Alumni Profile: Molly Susla
Molly began racing in 6th grade for Freeport Middle School. The summer before her freshman year she joined MCN, roller skiing for the first time. During the winter she would race high school races for her school, then race Eastern Cups with Maine Coast. She raced at Junior Nationals her senior year, and was runner-up state champion for both skate and classic her senior year. As a junior and senior in high school she qualified for Summer Biathlon World Championships, where she ran, roller skied and shot in Estonia and France. Molly will be a junior at Colby College. She skies for the Nordic Team and will be captain this year. Her best result in the carnival circuit was a 19th place in a 5k skate race at Black Mtn, what by now feels like her home course. Molly loves racing marathons and hopes to see all the MCN team out at Eastern Cups this year.
Alumni Profile: Jackson Bloch
Jackson Bloch started skiing competitively in fifth grade, and began training with Maine Coast Nordic in eighth grade, under the guidance of first Morgan Laidlaw and then Jordi St. John. He enjoyed learning the finer points of technique, training with the best area skiers, and making friends with skiers from other area towns. Jackson had an excellent high school career, with three top ten finishes at the Western Maine Conference Championships, three top tens at the state championships, and spots on both Maine’s J2 and Eastern High School teams. He helped Falmouth win the combined Nordic and Alpine state championship for the first time ever when he was a junior, and finished third place at the Sassi Memorial classic as a senior. Maine Coast Nordic helped instill a deep love of skiing in Jackson, and whenever he can he skis the Rangeley Loppet or other marathons. He now skis for the Bowdoin College nordic team
MCN Alumni Profile: Adele Espy
Adele Espy started skiing with Maine Coast Nordic as an incoming freshman at Waynflete School in 2005. Before that she raced for Merriconeag Waldorf School’s middle school team, and recreationally with family. Her accomplishments include, multiple High School State Champion titles for both cross-country running and Nordic skiing, 4 times qualifying for the Junior Olympics (3 times competing at the event), multiple podiums and one gold medal at the Junior Olympics, 2 times qualifying for, and competing at the World Junior Championships, and a 3rd place finish at US Senior Nationals. After graduating from high school she raced for the Sun Valley Olympic Development team in Idaho for one year, and is now racing for the University of Colorado’s ski team in Boulder, Colorado. She has had the privilege of helping coach the younger generation of skiers at a number of MCN practices. Her most memorable Maine Coast Nordic experience is hill bounding at Twin Brooks in a lightning and thunderstorm – rain or shine!!
MCN ALUMNI: Sam Tarling
"Sam grew up skiing at Twin Brooks and joined Maine Coast Nordic in 6th grade. Sam attended Burke Mountain Academy starting his sophomore year of high school, but returned to train with MCN each summer. As a junior skier, Sam was a member of 5 Junior National teams for New England, racing to 3 victories, 3 runner-up finishes, and 14 All-American results. In 2008, Sam was a member of the USA J1 Scandinavia Cup Team, racing to a team-best 12th place in the Skate sprint, and a 24th place finish in the 10km Classic. Sam was a member of the 2010 USA Junior World Championship Team, with fellow MCN Alum, Adele Espy, and raced to a 22nd place finish in the 10km Classic. Sam is a member of the Dartmouth College Ski Team, and the Class of 2013. As a freshman, he the earned EISA Rookie of the Year Award, and as a sophomore Sam won both races at the Dartmouth Winter Carnival and the 10km Skate race at the NCAA National Championships. He earned First-Team All-East, First-Team All-American, and Academic All-American Honors. Sam races on Fischer skis, Alpina Boots and bindings, and Swix Poles. Sam remembers many great times and adventures with former MCN coaches Paul Stone, Morgan Laidlaw and Jordi St. John, and hopes to jump in with Connor and Mike in the future!"
