It seems like 'just yesterday' that we published a post about Kincaid Park here in Anchorage. 'Just yesterday' was last January 12th, almost, but not quite, two full weeks ago.
http://bobbacaps.blogspot.com/2018/01/jan-12-18-kincaid-park-anchorage-alaska.html
As we finished the above post, we promised that we would publish a followup post about the U.S. CROSS COUNTRY SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS 2018 that were held here in Anchorage, Alaska, at Kincaid Park, beginning Wednesday, January the 3rd and ending on Monday, January the 8th.
The above jackets were not for sale. Only qualifying volunteers, who worked a certain number of volunteer hours, were eligible to receive them.
Just in case some of you don't realize it, the ski championships are a VERY BIG DEAL. This is a National Event. The last time Anchorage hosted the National's was back in year 2010. So it is very special for them to be back here on a rotating basis in Anchorage.
We spent two days at the Ski Championships. There were absolutely no admission fees or charges of any type.
Below are a few photos to refresh your memory about entering Kincaid Park.
The next two photos show RACE HEADQUARTERS, the Kincaid Park Chalet.
The time HAS COME to show you some skiing.
As you are on the road into the Chalet proper, just before you actually arrive at the Chalet, you suddenly, and you immediately, 'come-upon' some skiing action.
This is where Patti was of invaluble assistance because, when we saw the below scenes, Patti let me jump out of our truck and snap the first photos below. There was considerable traffic so Patti simply drove on into the Chalet parking lot and settled there while I took off to plunge into the skiing action.
In the first photo below, on the edge in the left far background, you can see an elevated road overpass.
As Patti and I drove over this elevated area, Patti stopped and I jumped out of our truck and, looking down upon the skiing scene below me, I snapped the below photos.
As you can see (the vertical blue and white sign), we are looking down upon the STARTING LINE for all of the races.
Now I have climbed down from being on the hill and we are right amongst the skiiers.
In the next two photos below, the starting line is to the far left and out of view.
Another look at the above bridge in the distance and of the official timing system.
In each racing heat, there were six skiers. Behind us was an electronic signboard showing the first four skiers and then it would flash the final two.
When you look at the first photo below, focus upon Number 1 at the top, Hanneman. Got it? Reese Hanneman is a famous cross country skier and won top honors in his event. He has also won seven (7) previous national titles in cross country skiing.
Kevin Bolger, Number 10 in second starting slot, eventually placed 2nd overall behind the winner Reese Hanneman. It was a photo finish!
Reese and Logan Hanneman are brothers from Fairbanks, Alaska, each with an extensive skiing history behind them.
The final two of the six contestants in this heat race are shown below.
In these photos, Reese Hanneman at the far side of the other skiers, is wearing the blaze-yellow stocking cap.
There he is, Reese Hanneman, wearing the blaze-yellow cap.
In the below photo, they are about to be off! At the far end is Resse Hanneman.
Then suddenly!! They exploded off in a blaze of movement. In the photo below, Reese Hanneman on the left, is leading his heat.
The below photo shows the extremely close 'photo-finish' between Reese Hanneman and Kevin Bolger of Sun Valley, Idaho.
For this event, the cross country skiing championships, there was basically one large viewing area.
The below photo shows this one viewing area.
To the left you see a dowhill section. To the right you see an uphill section.
Now we will look at the uphill section.
After leaving the STARTING line, the skiers will pass on the trail immediately at the bottom of the above photo.
Here is their first hill. The large viewing area is in the distance up the above hill. Below we are looking back down the hill. The STARTING line is in the distance on the extreme left edge of the below photo. On the left you can see the bridge I showed 10, 11 and 12 photos above.
And here they come! Up their first hill
And snap-your-fingers quick, they are past.
Now for some photos of the downhill section of the course.
The next three photos below, were taken while I was still up on the elevated roadway above the STARTING line. In the first two, you get some idea of the size of the crowd. The parking lot you see was but one of several.
On the left side of the above and below photos, you can see one of the ski-runs that the skiers came down towards the end of their heat race.
Directly in the center of the below photo, you are looking straight at the above downhill section of the course in the far distance.
Below we are now much closer to the above downhill section of the course.
Below are photos showing the skiers blasting down the above hill.
Spectators stand, eyes focused upon the crest of the hill, holding their breath.
Suddenly, here they come!
Below are other random photos I snapped. All of which are taken in the one, single large spectator area I have mentioned previously.
