Freestyle races kicked off the opening day of the United States Cross Country Skiing Championships at the Michigan Tech Nordic Training Center in Houghton, Mich. on Tuesday. Kelly Chaudoin recorded the highest finish by a Gustie women’s skier with a 71st place finish overall (eighth among Central College Ski Association skiers) in the 10K women’s race, while Jens Brabbit paced the Gustavus men with a 124th place finish, which was 22nd among CCSA skiers.
Kelly Chaudoin (Jr., Ely, Minn.) led the Gustie women with a 71st place finish. Her 5K time of 16:01.6 ranked eighth among CCSA skiers. Kathleen DeWahl (Sr., St. Paul, Minn.) finished 90th overall in a time of 16:14.8, while Laura Edlund (Sr., Forest Lake, Minn.) posted a 105th place time of 16:31.0. DeWahl and Edlund finished 11th and 13th, respectively, among CCSA skiers. Sarah Willis (Sr., Willmar, Minn.) crossed the finish line in 132nd place with a time of 17:11.1. Kathryn Ladig (Jr., Bemidji, Minn.) finished 155th overall in a time of 17:41.7. Erin Eppler (So., Salt Lake City, Utah) was the sixth Gustavus woman across the line, finishing 168th in a time of 17:56.8. Caitlin Compton of the U.S. Biathlon Team picked up the title with a winning time of 13:47.1.
Jens Brabbit (Fy., Winona, Minn.) posted the best finish for the Gustavus men, finishing 124th overall and 22nd best among skiers from CCSA schools, with a time of 28:42.9 over the 10-kilometer course. Senior Kevin Manbeck-Patzoldt (Grand Rapids, Minn.) finished 151st overall (28th among CCSA skiers) with a 29:28.4 clocking. Elias Anoszko (Jr., Dousman, Wis.) and Andrew Tilman (Fy., St. Louis Park, Minn.) rounded out the Gustavus men’s effort with times of 31:12.2 and 32:09.2, respectively . Ivan Babikov of the Russian Factory Team finished with a 24:23.7 clocking to win by 16 seconds.
Competition will continue on Thursday, January 3 in the men’s 15 km classic race and the women’s 10 km classic race.