ASPEN, Colo. — Bernhard Flaschberger won the men's race and Eveliina Piippo took third in the women's race, constituting the best day of the season for the University of Denver Nordic ski team, taking part in RMISA Qualifier freestyle races at Ikon Pass' Aspen Snowmass Saturday. 

There is no team scoring this weekend for the Nordic teams.  

Flaschberger won his first collegiate race in his third career start. He didn't race at the CU Invitational and then two weeks ago at the DU meet, and has moved up from ninth to fourth to first in his first three races. He won the 10K freestyle race in impressive fashion, by nearly 40 seconds over second place Magnus Boee from Colorado. It's the first men's Nordic race win for DU since 2018 when Dag Frode Trolleboe won two races. 

Simon Zink finished 12th and OleMarius Kirkeng 16th to give the Pioneers three in the top-20 while Jimmy Colfer (25th) and Evan Barbier (26th) round out the men's team. Nick Sweeney did not start the race.  

On the women's side, Piippo hit the podium in her first career collegiate race after missing both the CU and DU Invitationals. Her third place finish in the 5K freestyle was right in the middle of a pack of Utah skiers, who finished first and second ahead of her and in fourth through sixth behind her. 

Vera Norli finished 13th and Emma Larsson 18th to bring home top-20 finishes with Gracie Shanley taking 22nd and Sadie Cotton 23rd.   

The Nordic teams remain in the Aspen-Snowmass area Sunday and will participate in the Owl Creek Chase, a 21K classic race that will start in Snowmass and finish in Aspen. Those races will close out the qualifiers on the Nordic side for the 2020 season.  

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