mashed potatoes.  Not the worst we have seen, even this season, but nonetheless, with each passing skier, the trail became less firm. It was here that Brook Hodgeman (NWVE) and Eric Tremble (NWVE) would break from the rest of the field.  Tyler Magnan (NWVE) led the main field in the chase with Derreck Eckhardt (Unattached) and Tucker Murphy (Unattached) hanging in the front of the field.  Gage Magnuson (BFA Fairfax), Scott Magnan (NWVE), and I were seeing how things would play out. 

Jonathan Rodd (NWVE), Dhyan Nirmegh (NWVE), and Jessica Bolduc (NWVE) all had quick starts as well.  As the race turned toward the first uphill, Jessica thought her skiing was a little faster and moved to make a pass.  She got by Nirmegh, but caught a tip and got sucked into the deep powder on the side of the trail.  It took her a long time to right herself in the crumbling snow, and by then, she had lost ground she could not make up.  The BFA St. Albans Nordic team used the race as a pre-state workout.  Eli Hazen (BFA), Teddy Tremblay (BFA), Toby Hurteau (BFA), and Sam Hurteau (BFA) all skied together, working the hills and recovering on the flats.  Behind this group, a BFA Nordic Coach matchup we saw develop in the BFA Alumni Citizens Race.  Mike Mashtare (NWVE, BFA ’77) and Andre’ Bolduc (NWVE, BFA ’06) were back on course together again.  Andre’ is in his first year on the staff; Mike, no longer officially on the staff, gave the new coach a run at the Alumni Race, showing the torch is not passed but earned. How would things turn out in today’s conditions?

Meredith Mashtare (NWVE), Cipperly Good (NWVE), and Bryn Geffert (Unattached) joined MNC’s Andres Torizzo (MNC) to round out the pack.  Hudson Root (BFA), Ethan Barbieri (BFA), and Jack Barney (BFA) were also in the mix as the race progressed.  With the conditions being challenging for a skate event and the course continuously being chopped up, the race spread out.  The trails were also narrow in many places, making passing difficult.  The snow was rapidly accumulating, and it seemed with each lap, another inch fell.

Brook and Eric extended their lead on the rest of the field.  As they were approaching the finish, they encountered Tim Hurteau, who was out cheering.  Tim did not want to interfere with the race and dove into the powder on the side of the trail to allow the fast-approaching leaders by unimpeded.  Both Brook and Eric were hoping Tim would not move off the trail for different reasons, as the exhausted skiers were desperate for a break or advantage.  Tyler continued on his own, but Gage was trying hard to bridge.  He lost his best chance on a crash on the technical downhill after Mashtare’s Massacre, which put him in the quicksand powder on the side of the trail. He recovered, but it was difficult to gain ground in this race. 

I got by Derreck and Tucker on the initial climbs, but Scott waited until the steeps.  My skis were moving like butter on gravy in the mashed potatoes condition, and I was feeling good, especially after my experience on Day 2 of the Craftsbury Marathon, where I had the wrong skis on.  However, powering through that day helped me today.  Nirmegh settled in behind Jonathan, and Jessica caught back up to Nirmegh but was too exhausted to try to pass him.  This group was cruising well when the BFA varsity boys interweaved themselves into the group and split it up.  One was matching Nirmegh; however, he lacked the finesse of the veteran and crashed out on the downhill where Gage had met the same fate earlier in the race.  This caused a split in the group, with Jessica on the wrong end of the gap.  Quietly stalking in all the commotion was Andre’ who was closing on the group.  Mike was trying to keep pace to make a late race move as he had in December, but Andre’ was not going to allow it. After the departure of the 5km skiers, Meredith, Andres, and Cipperly were on their own.

At the finish, Brook held a slight advantage over Eric.  Tyler finished third, with Gage making a heroic effort to catch him.  I was in cruise control mode when I heard Scott gasp with 400m to go.  He was closer than I thought, and I kicked it into gear to ensure I would not be passed.  The BFA boys made it around Jonathan, and his race returned to holding off Nirmegh.  Jessica was motivated by the sound of someone catching her.  Thinking it was one of the BFA skiers, she powered over the final climbs to hold position.  To her surprise, it had been Andre’ who was riding excitement from an epic ski on TearDrop the day before.  Mike finished a little further back with just enough time to cheer Meredith as she outpaced Andres in her final kick.  Cipperly cruised in shortly after.

Post-race people were quick to get their warm-ups on.  Many went back out for an extended cooldown, while others were content to put their skis away and warm up in their cars.  All were pleased with the event and the accomplishments they made for showing up on the wintery day.  Most also expressed that while happy to be done, it was not as hard as anticipated. 

There was a brief awards ceremony where it was expressed that the conditions of today would be another chapter in the history of the event.  The Hard’ack Challenge is always a challenge in one way or another.  I made a pitch to the participants that if they liked today’s race, they could join NWVE and do this every weekend around New England.   However, nearly every person was already an NWVE member.  The skiers were grateful for the volunteers who made the event a success.  Nirmegh had a photo taken of all the dedicated people who made it out to the race.  After the awards, we went down the hill to one of the race sponsors and recovered with some burgers and beverages at 14th Star Brewery.

Damian