Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Finish Fourth In Utah
January 13, 2003 | Skiing
SOLDIER HOLLOW, Utah - The University of Colorado ski team finished in fourth place in the Alaska-Utah Winter Games Invitational, as the Buffs had an improved showing here Monday in the classical cross country races but couldn't move up in the standings.
New Mexico won its first meet in five years, rolling up 562 points, with co-host Utah a strong second with 545 points. Denver held on to third with 502, with Colorado fourth with a 499 total. That's where the pack separated, as Nevada was fifth (429) and the other co-host, Alaska-Anchorage, sixth (362).
Colorado scored 117 points in Monday's two events, an improvement over the 89 the Buffs scored in the freestyle races on Sunday. Utah (315 points) and New Mexico (301) were the strongest out of the gate in cross country, as the competition here was the first Nordic action of the college season.
In the men's 17-kilometer race, New Mexico's Johan Rydquist won in a 43:37.1 time, but only 53 seconds separated the top nine finishers, with just 33 seconds difference between second and ninth. Bunched into the middle of that group was CU freshman Erling Christiansen, who skied the course in a 44:17.9 time in taking sixth. Junior Josh Smullin was CU's next finisher, grabbing 14th in 46:12.7, with freshman Nick Sterling 15th in 46:30.0. That pair had finished 22nd and 26th in the freestyle races, thus showed marked improvement on Monday.
In the women's 12.5k, sophomore Muriele Huberli finished fifth in 38:28.2, but Utah's Katrin Smigun won for the second straight day, this time by 39 seconds in posting a 36:56.3. time. Junior Claire Critchley was CU's next finisher, nabbing 13th in 40:39.1.
"We scored a little bit better today, but we're also a little stronger in the classical," said CU's nordic coordinator, Bruce Cramner. "But the important thing is that it is early in the season and we should keep improving. Right now, other teams are deeper than we are, so we have a challenge ahead of us, but we'll take it head on."
The next competition is the Nordic portion of the Montana State Invitational this Friday and Saturday, as the alpine events were held two weeks ago. The alpine skiers have no collegiate competition until CU's Invitational at the end of the month, as CU head coach Richard Rokos and seven Buff skiers are in Italy for the World University games.
Alaska-Utah Invitational Team Scores--1. New Mexico 561; 2. Utah 545; 2. Denver 502; 4. COLORADO 499; 5. Nevada 429; 6. Alaska-Anchorage 362; 7. Western State 284; 8. Whitman 257; 9. Montana State 117.
Men's 17K Classical--1. Johan Rydquist, UNM, 43:37.1; 2. Jess Kiesel, Utah, 43:56.7; 3. Torin Koos, Utah, 43:59.0; 4. Tobias Schwoerer, UAA, 44:01.7; 5. Zack Simons, Utah, 44:17.3; 6. Erling Christiansen, CU, 44:17.9; 7. Amund Hansen, DU, 44:20.7; 8. Martin Bartnes, DU, 44:29.5; 9. Eric Strabel, UAA, 44:30.0; 10. Zach Violett, UAA, 45:26.6. Other CU Results: 14. Josh Smullin, 46:12.7; 15. Nick Sterling, 46:30.0; DNF-Henrik Hoye.
Women's 12.5K Freestyle--1. Katrin Smigun, Utah, 36:35.3; 2. Jenny Wissting, UNM, 37:35.7; 3. Kristina Strandberg, UNM, 38:02.5; 4. Mandy Kaempf, UAA, 38:24.6; 5. Muriele Huberli, CU, 38:28.2; 6. Sara Svendsen, Utah, 38:43.0; 7. Martina Stursova, UNM, 38:50.0; 8. Maija Saarinen, UNR, 38:54.9; 9. Tara Hamilton, DU, 39:12.4; 10. Karen Camenisch, DU, 39:14.4. Other CU Finishers: 13. Claire Critchley, 40:39.1; 24. Brooke Rygg, 43:21.1.