The below photo is 'very blury'. I show it because it gives you all an idea of how up-close-and-personal spectators can get to the skiers. Reach out and touch them close!
The next two photos below, look back up the hill toward the area of the above photo.
It is hard to see in the above photo, easy to see in the next below photos, but up on top of the main spectator viewing area you can see 'something round' up there.
When I first noticed this 'round thing', I made a mental note to 'check-it-out' when (and at the time IF) I got to the top of the hill.
Well a promise made is a debt unpaid and I did just that. I got up to the top of the hill and I checked the 'round thing' out.
Sports fans far and wide I present to you THE BONG.
This main spectator viewing hill and area is called, taa-daa, BONG HILL.
Now we will turn our attention from the ski slopes to the RACE HEADQUARTERS, Kincaid Park Chalet.
As you are about to see, RACE HEADQUARTERS was a very busy place.
Inside we go. Lots of souvenirs for sale. Yes, the general public were welcomed inside of RACE HEADQUARTERS.
Looking West above and looking East below.
In the below photo, you can see several attendees in the lower foreground looking intently at something.
There was actually closed circuit television showing the heat races live. IF you look really close, on the extreme left edge of the below photo you can see Patti. Patti did not go out onto the course to view the events live. The closed circuit TV was wonderful.
Below is the podium for the top three winners of final events. I did not venture out to attend any of these ceremonies.
With National Championships on the line as well as some open places on the U.S. Olympic Ski Team at-stake and up-for-grabs, all podium winners were tested for any possible substance abuse.
A few more pieces of newsprint.
Below is a photo showing current skiers who worked at, or actually competed in, the 1978 championships forty years ago. Wow! Hats off to each of them and others who may not be shown in the below photo.
Well ..
The party's over .. It's time to call it a day .. They've burst your pretty balloon .. And taken the moon away.
As you can see in the first two photos below, many people had to park far away from the skiing action, thus they had a long walk back to their vehicles when the daily events ended.
In the first photo below, just look how far in the distance you can see people walking. Again, this was a really BIG DEAL.
We hope you enjoy some of the beautiful scenery we experienced driving into and out of Kincaid Park.
Without Patti's assistance, this entire experience would not have been possible.
We hope you enjoyed a small touch of a winter activity that we participated in viewing here in Alaska.
Patti and Cap
http://bobbacaps.blogspot.com/2018/01/jan-12-18-kincaid-park-anchorage-alaska.html
As we finished the above post, we promised that we would publish a followup post about the U.S. CROSS COUNTRY SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS 2018 that were held here in Anchorage, Alaska, at Kincaid Park, beginning Wednesday, January the 3rd and ending on Monday, January the 8th.
The above jackets were not for sale. Only qualifying volunteers, who worked a certain number of volunteer hours, were eligible to receive them.
Just in case some of you don't realize it, the ski championships are a VERY BIG DEAL. This is a National Event. The last time Anchorage hosted the National's was back in year 2010. So it is very special for them to be back here on a rotating basis in Anchorage.
We spent two days at the Ski Championships. There were absolutely no admission fees or charges of any type.
Below are a few photos to refresh your memory about entering Kincaid Park.
The next two photos show RACE HEADQUARTERS, the Kincaid Park Chalet.
The time HAS COME to show you some skiing.
As you are on the road into the Chalet proper, just before you actually arrive at the Chalet, you suddenly, and you immediately, 'come-upon' some skiing action.
This is where Patti was of invaluble assistance because, when we saw the below scenes, Patti let me jump out of our truck and snap the first photos below. There was considerable traffic so Patti simply drove on into the Chalet parking lot and settled there while I took off to plunge into the skiing action.
In the first photo below, on the edge in the left far background, you can see an elevated road overpass.
As Patti and I drove over this elevated area, Patti stopped and I jumped out of our truck and, looking down upon the skiing scene below me, I snapped the below photos.
As you can see (the vertical blue and white sign), we are looking down upon the STARTING LINE for all of the races.
Now I have climbed down from being on the hill and we are right amongst the skiiers.
Another look at the above bridge in the distance and of the official timing system.
In each racing heat, there were six skiers. Behind us was an electronic signboard showing the first four skiers and then it would flash the final two.
When you look at the first photo below, focus upon Number 1 at the top, Hanneman. Got it? Reese Hanneman is a famous cross country skier and won top honors in his event. He has also won seven (7) previous national titles in cross country skiing.
