Paul Smith's College Snowshoe Team wins 2018 International Snowshoe Championships in Lewiston, Maine

Paul Smith's College Striders

                                     2018 International Snowshoe Championships

                                                          Lewiston, ME

                                                        27 January 2018

Paul Smith's College Race Results

Seventeen members of the Paul Smith's College snowshoe team took part in the 110^th edition of the International Snowshoe Championships held in Lewiston, Maine this past weekend and returned with their eleventh consecutive championship team win. 

Many of the local collegiate runners ran 7 – 9 events through the day, beginning with the race walk.  The men cover an 8K (just under five miles) while the women perform a 1,500 meter race walk.  Matt Frye (FR) and Tessa White (JR) had the top overall times of the day in the walk, with Frye completing the 8K event in 58 minutes 5 seconds.  Tessa White is now a two-time walk champion, winning the 1.5K walk in 12:08, followed by Margret Montag (FR) in 12:20. 

Paul Smith's won all three 400 meter relays, with Adaiah Bauer, Isaac Leach, Thomas Firkins and Lily Sher teaming to win the mixed relay in 1:25.27.  Second place also went to a Paul Smith's College team, with Tessa White, Cody Sears, Margret Montag and Matt Frye finishing in 1:34.58.   Margret Montag, Lily Sher, Adaiah Bauer, and Tessa White won the women's relay in 1:25.27, while Matt Frye, Isaac Leach, Thomas Firkins, and Cody Sears won the men's relay in 1:10.43. 

Cody Sears won the Senior Men's title, while Margret Montag win the Junior Women's title.  

Isaac Leach (SO) again won the Junior A Men's Title, and due to his overall points earned throughout the day, was the Men's Athlete of the Day, and the Overall Athlete of the Day. 

Lily Sher took home the honors as the top Senior Woman Athlete of the Day, and through her consistent performances throughout the day, she also was crowned the top Female Athlete of the Day.  

The convention is an annual tradition, bringing back the French Canadian roots of the logging industry from the communities based in Quebec, Ontario and Northern New England.  Decades ago, the several dozen snowshoe clubs would rendezvous for the annual convention, traveling by train to the destination and celebrate their rich culture of music, dancing, and snowshoeing in this mid-winter festival.  Sadly, the traditions are dying and these fraternal clubs are no longer attracting members to their organizations. 

Thousands would attend the convention, even as recently as 1988, while slightly over 100 attended this year's event.  

Next up for the Paul Smith's College snowshoe team is both the Empire State Games snowshoe races at the Paul Smith's College campus on Saturday, February 3rd. 

Saranac Lake and Paul Smith's VIC will be hosting the 2018 Adirondack Snowshoe Festival on February 24^th and 25th.    

The Paul Smith's College team will be hosting the Empire State Games snowshoe races on Saturday, with the 100, 400 and 800 meter sprints at the soccer field in the morning, and then the 5K at the College's VIC in the afternoon.  Racing will begin at 10AM at the soccer field, and the 5K will commence at 2 PM.

Jim Tucker, Athletic Director

8Km Walk ~ Men

Senior Men

1. Matthew Frye                58.05
2. Cody Sears                  1:00:09
3. Jon Gatti                     1:07.18

Junior Men

1. Isaac Leach                 1:04.00

2. Michael Wert              1:06.00
3. Thomas Firkins            1:10.40
4. James Neary                1:17.26

1,500 Meter Walk ~ Women

Super Senior Women

1. Susan Gatti                 15.06

Senior Women

1. Tessa White                 12:08
2. Corrie Desilets 13:19
3. Lily Sher                     13.44
4. Emelie Morton            13.58

Junior Women

1. Margret Montag          12:20
2. Adaiah Bauer              13:57

400 Meter Mixed Relay

1. Isaac Leach                 Paul Smith's College                           1:20.00            (1st Place)
2. Thomas Firkins            Paul Smith's College
3. Lily Sher                     Paul Smith's College
4. Adaiah Bauer              Paul Smith's College

1. Tessa White                 Paul Smith's College                           1:23.48            (2nd Place)
2. Cody Sears                  Paul Smith's College
3. Margret Montag          Paul Smith's College
4. Matthew Frye             Paul Smith's College

1.  Jon Gatti                    Paul Smith's College                           1:31                 (4^th Place)
2. Corrie Desilets Paul Smith's College
3. Susan Gatti                 Paul Smith's College
4. John Mollica                Paul Smith's College

Presidents Walk

1. Jim Tucker                   Paul Smith's College
2. Howard McBrearty     Boucanier

400 Meter Women's Relay

1. Margret Montag          Paul Smith's College               1:25.27                        (1^st Place)
2. Corrie Desilets Paul Smith's College
3. Adaiah Bauer              Paul Smith's College
4. Lily Sher                     Paul Smith's College

