Soderholm and Haas combine for back-to-back Snowshoe Victories ~ Gurney Lane 5K

2025 Churney Gurney Lane 5K Snowshoe Race

Queensbury, NY

d17458_942ff58ec79b482393c18e35d06c2788.pdf (underdogtiming.com)

26 January 2025

Ellen Haas and Eliot Soderholm pace the Paul Smith's College Snowshoe Team with winning performances in the Churney Gurney Lane Snowshoe Races – Queensbury, NY

Ellen Haas and Eliot Soderholm both swept the weekend snowshoe races over the weekend with victories in Goshen, MA on Saturday and followed with another pair of victories in the Churney Gurney Lane Snowshoe Race on Sunday.  

Haas maintained a lead for the women from the start in Queensbury on the hard – packed marginal snow conditions at the Gurney Lane Recreation Area Trail system to win the 5K in 28:00.  Kelsey Stauffer (Queensbury, NY) placed second in 29:14 to push the pace throughout the 5K, but was unable to catch Haas throughout the race.  Paul Smith's College teammates Nat Ross finished in 5^th with a time of 32:10, followed by Chloe Freund in 6^th in 33:29. 

Eliot Soderholm (PSC) remained undefeated this snowshoe season, winning the 5K at Gurney Lane in 20:54, followed by Lance Purvis (Queensbury, NY) in 21:43.5.  Wes Burkit (Paul Smith's) finished third in 21:43.8, a mere .3 seconds behind Purvis. Carson Wohlers (Paul Smith's) placed 4^th in 25:14, followed by Cazimir Couble (Paul Smith's) in 25:14 in 5^th, and Aidan Minihan (Paul Smith's) in 7^th with a time of 27:31.  Noah Keys rounded out the PSC Men's team with a time of 31:32, placing 11^th for the men. 

The Gurney Lane Recreation Area trails are developed for mountain biking, hiking, and fat biking as well as snowshoe walking and running.  The Town of Queensbury has been expanding the offerings within the park system for area residents and visitors, and in the PSC team's annual trek to Gurney Lane for the 5K snowshoe event, the team has been able to witness the transformative efforts of the community with this recreation park. 

The Paul Smith's College Snowshoe Team will be hosting the Empire State Games on February 1st, with the three sprint events held at the college's soccer field (800, 100 and 400 meters) followed by the 5K at the Paul Smith's College VIC at 2 PM. 

This back to back snowshoe racing weekend was a good tune-up for later in the season when the team will be competing in US Snowshoe Nationals in Brillion, Wisconsin, with Nationals on February 27^th and the World Championships two days later at the same Ariens Nordic Center in Brillion.  It is tough to race two quality races with only two days recovery, but the past 38 years of snowshoe racing have taught the coaching staff that the PSC college students have been able to pull off strong performances with minimal recovery due to the training on the world class training available at the college and locally, and the effort of the students as they prepare for national and world class events in snowshoe racing. 

Finishers:  23 in the 5K; including 8 women and 15 men.

Women's Winner: Ellen Haas – 28:00. 

Men's Winner: Eliot Soderholm – 20:54