Bob Mazur is amazing.

And so are the snow-shoveling members of the Pennsylvania Cross Country Skiers Association.

As a result, the organization was able to hold its annual Nordic Championship Races Feb. 17 at Laurel Ridge State Park.

Mazur, the trail coordinator for the association, recently underwent neck fusion surgery. After the trails closed late Saturday afternoon and before they opened early Feb. 17., Mazur and a group of volunteers shoveled snow from where it wasn't needed to where it was needed on the courses so the championships could be held before the rain arrived.

"It was a Herculean effort by Bob and the others," association president Rick Garstka said. "They did a terrific job."

Tomas Matousek, 56, of Murrysville, won the 5.5K classic race in 23 minutes, 17 seconds -- 20 seconds in front of Jan Merka, 35, of Laurel, Md. Stan Tissue, 47, of Keedysville, Md., was third with a time of 24:39.

Ann Satsangi, 39, of Germantown, Md., was the top female finisher with a time of 28:57. Dagmar Merkova, 38, of Laurel, Md., was second in 32:02 and Diane Rugh, 57, of Johnstown, was third in 36:07.

Sheldon Degenhardt, 43, of Marriotsville, Md., won the 13K freestyle race in 46:33. Jason Zimmerman, 38, of Latrobe, was second at 48:44 and Brian Wieczorek, 40, of Ligonier, was third in 51:24.

Zuzana Matousek, 50, of Murrysville, the only woman racer, completed the course in 1 hour, 9 minutes and 56 seconds.

Bob Kaschak, 50, of South Park, won the 6.5K freestyle race in 27:13. Bill Beaver, 59, of Acme, was second in 31:24 and Alice Doolittle, 40, of Pittsburgh, was third with 36:22. Naomi Jarvis, 41, of the North Hills, completed the course in 43:06.

The Satsangi family of Germantown, Md. was well-represented. Yamuni, 8; Nandini, 6; and Pavan, 4, finished first, third and fourth in the children's 2K race. James Fenn, 8, of the North Hills, son of Naomi Jarvis, was second.

Association members also did well at the annual North American Vasa Races Feb. 9 in Traverse City, Mich.

Garstka, of Munhall, was second in his 60-64 age group in the 12K freestyle race with a time of 1:00:59. David Jenkins, of Pittsburgh, was fifth in the 55-59 age category at 1:07:11. Naomi Jarvis was second in her 40-44 age group with 1:17:20.

Diane Rugh was second in the 50-59 age group in the 12K classic race with a time of 1:14:59. Terry Sitar, of Pittsburgh, came in second in the same age category in 1:29:49. Dave Artis, of Uniontown, finished third in the 50-59 age group in 1:32:10. And Linda Bollenbacher, of Monroeville, was second in the 30-39 female category in 1:43:43.

A $10 lift ticket? That's all it will cost you to ski at Hidden Valley today and tomorrow. The resort is hosting three downhill races on those days for the 2008 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Winter Games and wants to have a big crowd of skiers and snowboarders on hand to cheer on the participants.

Blue Knob also will play host to several events. More than 340 athletes will compete in downhill and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, figure skating and speed skating.

For more information, go to www.specialolympicspa.org

It was a down day for the weather and the number of competitors but an up day for the youngsters who participated in the afternoon on Feb. 17 for the Adam Zebroski Memorial Race and the Mini-Junior Olympics at Boyce Park.

The winners were Zacahary Pivirotto, Colton Knechtel, Katy Knechtel, Heather Catley and Josh Pivirotto.