Sure there was speed and skill and the tireless efforts of the racing teams. But in the end, all that mattered was time.

Chris Vincent had just enough, and Blair Morgan barely ran out.

Vincent, who qualified first on Saturday by winning all three of his heat races then earned the top seed with a dominating semifinal race Sunday, took the gold medal when Morgan's late charge came up just short.

	Blair Morgan (right) passed Trevor John off this jump and moved into second place.

Morgan, of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, finished second for the silver medal. Trevor John, an 18-year-old high school senior from Minnesota, suffered a hairline fracture of his right ankle in Saturday's qualifying but raced on, qualifying fourth Saturday and holding on for the bronze Sunday.

"When the work is done off the track to make the sled fast, it's easy for the driver," Vincent said. "The mechanics, Skidoo, the Amsoil team -- they all put it together. I just had to go out and pull the trigger."

The 27-year-old Vincent took the lead on the first lap and never trailed. But Morgan, who found himself deep in the pack right out of the gate, made up enough ground to send a shiver through Vincent's crew watching from the finish area.

"I was trying to get to the front right away, because it's a short race," Morgan said. "You've got to get on the gas and try to get the lead. But I got behind about five guys, and I couldn't see the track very well because of all the snowdust coming off the snowmobiles."

It took Morgan four laps, but he finally worked his way into second position, passing John, and set his sights on Vincent. And it was about that time that Vincent's charmed weekend hit its first snag.

	Chris Vincent celebrates with crew members after taking the gold medal.

"Going up the hill, or somewhere, I cracked a pipe," Vincent said, "which cuts down on the back pressure and you lose a lot of horsepower. I lost about 4-5 miles an hour going up the hill for the last two laps, so that hurt a lot."

And with Morgan clear of the pack, the chase was on.

"Once I got around those guys, I had a clear track in front of me for a little while," Morgan said, "but I just ran out of time."

The 23-year-old Morgan pulled within striking distance in the passing zone leading up the final hairpin turn less than a quarter-mile from the finish. But a bad line around the turn kept him out of passing position coming down the straightaway.

"I wish I would have had a nicer corner up there," Morgan said. "I kind of messed up a little bit, trying to go too fast, too anxious. I kind of had a different line than him, so I could have passed him if I was right beside him."

As it was, Vincent had no trouble holding on for the victory, thanks to the time.

"Fortunately the Skidoo got me out in front," he said, "and I pulled away from everybody, so that little bit of lead that I lost was a nice cushion."

Among the other notable finishes on the final day of competition was that of Shaun Palmer, the snowboarder who also competed in Skier X and Biker X and Snocross. Palmer qualified 15th on Saturday, but a spill in Sunday's first semifinal left him dead last and facing the last-chance qualifier for a spot in the championship race. His bad luck continued, however, as he finished last in that race, as well.