Kevin Bolger, Number 10 in second starting slot, eventually placed 2nd overall behind the winner Reese Hanneman. It was a photo finish!
Reese and Logan Hanneman are brothers from Fairbanks, Alaska, each with an extensive skiing history behind them.
The final two of the six contestants in this heat race are shown below.
In these photos, Reese Hanneman at the far side of the other skiers, is wearing the blaze-yellow stocking cap.
There he is, Reese Hanneman, wearing the blaze-yellow cap.
In the below photo, they are about to be off! At the far end is Resse Hanneman.
Then suddenly!! They exploded off in a blaze of movement. In the photo below, Reese Hanneman on the left, is leading his heat.
The below photo shows the extremely close 'photo-finish' between Reese Hanneman and Kevin Bolger of Sun Valley, Idaho.
For this event, the cross country skiing championships, there was basically one large viewing area.
The below photo shows this one viewing area.
To the left you see a dowhill section. To the right you see an uphill section.
Now we will look at the uphill section.
After leaving the STARTING line, the skiers will pass on the trail immediately at the bottom of the above photo.
Here is their first hill. The large viewing area is in the distance up the above hill. Below we are looking back down the hill. The STARTING line is in the distance on the extreme left edge of the below photo. On the left you can see the bridge I showed 10, 11 and 12 photos above.
And here they come! Up their first hill
And snap-your-fingers quick, they are past.
Now for some photos of the downhill section of the course.
The next three photos below, were taken while I was still up on the elevated roadway above the STARTING line. In the first two, you get some idea of the size of the crowd. The parking lot you see was but one of several.
On the left side of the above and below photos, you can see one of the ski-runs that the skiers came down towards the end of their heat race.
Directly in the center of the below photo, you are looking straight at the above downhill section of the course in the far distance.
Below we are now much closer to the above downhill section of the course.
Below are photos showing the skiers blasting down the above hill.
Spectators stand, eyes focused upon the crest of the hill, holding their breath.
Suddenly, here they come!
Below are other random photos I snapped. All of which are taken in the one, single large spectator area I have mentioned previously.
The below photo is 'very blury'. I show it because it gives you all an idea of how up-close-and-personal spectators can get to the skiers. Reach out and touch them close!
The next two photos below, look back up the hill toward the area of the above photo.
It is hard to see in the above photo, easy to see in the next below photos, but up on top of the main spectator viewing area you can see 'something round' up there.
When I first noticed this 'round thing', I made a mental note to 'check-it-out' when (and at the time IF) I got to the top of the hill.
Well a promise made is a debt unpaid and I did just that. I got up to the top of the hill and I checked the 'round thing' out.
Sports fans far and wide I present to you THE BONG.
Now we will turn our attention from the ski slopes to the RACE HEADQUARTERS, Kincaid Park Chalet.
As you are about to see, RACE HEADQUARTERS was a very busy place.
Inside we go. Lots of souvenirs for sale. Yes, the general public were welcomed inside of RACE HEADQUARTERS.
Looking West above and looking East below.
In the below photo, you can see several attendees in the lower foreground looking intently at something.
There was actually closed circuit television showing the heat races live. IF you look really close, on the extreme left edge of the below photo you can see Patti. Patti did not go out onto the course to view the events live. The closed circuit TV was wonderful.
Below is the podium for the top three winners of final events. I did not venture out to attend any of these ceremonies.
With National Championships on the line as well as some open places on the U.S. Olympic Ski Team at-stake and up-for-grabs, all podium winners were tested for any possible substance abuse.
A few more pieces of newsprint.
Below is a photo showing current skiers who worked at, or actually competed in, the 1978 championships forty years ago. Wow! Hats off to each of them and others who may not be shown in the below photo.
Well ..
The party's over .. It's time to call it a day .. They've burst your pretty balloon .. And taken the moon away.
As you can see in the first two photos below, many people had to park far away from the skiing action, thus they had a long walk back to their vehicles when the daily events ended.
In the first photo below, just look how far in the distance you can see people walking. Again, this was a really BIG DEAL.
We hope you enjoy some of the beautiful scenery we experienced driving into and out of Kincaid Park.
Without Patti's assistance, this entire experience would not have been possible.
We hope you enjoyed a small touch of a winter activity that we participated in viewing here in Alaska.
Patti and Cap
