There was good snow and the weather was warm and sunny for the WinterStart races, among the first nordic ski races for the season in Colorado. The conditions made for difficult waxing for the Classic race but the comfort level was high. Joseph Szekely of Farmington NM and Dave Aschwanden of Cedaredge duked it out for the Classic win with Szekely prevailing at the end. Aschwanden got his revenge in the Freestyle race when they flipflopped places. Christie Aschwanden was impressive finishing both races in third place overall and was the first place female. She was followed by Suzi Evans of Grand Junction in the Classic and by Kari Distefano of Telluride in the Freestyle.
Also impressive were our youngest competitors Stephanie Wahlers, Maddy Pill-Kastens, and Cleo and Molly Mueller. They have a bright skiing future ahead of them. It was great to have Mesa State College represented by Brooke Bosman and Hotchkiss High School by Asa Burritt. Mesa State is putting together a nordic team this year for the first time so we look forward to seeing them competing with Brooke on Grand Mesa ongoing.
Race winners took home organic Fuji and Braeburn apples from Ela Family Farms and everyone got samples of a variety of Clif energy products. Our volunteers Leslie Brodhead, Bryon Lawrence, Jane McGarry, Shirley Ela and Bill Ela made it all happen along with our sponsors:
| Place | Name | Age | Gender | City | State | RaceTime |
| 1 | Joseph Szekely | 40 | M | Farmington | NM | 18:55 |
| 2 | Dave Aschwanden | 40 | M | Cedaredge | CO | 19:19 |
| 3 | Christie Aschwanden | 36 | F | Cedaredge | CO | 21:24 |
| 4 | Al Fournier | 55 | M | Hotchkiss | CO | 21:25 |
| 5 | Suzi Evans | 52 | F | Grand Junction | CO | 21:34 |
| 6 | Ken Pill | 47 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 23:43 |
| 7 | Helen Carlsen | 48 | F | Basalt | CO | 24:23 |
| 8 | Christina Stark | 32 | F | Grand Junction | CO | 24:24 |
| 9 | Jerry Evans | 55 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 24:36 |
| 10 | Tom Suplizio | 44 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 25:02 |
| 11 | Brooke Bosman | 18 | F | Grand Junction | CO | 25:23 |
| 12 | Ann Hopkinson | 57 | F | Glenwood Spgs | CO | 25:36 |
| 13 | Marilyn Kastens | 52 | F | Grand Junction | CO | 26:12 |
| 14 | Kari Distefano | 49 | F | Telluride | CO | 26:19 |
| 15 | Kenton Shaw | 53 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 26:24 |
| 16 | Ben Fay | 37 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 26:26 |
| 17 | Gig Leadbetter | 53 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 27:19 |
| 18 | Denny Hogan | 59 | M | Silt | CO | 27:31 |
| 19 | John Cowell | 55 | M | Paonia | CO | 27:35 |
| 20 | Brad Burritt | 47 | M | Hotchkiss | CO | 27:36 |
| 21 | Dan Schultz-Ela | 52 | M | Hotchkiss | CO | 28:02 |
| 22 | Callie West | 54 | F | Paonia | CO | 29:19 |
| 23 | Bill Miller | 59 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 30:00 |
| 24 | Chuck Bodie | 55 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 30:24 |
| 25 | Steve Ela | 45 | M | Hotchkiss | CO | 31:14 |
| 26 | Tom Ela | 55 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 31:29 |
| 27 | Chuck Behrensmeyer | 0 | M | Paonia | CO | 31:56 |
| 28 | Maddy Pill-Kastens** | 8 | F | Grand Junction | CO | 33:52 |
| 29 | Denis Reich | 35 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 34:01 |
| 30 | Sarah Shaw | 49 | F | Grand Junction | CO | 34:32 |
| 31 | Kim Roberts | 54 | F | Hotchkiss | CO | 35:42 |
| 32 | Chris Murphy | 0 | M | Palisade | CO | 36:21 |
| 33 | Chris DePuy | 53 | M | Montrose | CO | 36:28 |
| 34 | Jean-Jacques d'Aquin | 69 | M | Montrose | CO | 38:04 |
| 35 | Anky Von Schnoplau | 54 | F | Hotchkiss | CO | 38:25 |
| 36 | Annie Deprey | 30 | F | Mesa | CO | 40:40 |
| 37 | Pam Hogan | 56 | F | Silt | CO | 41:42 |
| 38 | Ruthie Shaffer | 54 | F | Cedaredge | CO | 42:44 |
| 39 | Ralph Wahlers | 44 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 42:47 |
