The early escape has been a Laura McCabe specialty for marathon after marathon, year after year. She takes off from the gun and does not bother looking back. Sometimes her competitors hang on for a km or even 10, but sooner or latter she shucks um like fresh corn and skis it in alone, often over 5 plus minutes ahead of second place. For McCabe, this year's Gold Rush was no different, but what was different was seeing her long time Olympic and Factory teammate Ben Husaby try the same, early escape, tactic.

Husaby and Fischer skier Patrick Cote took a bold lead off the front of a hard charging pack at about 2 km. Cote was sucked back into the pack a few km later, but after one loop of Royal Gorge's quickly softening 17.4 km loop Husaby held a minute lead over a national championship quality field. As Husaby skied past team leader Andy Gerlach on his way out for the second of three laps, he said something like, "this lead is nice, but it isn't gonna last."

Meanwhile in the women's race American Ski Marathon leader Barb Jones of the Factory Team shadowed her teammate McCabe by 20 yards. Rossi skier Kelly Schalk fought hard to hang onto McCabe, and managed to do so for nearly half of one lap. Barb Jones, who tried the tenacious, hang on at all costs, tactic with McCabe at the Mora Vasaloppet and paid the price, played a safer game in the G-Rush and let her teammate, first dispatch of Kelly Schalk, and then ski off on her own. With Schalk trying to recover, and McCabe up the trail, Jones was left to do battle with Christa Case of the Russian led Gitche-Gummi ski club.

By the bottom of the coarse on the second lap, Olympian and Factory Team member Ben Husaby was over a minute ahead of the men's field which consisted of: Olympian Jon Bauer, Olympian Marc Gilbertson, Olympian Pat Weaver, Olympian Jon Engen, Olympian and Factory team member Pete Vordenberg, US development team member Andrew Johnson, soon to be named development team member and current member of the Factory team David Chamberlain, Factory team member and ASMS leader Nathan Schultz, former US Ski Team member and Fischer skier Scoot Loomis, strong men Cory Smith, Tav Strait, Ian Skinner and a few others. There was no lack of talent in the chase pack and yet Husaby not only stayed away but increased his lead. As the serious climbs began on the second lap Factory team member Chamberlain took the lead of the chase pack. Earlier in the week Chamberlain said that he would have a great or a horrible race, nothing in between. After taking a very strong 2nd place in the sprints the day before the Gold Rush, he changed his tune and claimed that he would have nothing shy of a great Gold Rush. When Chamberlain took the lead, his teammate Vordenberg, who was hanging near the rear of the pack took it as a sign to move up, and just as he reached the front of the pack Chamberlain laid into the coarse and tore the field apart. Chamberlain was followed by Weaver who was followed Schultz, Gilbertson, Johnson, Vordenberg, and Ian Skinner. Johnson came off the back, and Vordenberg and Skinner went around him. Gilbertson came off the back and Vordenberg and Skinner went around him. Chamberlain attacked until it was only himself, Weaver, Schultz and Vordenberg left, and then he attacked some more.

In the women's race Laura McCabe skied at an unbelievable tempo. She V2'ed where most V1'ed; she skated over the top and down the hills where most were inclined to tuck. Though she was completely alone she never let up her pace. Almost 4 minutes back, Barb Jones was doing damage to Christa Case, but Case hung on until the middle of the third lap. Jones had managed to gain a good deal of marathon know-how over her first year of marathoning and quickly did away with Case when the time came.
Husaby began the last lap of the 2000 gold rush with a two-minute lead on the chasing threesome of Chamberlain, Schultz and Weaver. Vordenberg fell off the pace and lingered half a minute back. Husaby was now starting to get the feeling that he was actually going to pull the thing off, and the adrenaline of the potential win combined with the anxiety caused by the possibility of being caught just before the finish helped push him to actually increase his lead.

Husaby crossed the finish line first. Weaver out-sprinted Factory Team member Nathan Schultz for second, and Schultz edged Chamberlain for third. Both Schultz and Chamberlain raced spectacular races - things are looking very exciting for their 2001 and 2002 seasons. Vordenberg hung tough and grabbed fifth place.

1. Husaby. Factory Team. 2. Weaver. US Ski Team. 3. Schultz. Factory Team. 4. Chamberlain. Factory Team. 5. Vordenberg. Factory Team.

Laura McCabe said that this was her last season. She said, in fact, that the 2000 Gold Rush would be her last race. I watched her ski up the last hill into the Royal George stadium with a lead of almost 7 minutes. The spectators were either cheering like mad or staring in an almost frightened awe. After over 49 km, 40 of which she skied alone, through slushy snow, with an insurmountable lead, in uncomfortably warm temperatures Laura McCabe was absolutely hauling ass.

At the end of the 2000 Gold Rush, I stood, along with the rest, as a mere spectator cheering for America's all time best marathon ski-racer as she raced her last race. The announcer kept saying, "is she going to give the crowd a wave, will she give us a victory salute?" But she never did. She pushed herself all the way to the finish. It was something to see -- a true picture of what ski racing is all about. I hope she retires as poorly as Ben has, as poorly as I have. I hope we see her out there again, working for every second even though she has minutes to spare, but if not, I hope she knows she has been an inspiration. Good luck to Laura, her husband Sean, and what little Mcabes may soon come!

1. Laura McCabe. Factory team. 2. Barb Jones. Factory Team. 3. Christa Case. Gitche Gummi.

American Marathon Series Over-All Winners:
1. Barb Jones Factory Team 1. Nathan Schultz Factory Team