The Gustavus Adolphus Nordic skiing team opened their 2006-07 season last weekend at the Grand View Cross Country Ski Challenge in Ironwood, Mich. Kathleen DeWahl (Jr., St. Paul, Minn.) led the Gustie women with an 11th place finish in the women’s open division of Saturday’s 1K freestyle sprint and a 17th place finish in Sunday’s 5K classical race. Elias Anoszko (Jr., Dousman, Wis.) led the Gustie men with a 12th place finish in the Olympic Juniors division of Saturday’s sprint, while Scott Kyser (Sr., St. Paul, Minn.) finished a Gustavus-best 55th in Sunday’s 10K classical race.
Saturday, Dec. 9 – 1K freestyle sprint
Gustavus Men
Four Gustavus men competed in Saturday’s 1-kilometer freestyle sprint with three advancing to the knockout round. Anoszko and first-years Michael Paulson (Bloomington, Minn.) and Mark Hartman (White Bear Lake, Minn.) competed in the Olympic Juniors class and advanced to the quarterfinals by placing in the top-24 in the morning qualifying run. Anozsko advanced to the semifinals with a runner-up finish in his six-skier quarterfinal. He then finished sixth in both his semifinal run and the B Final to take home 12th. Paulson and Hartman were unable to advance out of their quarterfinal heats and finished 17th and 23rd, respectively.
The other Gustavus men’s competitor, Scott Kyser, failed to qualify for the quarterfinals in the open division, placing 39th in qualifying.
Gustavus Women
All five Gustavus women competing qualified for the quarterfinals in their respective divisions. In the open division, Kathleen DeWahl advanced to the semis after finishing third in her quarterfinal heat, but finished 11th after placing sixth in her semifinal heat and fifth in the B final. Sarah Willis (Jr., Willmar, Minn.) and Allison Bohn (So., Plymouth, Minn.) raced in the same quarterfinal heat, finishing fourth and fifth and did not advance. Willis finished 15th overall, while Bohn was 20th.
In the Olympic Juniors class, Kelly Chaudoin (So., Ely, Minn.) posted the ninth-best qualifying time and held true to form, advancing to the semis with a third-place finish in her quarterfinal heat. A fifth place finish in her semifinal heat, followed by a third-place finish in the B Final left her in ninth place overall. Kathryn Ladig (So., Bemidji, Minn.) placed 20th overall after a fifth place finish in her quarterfinal heat.
Sunday, Dec. 10 – classical race
Gustavus Men – 10K
After failing to qualify for the quarterfinals in Saturday’s sprint, Scott Kyser responded with the best Gustavus time in Sunday’s men’s 10K classical race. Kyser finished 55th overall with a 33:15.75 clocking. Anoszko (34:29.78) and Paulson (34:35.31) crossed the line seconds apart in 70th and 72nd places, while Kevin Patzoldt (Jr., Grand Rapids, Minn.) finished 79th in a time of 34:55.89. Mark Hartman rounded out the Gustavus effort in 113th place with a time of 41:10.99.
Gustavus Women – 5K
DeWahl followed up Saturday’s sprint finish by leading the Gustavus women across the line in Sunday’s 5K classical race. DeWahl finished 17th in a 17:06.91 clocking. Willis (17:11.04) and Chaudoin (17:19.43) followed in 20th and 22nd places, respectively. Bohn (38th place – 18:18.96) and Ladig (39th place – 18:20.72) entered the finishing area one minute behind their teammates.
Gustavus takes a break from competition until Jan. 3-4 when they return to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to take part in the U.S. Cross Country Skiing Senior National Championships held at the Michigan Tech Nordic Training Center in Houghton, Mich.
1K Freestyle Sprint Results (Men/Women)
10K Classical Results (Men)
5K Classical Results (Women)