The Gustavus men’s and women’s nordic skiing teams each placed sixth at the Mayor’s Challenge in Minneapolis Saturday and Sunday. Marian Lund and Anders Bowman led their respective teams for the Gusties. Lund took 41st in both Saturday’s 5K Classic and Sunday’s 10K Freestyle with a time of 19:39.4 and 26:20.0, respectively. Bowman took 38th place in Saturday’s 10K Classic with a time of 24:46.1 and placed 36th in Sunday’s 15K Freestyle in 36:49.8.
“Marian Lund led our women on both days after fighting illness last week,” head coach Jed Friedrich said. “Danielle Burgmeier stepped up huge on both days as our second skier. Erica Hett sat the weekend because she was sick. Once all three of those skiers get healthy at the same time, they will be really strong. Megan Allen stepped up to score for us on Saturday and Meredith Bach-Wiig did the same on Sunday.”
Northern Michigan University took the top spot on the podium in both the men’s and women’s competitions. Its men’s squad claimed 148 combined points on the weekend, while the women posted 145 points. The University of Alaska-Fairbanks took second in the men’s division with 126 points and its women tied for first with 145 points. Michigan Tech University placed third in each division – men, 123 points, women, 120.
On Saturday, Zach Wagner was second best on the Gustie men’s squad in the 10K Classic with a 59th place finish in 25:36.8. Peter Larsen was next in line in 61st with a time of 25:48.9. In the women’s 5K Classic, Danielle Burgmeier took 53rd in 20:13.2 and Megan Allen placed 115th in 22:04.7.
Behind Lund in Sunday’s 10K free was Burgmeier in 49th with a time of 26:39.2, while Meredith Bache-Wiig took 79th in 27:46.8. For the men’s 15K free, Wagner finished 66th in 38:55.5 and Josh Blankenship placed 72nd in 39:05.3.
“Anders Bowman led us both days as he placed in the top twenty among college skiers on Saturday and top fifteen on Sunday,” Friedrich mentioned. “Zach Wagner had a strong weekend as our second skier. Peter Larsen was our third scorer on Saturday and Josh Blankenship was our third guy on Sunday.”
The Gustie nordic skiers are back in action next weekend at the USSA Super Tour held in St. Paul.