Just wanted to say good luck to all the US ski mountaineering racers competing in this years Pierra Menta. The Pierra Menta is one of the most classic ski mountaineering races in the world and is a four day stage race through the Beaufortain Range of the Alps. Over the course of four days, the racers will climb approximately 32,000 feet over 15 mountain passes. This year, five teams from America will compete.
Team USA. Courtesy SariAnderson.com.
Cary Smith and Pete Swenson
Jared Inouye and Brandon French
Monique Merrill and Sari Anderson
Lyndsay Meyer and Nina Silitch
Jason McGowin and Brad LaRochelle
As usual in today’s day and age of blogs and websites, the race can be followed and results viewed on a daily basis. The Pierra Menta website itself will have daily updates from the days races as well as results, knowing French helps. Also, Sari Anderson’s husband Ian has vowed to keeps us updated on the US racers on SariAnderson.com. I know I will be checking it out over the next couple days to see how the crew is doing. Good Luck USA!!!
Thursdays race course with 7,300K feet of ascent.
Today’s results. Looks like Cary and Pete were 40 minutes off the winning time and 47th out of 152 teams. Pretty good really!!
http://www.pierramenta.com/images/2009/resultat12009.pdf
Sounds like the top teams are at the tour de france level!Tour de France of ski touring!
That is unreal!
I mean Pete and Cary are fast.
It must be a blast to compete in a real ski mountaineering event.
Good luck!
Hey Steve, Thanks for thinking of us all over here. The USA girls are holding their own over here too!
atta boy smith!
Nice job Cary and Pete.
Cheers from Telluride
Steve,
I saw some guy (non-US) competing in the Pierra Menta with a Live to Ski sticker on his helmet!
Thats Thomas, my team mate at the PM last year. I gave him that sticker after the 1st day last year so I could pick him out of the sea of people. Thats cool he’s still rocking it!
Nice job america
I’m so proud. Thanks for dropping in guys and kick some euro lycra butt!