From left, Paul Smith’s College snowshoe athletes Cazimir Couble, Brock Boissey and Aidan Minihan compete in a race in the Summerstown Snowshoe Races in Summerstown, Ontario. (Provided photo)

PAUL SMITHS — The Paul Smith’s College snowshoe team headed to Summerstown Trails in Summerstown, Ontario, just East of Cornwall, to take part in the 4.4-Kilometer and the 8.4K races.

This was the final weekend of the Dion Canadian Snowshoe Racing Series, which featured a total of eight snowshoe races this year. Three of the eight races were all held this past weekend, geographically across the vast nation to the North.

PSC junior, Eliot Soderholm of Reston, Virginia, remains undefeated this winter season, as he won the 8.4K course in 35 minutes, 16 seconds.

“This is the best course I have ever raced. It is wider than the usual single-track courses, and it was well packed, which allows you to run faster,” Soderholm said.

Canadian masters champion and current points leader in the 2026 Canadian Snowshoe Racing Series, Bernie Hogan placed second in 38:03, followed by PSC’s Bryce Shannon of Sparrow Bush, placing third in 41:00. Mat Matis of Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, was the third Paul Smith’s College student to finish, crossing the line in 48:13, placing third in the Open Men’s category behind his fellow teammates.

The Bobcats’ Aidan Minihan (53:29) of Newark, Delaware, and Brock Boissey (53:33) of Cadyville moved up from the typical 5K this weekend to compete in the 8.4K race and finished in fifth and sixth, respectively, in the Open Men’s category.

As part of the Dion Canadian Snowshoe Race Series, this event was among the events awarding series points to the top men’s and women’s finishers. Soderholm and Shannon tied for second place with 20 points each this year in the Dion Canadian Snowshoe Race Series, as Soderholm won both races he entered, and Shannon placed fourth in the Ignite the Night 10K Snowshoe Race, followed by third-place finishes at Canadian Nationals as well as Summerstown.

Also, during the event, PSC’s Cazimir Couble of Spofford, New Hampshire, finished first in a time of 26:22, while teammate Reece Perry of Malone finished second in 28:52. This was the first time Couble earned a spot atop the podium in a snowshoe race this winter, and the first time for Perry to be on the men’s overall podium for a top-three finish. Tim James placed sixth overall for the men with a time of 32:38, while Devin Stalnaker placed ninth with a time of 45:31.

Forty-eight athletes took part in the two race distances on the Summerstown Trail system. Much of the course was held on the trails groomed for fat bike training and groomed with a snowdog pulled behind a snowmobile.

The PSC snowshoe team will be hosting the Bobcat 5 and 10K Snowshoe Races at the VIC on Saturday, Feb. 21 with a 1 p.m. start for both distances. This will be followed by the Dewey Mountain Challenge on Feb. 22 with a 10 a.m. start with the same distances. These events will provide an opportunity for North Country athletes to try snowshoe racing on our local trails.