| 40 | Bill Ela | 85 | M | Hotchkiss | CO | 43:27 |
| 41 | Stephanie Wahlers | 13 | F | Grand Junction | CO | 44:29 |
**Maddy skied a shortened course long enough to challenge an 8-year old.
| Place | Name | Age | Gender | City | State | RaceTime |
| 1 | Dave Aschwanden | 40 | M | Cedaredge | CO | 14:48 |
| 2 | Joseph Szekely | 40 | M | Farmington | NM | 16:01 |
| 3 | Christie Aschwanden | 36 | F | Cedaredge | CO | 17:06 |
| 4 | Al Fournier | 55 | M | Hotchkiss | CO | 17:53 |
| 5 | Tom Suplizio | 44 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 17:59 |
| 6 | Kari Distefano | 49 | F | Telluride | CO | 18:12 |
| 7 | Ken Pill | 47 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 19:00 |
| 8 | Christina Stark | 32 | F | Grand Junction | CO | 19:05 |
| 9 | Annie Richardson | 43 | F | Grand Junction | CO | 19:07 |
| 10 | Suzi Evans | 52 | F | Grand Junction | CO | 19:08 |
| 11 | Jerry Evans | 55 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 19:41 |
| 12 | Helen Carlsen | 48 | F | Basalt | CO | 20:07 |
| 13 | Asa Burritt | 17 | M | Hotchkiss | CO | 20:28 |
| 14 | Denis Reich | 35 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 20:40 |
| 15 | Marilyn Kastens | 52 | F | Grand Junction | CO | 20:53 |
| 16 | Tom Lambert | 57 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 20:55 |
| 17 | Chris Murphy | 0 | M | Palisade | CO | 20:58 |
| 18 | Denny Hogan | 59 | M | Silt | CO | 21:11 |
| 19 | Brad Burritt | 47 | M | Hotchkiss | CO | 21:18 |
| 20 | Ann Hopkinson | 57 | F | Glenwood Spgs | CO | 21:37 |
| 21 | Brooke Bosman | 18 | F | Grand Junction | CO | 21:57 |
| 22 | Chuck Behrensmeyer | 0 | M | Paonia | CO | 22:07 |
| 23 | Brad McMillan | 0 | M | Ridgway | CO | 22:24 |
| 24 | Cindy Putnam | 49 | F | Rico | CO | 23:08 |
| 25 | Annie Deprey | 30 | F | Mesa | CO | 23:23 |
| 26 | Kenton Shaw | 53 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 23:24 |
| 27 | Chuck Bodie | 55 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 23:44 |
| 28 | Chris DePuy | 53 | M | Montrose | CO | 24:56 |
| 29 | Robyn Morrison | 0 | F | Paonia | CO | 26:16 |
| 30 | Tom Ela | 55 | M | Grand Junction | CO | 26:47 |
| 31 | Tara Suplizio | 39 | F | Grand Junction | CO | 27:09 |
| 32 | Kim Roberts | 54 | F | Hotchkiss | CO | 27:37 |
| 33 | Jane McGarry | 0 | F | Paonia | CO | 29:28 |
| 34 | Dan Schultz-Ela | 52 | M | Hotchkiss | CO | 32:24 |
| 35 | Ruthie Shaffer | 54 | F | Cedaredge | CO | 34:50 |
| 36 | Cleo Mueller | 11 | F | Grand Junction | CO | 35:33 |
| 37 | Sarah Shaw | 49 | F | Grand Junction | CO | 37:14 |
| 38 | Jean-Jacques d'Aquin | 69 | M | Montrose | CO | 39:43 |