LAKE PLACID - A local photographer's picture of the 90-mile Adirondack Canoe Classic race has been chosen as one of Sports Illustrated magazine's Pictures of the Year.
Nancie Battaglia's photograph of canoeists racing near Raquette Lake was taken from a small airplane.
The photo appears on page 50 of the Dec. 11 issue, and Battaglia, of Lake Placid, is profiled as a contributor on page 11.
Battaglia's work has appeared in magazines, books and calendars, and her "image collection is strong in nature and sports, among other subjects," according to Sports Illustrated. She has been a regular contributor to the New York Times and Adirondack Life magazine.
Battaglia will be shooting the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, which will be the eighth Winter Olympics that she has covered.
The three-day, 90-mile race in September starts in Old Forge and ends on Lake Flower in Saranac Lake. About 250 canoes and kayaks took part in 2009, the race's 27th year.
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(Editor's note: This article has been corrected to include Ms. Battaglia's first name.)