Distance competition concluded Thursday with classis races at the United States Cross Country Skiing Championships at the Michigan Tech Nordic Training Center in Houghton, Mich. Kathleen DeWahl (Sr., St. Paul, Minn.) was the top female performer finished in 70th place (ninth among Central Collegiate Ski Association skiers). Jens Brabbit (Fy., Winona, Minn.) was the top skier for the Gustavus men as he finished in 135th place and 25th among CCSA skiers. Weekend competition will see four Gustie skiers race for national sprint titles.
Kathleen DeWahl turned in a time of 35:00.8 as the top Gustie performer in the 10k classic race on the women’s side. Laura Edlund (Sr., Forest Lake, Minn.) finished in 75th place and in 10th place among CCSA skiers with a time of 35:07.8. At the end of the season the top 11 skiers in each conference qualify for the NCAA Championships. Kelly Chaudoin (Jr., Ely, Minn.) clocked a time of 36:23.9 for a 110th place finish (16th in CCSA skiers). Sarah Willis (Sr., Willmar, Minn.) finished in 140th place overall and 23rd place among CCSA skiers in 37:28.3. Erin Eppler (So., Salt Lake City, Utah) earned a 158th place finish with a time of 38:52.7. Kathryn Ladig (Jr., Bemidji, Minn.) rounded out the Gustavus contingent with a 172nd place in 40:29.1. Kikkan Randall of the U.S. Ski Team won the race in 30:42.2.
Jens Brabbit was the top male Gustavus performer with a time of 47:48.5 in the 15k classic race.
Kevin Manbeck-Patzoldt (Sr., Grand Rapids, Minn.) turned in a 160th place finish with a time of 48:37.0. Eli Anoszko (Jr., Dousman, Wis.) and Andrew Tilman (Fy., St. Louis Park, Minn.) finished within a minute of each other as Anoszko was 214th in 51:21.6, while Tilman was 223rd with a time of 52:09.6. Ivan Babikov completed a sweep of distance events on the men’s side when he won in 40:51.3.
Competition draws to a close for a majority of the Gustavus squad as four individuals – Brabbit, Tilman, DeWahl, and Eppler – will attempt to qualify for sprint races this weekend.