Adam Martin and Caitlin Patterson race FIS Cross Country in Falun

Caitlin Patterson and Adam Martin were both tapped by the US Ski Team to toe the line at the FIS Cross Country World Cup in Falun, Sweden. 

Falun is infamous for huge uphills and hair raising descents and turns. This challenging track was the site of Freestyle and Classic distance races for Adam and Caitlin. 

Caitlin Patterson was the 6th of 69 women to take to the course in the 10km freestyle race. At the first time check, Caitlin was ranked 48th. Patterson lost ground between the first and second intermediate timing point and dropped back to 63rd. Patterson worked her way back into the race, steadily picking off the places. Between timing points 4 and 6 Patterson advanced from 51st to 42nd place where she would stay at the finish. 

Adam Martin did not start the men’s 15km freestyle. 

Both Caitlin Patterson and Adam Martin started the Mass Start classic races in Falun.

Adam’s race was a 15km, 82 athlete affair. The race included two spectacular crashes, the second of which resulted in British athlete Andrew Young visiting a local hospital after crashing into and over a fence on the edge of a fast sweeping corner. Martin maneuvered away from trouble during his race. After a frantic mass start, Adam came through the first time check in 67th place. At the second intermediate time, Martin managed to pick up 7 places and stabilized his ranking to at or about 60th for much of the race. Adam pulled back a few places in the latter stages of the competition to finish 57th overall, and 3rd on the 6 man US team.   

The women’s 10km classic mass start also included some chaotic moments. 61 women started the race, with 7 of those being US Ski Team entries. Caitlin Patterson finished 51st, 5th on the US women’s team. 

Both Patterson and Martin will now return to Craftsbury to rest and prepare for the next period of competition. For full results and highlights from FIS World Cup racing, visit here.