By Máximo Steverlynck
College racing across the country is starting up, with both the RMISA and EISA seasons off to a good start and the CCSA season soon to get underway. Here’s a look at what happened in American collegiate ski racing the first two weekends in January.
Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association
The RMISA has two race weekends under its belt so far, with both the Westminster Invitational and Utah Invitational happening in the last couple of weeks.
The Westminster Invitational kicked off the RMISA season by scoring college athletes in first the 10km classic interval start at U.S. Nationals, then in the skate sprints.
Andreas Kirkeng of the University of Denver led the men’s 10km with a time of 23:50, followed by Joe Davies of the University of Utah, skiing to a close 2nd place with a time of 23:53. In 3rd among RMISA skiers was Christopher Kalev of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, with a time of 24:16.
Tilde Bångman of Montana State University won the women’s 10km that same day with a time of 27:13. Sydney Palmer-Leger of the University of Utah placed 2nd with a time of 27:32, and in 3rd was Karianne Dengerud, also of the University of Utah, with a time of 27:54.
RMISA skiers continued to score well at U.S. Nationals. Will Koch of the University of Colorado and Florian Knopf of the University of Denver made it into the men’s sprint finals, where Koch took the overall win, even among non-RMISA skiers. The third-place RMISA skier was Trey Jones of the University of Colorado, who finished fourth in his semifinal and eighth overall on the day.
In the women’s final, Karianne Dengerud won the sprint outright for the University of Utah. Also factoring into the Nationals final were Tilde Bångman of MSU, placing 5th overall, and Mariel Pulles, placing 6th for the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Barely a week later, the Utah Invitational continued the RMISA season, still at Soldier Hollow, with a 7.5km freestyle on Friday, followed by a 10km pursuit classic race on Saturday.
Kendall Kramer of the University of Alaska Fairbanks won the women’s 7.5km with a time of 21:56. Behind her in second with a time of 22:11 was Sydney Palmer-Leger of Utah, and in 3rd was Rosie Fordham, also of Fairbanks, skiing a time of 22:23.
Brian Bushey of the University of Utah won the men’s opening race, skiing 7.5km in 18:48. Closely following him with a time of 18:50 was Andreas Kirkeng of Denver. Will Koch of the University of Colorado rounded out a tight podium in third, with a time of 18:54.
Full Women’s 7.5km Results – UU Invitational | Full Men’s 7.5km Results – UU Invitational
Kendall Kramer kept her lead to win the 10km classic pursuit the following day with a time of 29:28, for a commanding total pursuit time of 51:24. Sydney Palmer-Leger also held her second-place spot with a 10km time of 29:49 for a total pursuit time of 52:00. Tilde Bångman also skied a 29:49 10km time to push her into 3rd in the pursuit, with a total time of 52:19.
Full Women’s Pursuit Results – UU Invitational
Joe Davies set a blazing 10km time of 25:15 to supplant his teammate Brian Bushey for the win in the men’s field, skiing a total pursuit time of 44:15. Brian Bushey came in with a 10km time of 25:45 for a total time of 44:33, putting him in second place in the pursuit. Andreas Kirkeng skied a 25:59 10km to put him in 3rd with a total time of 44:49.
Overall nordic results – UU Invitational
Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association
The EISA circuit held its first carnival this past weekend, hosted by the University of Vermont at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center. Events consisted of classic sprints on Friday and a 10km freestyle individual start event on Saturday. It rained. A lot.
John Steel Hagenbuch of Dartmouth won the men’s sprints on Friday followed by Rémi Drolet of Harvard in 2nd. Luke Allan of Dartmouth rounded out the podium in 3rd.
Full Men’s Sprint Results – UVM Carnival
Haley Brewster of University of Vermont won the women’s sprints, followed by Ava Thurston of Dartmouth in 2nd. Lea Stabæk Wenaas of the University of New Hampshire placed 3rd for the final podium spot.
Full Women’s Sprint Results – UVM Carnival
Haley Brewster made it a two-peat, also taking the victory on Saturday in the freestyle 10km with a time of 28:10. Following her was Jasmine Drolet of Dartmouth in second, with a time of 28:17, and Lucinda Anderson of the University of New Hampshire in third, with a time of 28:30.
Full Women’s 10K Results – UVM Carnival
John Steel Hagenbuch also went two for two, taking the victory on Saturday with a time of 25:07. In 2nd was Jack Lange, also of Dartmouth, with a time of 25:12. It was Lange’s first career EISA podium finish. Rounding out the men’s podium was Rémi Drolet of Harvard, with a time of 25:15.
Full Men’s 10km Results – UVM Carnival
Central Collegiate Ski Association
In the Midwest, CCSA racing begins next weekend with a 7.5km free individual start and a 10km classic mass start at the NMU CCSA Invite, hosted by Northern Michigan University at Al Quaal in Ishpeming.
