Quadrathlon's prayer for snow is answered

By Jim Maniaci
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — Now the message board at the New Mexico Mining Museum in downtown Grants can read, "Think MORE Snow!" as organizers of the 23rd Annual Mount Taylor Winter Quadrathlon had their prayers answered Wednesday.

No immediate measurements were available of how much snow blanketed Cibola County and Mount Taylor on Jan. 25. Winter weather continues to be in the forecast for the next few days.

The quadrathlon is scheduled for Feb. 18, when solo, pair and team entries male, female and mixed will bicycle, run, ski and snowshoe their way along a 43-mile route.

Entry deadline is Thursday, Feb. 16, at the Grants-Cibola County Chamber of Commerce office in the museum. At last word about 100 entries had been paid, far behind last year's rate, as potential competitors feared cancellation, despite repeated notices that the "Quad" would take place no matter what the weather.

The $3,500 in cash prizes still stand, too.

The race will begin at 9 a.m. in front of the Cibola County government center on High Street. The route heads east on High Street, to First Street, then to Roosevelt Avenue, east to the Lobo Canyon Road-Mesa Boulevard traffic signals and then north on Lobo Canyon Road.

First to leave will be the solo entrants, followed an hour later by the pairs and 3-member or 4-member teams.

Beginning at an elevation of 6,420 feet, the cyclists pedal for 13 miles to an elevation of 8,229 feet. Then they run for a 5-mile leg to 9,479 feet. After the run, competitors cross-country ski for a 2-mile trek to about 10,702 feet high. Competitors then switch to snowshoes for the final leg of about a mile to 11,301 feet.

The skiers, if not switching to snowshoes, will then have an alternate back trail to follow down to the second transition. Individual drivers are not allowed, due to the safety hazard, with buses and vans being used to ferry everyone.

Last year the men's solo winner was Josiah Middaugh of Vail, Colo., in 3:42:50. He also won the 2004 race, about a minute faster. The 2005 women's solo winner was Danelle Ballengee of Dillon, Colo., in 4:18:34.

The winning men's team, Trick Knees, finished in 3:39:30. The winning women's team, Fredricks and Friends, completed the course in 5:10:24. The mixed teams winner, 2 Guys, a Girl and a Gasbag, did it in 4:06:57.

Top in men's pairs was Martinez in 4:50:29; in women's pairs it was Steege's Over the River in 5:43:26; and in mixed pairs it was Branston and Pickle in 4:53:10.

— To contact reporter Jim Maniaci in Grants, telephone 285-6184 or (505) 870-7775 (cellular).