Skiers Turn Back Clock On 10k Langlauf Course While Older Set Makes Mark, Miller, Bauer Take Top Honors

Even though she’s only 5-feet-2, skiers can’t help but look up to Helen Bourchier.

The Rossland, British Columbia, skier put away the Spokane Langlauf 10-kilometer cross country course in 46:25 Sunday - fast enough to place second among 45-year-old women or fourth against 20-year-olds.

Bourchier had to settle for first in the 60-and-older class.

“I like skiing with younger people,” she said.

At the front of the pack, teenager Bret Miller of Bend, Ore., outskied the 351 Langlauf finishers in 27:44.

Deb Bauer of Spokane maintained her dominance of the women’s field, finishing in 32:10 for her seventh win in eight years.

But while the Langlauf’s young elite skiers continue to fine-tune their considerable skills each year, one can’t help but notice what’s going on at the other end of the age spectrum.

Five skiers over 55 finished in times that would have put them on the podium with younger age groups.

Shirley Donalds of Rossland finished in 52 minutes, good enough to place fifth against women 20 years younger.

She started cross country skiing only eight years ago.

“But she stays fit doing things like orienteering in the summer,” said Bourchier.

The two women are among a dozen senior skiers from Rossland heading to the World Masters nordic races in Canmore, Alberta, next month.

At 73, Jim Scott of Sandpoint is a Langlauf veteran who convinced his thirtysomething doctor to enter the race this year.

“I met him cross country skiing,” Scott said. “That’s how he became my doctor.”

Scott skied a 90K race in Sweden last year in 10 hours. “About 4,000 Swedes came in ahead of me, but what the heck,” he said.

The Langlauf lures him out each year, partly because he enjoys the chance to pass a few younger skiers on the hills.

“But today I turned a cartwheel after a guy fell in front of me,” he said. “I’m not as clever as I used to be at getting out of the tracks. But I managed to find my glasses and keep going, until I hooked poles with some girl. That was fun while it lasted, but I had to keep going.”

Scott said he has only one problem with the Langlauf: “They need an over-70 age class,” he said. “It’s getting tough competing with these spry 60-year-olds.”

Steve Colwell, who recently moved to Post Falls, competed in his first Langlauf on Sunday at the age of 61.

“I have a bad knee and cross country skiing is a sport that doesn’t aggravate it,” he said.

Colwell, a fitness trainer, said he’s not surprised to see gray-haired competitors moving up from the back of the pack.

“I’m seeing a definite trend of more people who are going into their 80s and 90s and are still in good shape,” he said.

Age tends to give skiers a different perspective on the sport.

“I’m not wasting my money on wax this year,” said Russ Oakley, a fortysomething Spokane skier observing the prerace waxing frenzy. “I’m putting all my money into oxygen.”

At 64, Dick Kendall of Naches is a guru at White Pass, where he teaches nordic technique. His background in speed skating enabled him to easily make the transition to the skating techniques that swept the nordic racing world in the ‘80s.

“I love to come to a race like this where all types of skiers feel like they can fit in,” he said. “You can feel good about skiing. People aren’t intimidated.”

Indeed, the Langlauf has a tradition of giving special awards to the fastest skiers who wear nonsynthetic clothing and wood skis.

Lisa Brooks of Spokane and James LaFortune of Moscow were repeat winners this year.

LaFortune collected another can of pine tar as the prize for his fourth consecutive “Woodies” title.

“I haven’t even used up the first can I won,” he said.