400 Meter Men's Relay

1. Thomas Firkins Paul Smith's College               1:10.43                        (1st Place)
2. Matthew Frye               Paul Smith's College
3. Isaac Leach                  Paul Smith's College
4. Cody Sears                   Paul Smith's College

50 Meters ~ Women

Junior A (age 15 – 19)

1. Margret Montag          Paul Smith's College               10.26
2. Adaiah Bauer             Paul Smith's College               10:69

Senior Women

1. Lily Sher                     Paul Smith's College               11.36
2. Emelie Morton            Paul Smith's College               11.64

Super Senior Women

3. Susan Gatti                 Paul Smith's College               15.26

800 Meters – Men

1. Isaac Leach                 Paul Smith's College               3:14.70
2. Cody Sears                  Paul Smith's College               3:21.64
3. Michael Wert              Paul Smith's College               3:26.87
4. Matthew Frye             Paul Smith's College               3:39.27
5. Jon Gatti                     Paul Smith's College               3:50.15
6. John Mollica                Paul Smith's College               4:07.79

800 Meters – Women

1. Margret Montag          Paul Smith's College               4:16.84
2. Lily Sher                     Paul Smith's College               4:57.09
3. Emelie Morton            Paul Smith's College               5:39.30
4. Corrie Desilets Paul Smith's College               6:39.74
5. Susan Gatti                 Paul Smith's College               6:52.00

100 Meters – Junior A. Men

1. Thomas Firkins            Paul Smith's College               16.42
2. Isaac Leach                 Paul Smith's College               17.98
3. James Neary                Paul Smith's College               18.54

100 Meters – Senior Men

1. Cody Sears                  Paul Smith's College               17:60
2. Matthew Frye             Paul Smith's College               19.25
3. Jon Gatti                     Paul Smith's College               20.46

100 Meters – Super Senior Men

1.  John Mollica               Paul Smith's College               22.67
2. Meters – Junior Women
3. Margret Montag          Paul Smith's College               20.65

100 Meters – Senior Women

1. Emelie Morton            Paul Smith's College               21.50
2. Lily Sher                     Paul Smith's College               22.76
3. Corrie Desilets Paul Smith's College               24.98

100 Meters – Super Senior Women

3. Susan Gatti                 Paul Smith's College               36.27

1,500 Meters – Men

1. Isaac Leach                 Paul Smith's College               7:34.81
2. Cody Sears                  Paul Smith's College               7:38.99
3. Matthew Frye             Paul Smith's College               7:47.83
4. Jon Gatti                     Paul Smith's College               8:12.58
5. John Mollica                Paul Smith's College               8:16.38

1,500 Meters – Women

1. Margret Montag          Paul Smith's College               9:32.95
2. Lily Sher                     Paul Smith's College               10:35.98
3. Susan Gatti                 Paul Smith's College               14:20.53
4. Emelie Morton            Paul Smith's College               14:21.23

200 Meters – Junior Men

1. Thomas Firkins            Paul Smith's College               35.03
2. Isaac Leach                 Paul Smith's College               36.67
3. Michael Wert              Paul Smith's College               39.83

200 Meters – Senior Men

1. Cody Sears                  Paul Smith's College               34.24
2. Jon Gatti                     Paul Smith's College               36.69

200 Meters – Super Senior Men

1. John Mollica                Paul Smith's College               49.96

200 Meters – Junior Women

1. Adaiah Bauer              Paul Smith's College               44.11
2. Margret Montag          Paul Smith's College               44.84

200 Meters – Senior Women

1. Emelie Morton            Paul Smith's College               50.61
2. Lily Sher                     Paul Smith's College               54.28
3. Corrie Desilets Paul Smith's College               1:08.02

200 Meters – Super Senior Women

3. Susan Gatti                 Paul Smith's College               1:25.12

400 Meters – Junior Men

1. Isaac Leach                 Paul Smith's College               1:33.46
2. Michael Wert              Paul Smith's College               1:37.16
3. Thomas Firkins            Paul Smith's College               1:41.50

400 Meters – Senior Men

1. Cody Sears                  Paul Smith's College               1:37.72

400 Meters – Super Senior

1. John Mollica                Paul Smith's College               2:03.24

400 Meters – Women

1. Margret Montag          Paul Smith's College               1:52.66
2. Lily Sher                     Paul Smith's College               2:19.77
3. Emelie Morton            Paul Smith's College               2:31.36
4. Corrie Desilets Paul Smith's College               3:14.17
5. Susan Gatti                 Paul Smith's College               3:34.04

3,000 Meters – Men

1. Matthew Frye             Paul Smith's College               17:54.83
2. Isaac Leach                 Paul Smith's College               17:59.49
3. Cody Sears                  Paul Smith's College               22:34.22