Eusden wins derby ski race

One day after placing fourth at Maine’s schoolboy cross country skiing state championships, Spencer Eusden, 17, of South Paris, powered his way to victory at the second installment of the Kittery Trading Post 5K Cross Country Ski Race at Point Sebago Resort.

“This was a really nice race,” Eusden said. “Yesterday I was in the state meet, so I’m a little tired today.”

With a total of about 25 racers, Eusden, a student at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, took first place while 2005 race winner, Patrick Ryan, 17, of Yarmouth, took third.

“This year we had much better conditions,” said Ryan, comparing this year’s course on the tree-lined Point Sebago Golf Course to 2005’s race held on Jordan Bay of Sebago Lake in 30 mph gusts. “It’s much better to be out of the wind.”