The Gustavus men’s Nordic ski team finished second in both disciplines at last weekend’s Minnesota College Nordic Ski Championships held at the Saint John’s Trails in Collegeville. St. Olaf took the team title, edging the Gusties 125-122. Erich Ziegler (Crystal Falls, Mich.) picked up the win in Sunday’s 17K Skate, while Andy Rishavy (Alexandria, Minn.) and Ziegler finished second and third respectively to lead the Gusties in Saturday’s 10K Classic. The event also served as the fourth of five CCSA/NCAA Regional qualifiers.
17K Freestyle
Ziegler crossed the line in Sunday’s 17K Freestyle with a time of 45:26, 14 seconds ahead of St. Olaf’s Karl Nygren. Rishavy completed the 17-kilometer course in 47:57, finishing fourth behind Ziegler, Nygren and St. Olaf’s Oliver Garrison. Nels Dyste provided the edge the Oles needed in the team race, finishing eighth, three spots ahead of Justin Young (Fr., Roseville, Minn.), the third Gustie finisher. Young finished with a 50:31 clocking.
10K Classic
St. Olaf edged the Gusties 63-62 for the Classic title on Saturday, while host Saint John’s finished third with 55 points. Seniors Andy Rishavy and Erich Ziegler finished second and third, respectively, to lead the Gusties, but the difference in the team race was not at the top of the ladder. Rishavy and Ziegler’s efforts were offset by first- and fourth-place finishes by Nygren and Garrison. The Oles picked up the edge in the team race with a seventh-place finish by Nels Dyste. Dyste finished 16.4 seconds ahead of Gustavus’ No. 3 finisher Scott Kyser (Jr., St. Paul, Minn.).
Rishavy covered the course in 31:46.3, well behind the winning time of 29:47.9 posted by Nygren. Ziegler finished third with a 31:50.4 clocking. Kyser finished with a time of 34:16.9.
The Gusties will travel to Houghton, Mich. this weekend for the Central Collegiate Ski Association Championships, the fifth and final qualifying event for the NCAA National Collegiate Skiing Championships to be contested in March in Colorado Springs, Colo.