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Jingle Bell kicks off snowshoe race series

Bob Bolton of Vermontville competes in a snowshoe race in January at Dewey Mountain Recreation Center in Saranac Lake. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

Bob Bolton of Vermontville competes in a snowshoe race in January at Dewey Mountain Recreation Center in Saranac Lake. (Enterprise photo -- Justin A. Levine)

PAUL SMITHS — The Jingle Bells snowshoe race drew a small crowd of competitors to the Paul Smith’s VIC last week, with the top four finishers each crossing the finish line in under 30 minutes.

Saturday’s race was the first competition of the Empire State snowshoe race season.

Bob Bolton of Vermontville was the overall winner after covering the 5-kilometer course in 20 minutes, 57 seconds. Paul Smith’s College student Chloe Mattilio won the women’s race with a time of 29:35.

Mattilio took first place in the women’s snowshoe marathon at the U.S. Nationals in Utah last year, while Bolton placed in the men’s race.

Two PSC students who graduated last year came back to the area for Saturday’s race. Bianca Fournier and Lewis Lolya raced for the PSC team as seniors last winter.

Paul Smith’s freshman Issac Leach won the junior men’s category for men 15-19 years old. Another PSC racer, Rob McDermott came in second.

Both McDermott and Mattilio will be graduating at the end of the semester.

The Jingle Bells race was the first in the state-wide series of snowshoe races, and also the first of four snowshoe events locally. There will be a race as part of the annual Empire State Winter Games in the beginning of February, while the Dewey Mountain Challenge will take place March 5. Saranac Lake is also hosting the Snowshoe World Championships in February, but the championship is not part of the Empire State race series.

The North American Championships will be held in Quebec on March 3.

There are 13 total races around the state in the series. Anyone who competes in at least six of the races will be eligible for prizes. There are three more races in the Adirondacks this winter, in addition to the local races, with the “CockADoodleShoe” race taking place in Saranac on Jan. 13. There will also be a race at Oak Mountain Ski Center in Speculator on Jan. 22, while the Natural Stone Bridge 3-4 Miler will take place in Pottersville in Warren County on Feb. 11.

For more information on the Empire State Snowshoe Series, visit www.winonaforest.com/empire-state-snowshoe-series1.html.

Jingle Bells Snowshoe Race

Dec. 3 at Paul Smith’s VIC

Results

Bob Bolton 20:57

Rob McDermott 23:52

Doug Hazelden 25:44

Chloe Mattilio 29:35

Issac Leach 30:36

Jess Setter 34:51

Chris Jacob 36:50

Lewis Lolya 51:38

Bianca Fournier 51:38

Thomas Firkins DNF

Hayden Ursek DNF

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