Tuesday, February 1
Fairbanks, Alaska / Birch Hill
ALL DAY
University of Denver
vs
5K Classic
Photo by: Tobias Albigtsen
Denver Led by Kirkeng Brothers on First Day of UAF Invitational
2/1/2022 8:32:00 PM | Skiing
Andreas and Ole Marius Kirkeng finished first and second in men's 5K classic
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Kirkeng brothers were on top of the podium for the Denver Pioneers ski team on Tuesday as the inaugural Alaska Fairbanks Invitational got underway at the Birch Hill Recreation Area.
Freshman Andreas Kirkeng won his first career race in the men's 5K classic while his older brother, senior Ole Marius Kirkeng, placed second for his first career podium. The Pioneers won the men's team event with 97 points and are presently in third-place overall with 150 points, 35 behind leader Utah.
The University of Colorado is in second place after having Magnus Boee come in third and Will Koch in fourth in the men's event and then place three skiers in fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively, in the women's 5K.
Tuesday's race featured a team wave start, with both the men's and women's squads doing one, 5-kilometer lap on the Birch Hill course. The results from the classic races will determine the start order for Wednesday's 10K freestyle pursuit to wrap up the Nordic-only meet.
Andreas Kirkeng just edged Ole Marius at the finish line with a time of 13:22.5, beating out his older brother by two-tenths of a second (13:33.7). Boee was third with a time of 13:36.2, meaning the two Denver skiers will hold roughly a 14-second head start to begin the freestyle race. The top 11 in the men's competition finished within 30 seconds of one another.
It was Andreas Kirkeng's second career podium after placing third in the 15K classic at the Montana State Invitational in Sun Valley on Jan. 16. He now has five top-six results and has finished in the top 13 in his first six career races.
Ole Marius Kirkeng bettered his career-best performance that he set three weeks ago when he was sixth in classic sprints in a RMISA Nordic Qualifier competition. He last raced a 5K classic at last year's NCAA Championships where he finished 20th overall.
Junior Bernhard Flaschberger also scored for the DU men in 12th place, while freshman Elijah Weenig was 23rd, senior Nick Sweeney was 26th and freshman Jonah Steinberg was 30th.
Sophomore Hanna Ray and junior Vera Norli led the Pioneer women by placing 12th and 13th, respectively. Freshman Sidney Barbier also scored for Denver for the second straight race by coming in 22nd. Sadie Cotton was 24th and Gracie Shanley was 30th.
The University of Utah won the women's team event with another podium sweep, led by Sydney Palmer-Leger. Julia Richter came in second and Karianne Dengerud was third.
UP NEXT: Wednesday's 10K freestyle pursuit closes out the UAF Invite, with races set to begin at 4 p.m. MT (2 p.m. in Alaska). The Pioneers will stay in Fairbanks until the weekend when they compete in classic and freestyle races as part of the Besh Cup at Birch Hill, with the collegiate results being pulled to serve as the Nordic portion of the RMISA Invitational.
NOTES
DENVER WOMEN INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
12. Hanna Ray, 16:46.5
13. Vera Norli, 17:04.5
22. Sidney Barbier, 17:53.1
24. Sadie Cotton, 18:05.9
30. Gracie Shanley, 19:05.3
DENVER MEN INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
1. Andreas Kirkeng, 13:22.5
2. Ole Marius Kirkeng, 13:22.7
12. Bernhard Flaschberger, 13:56.0
23. Elijah Weenig, 14:35.6
26. Nick Sweeney 14:47.2
30. Jonah Steinberg, 15:11.1
TEAM STANDINGS (through 2-of-4 events): 1. Utah 185; 2. Colorado 160.5; 3. Denver 150; 4. Alaska Fairbanks 125; 5. Montana State 106; 6. Alaska Anchorage 105.5
WOMEN'S 5K CLASSIC TOP 10 (30 finishers): 1. Sydney Palmer-Leger, UU, 15:48.2; 2. Julia Richter, UU, 15:50.8; 3. Karianne Dengerud, UU, 15:56.9; 4. Hanna Abrahamsson, CU, 16:22.4; 5. Karolina Kaleta, CU, 16:30.3; 6. Anna-Maria Dietze, CU, 16:33.3; T7. Sophia Mazzoni, MSU, 16:33.6; T7. Pascale Paradis, UAA, 16:33.6; 9. Kendall Kramer, UAF, 16:41.8; 10. Anna Pryce, MSU, 16:42.3
MEN'S 5K CLASSIC TOP 10 (33 finishers): 1. Andreas Kirkeng, DU, 13:22.5; 2. Ole Marius Kirkeng, DU, 13:22.7; 3. Magnus Boee, CU, 13:36.2; 4. Will Koch, CU, 13:36.4; 5. Joe Davies, UAF, 13:46.2; 6. Walker Hall, UU, 13:46.3; 7. Brian Bushey, UU, 13:47.6; 8. Christopher Kalev, UAF, 13:48.8; 9. Bjorn Riksaasen, UU, 13:50.8; 10. Mike Ophoff, UAF, 13:52.0
CORONAVIRUS UPDATES: Masks are required at all indoor athletic events. For the latest University of Denver updates on the coronavirus, click here.
DONATE: Fans interested in making a donation to the Pioneers Athletic Fund can do so by clicking here. Your gift will transform the lives of our student-athletes by giving them the first-class resources needed to excel in the classroom and beyond. Thank you for Building Pioneers for Life!
Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of DU's NCAA Division I sports
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Skiing on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_Skiing on Twitter
Follow @DenverPioneers and @DU_Skiing on Instagram
Freshman Andreas Kirkeng won his first career race in the men's 5K classic while his older brother, senior Ole Marius Kirkeng, placed second for his first career podium. The Pioneers won the men's team event with 97 points and are presently in third-place overall with 150 points, 35 behind leader Utah.
The University of Colorado is in second place after having Magnus Boee come in third and Will Koch in fourth in the men's event and then place three skiers in fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively, in the women's 5K.
Tuesday's race featured a team wave start, with both the men's and women's squads doing one, 5-kilometer lap on the Birch Hill course. The results from the classic races will determine the start order for Wednesday's 10K freestyle pursuit to wrap up the Nordic-only meet.
Andreas Kirkeng just edged Ole Marius at the finish line with a time of 13:22.5, beating out his older brother by two-tenths of a second (13:33.7). Boee was third with a time of 13:36.2, meaning the two Denver skiers will hold roughly a 14-second head start to begin the freestyle race. The top 11 in the men's competition finished within 30 seconds of one another.
PIOS ON THE PODIUM!
— Denver Skiing (@DU_Skiing) February 2, 2022
Brother Andreas & Ole Marius Kirkeng finished 1st & 2nd, respectively, in today's men's 5K classic at the Alaska Fairbanks Invitational. #PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/erNy0iuurE
It was Andreas Kirkeng's second career podium after placing third in the 15K classic at the Montana State Invitational in Sun Valley on Jan. 16. He now has five top-six results and has finished in the top 13 in his first six career races.
Ole Marius Kirkeng bettered his career-best performance that he set three weeks ago when he was sixth in classic sprints in a RMISA Nordic Qualifier competition. He last raced a 5K classic at last year's NCAA Championships where he finished 20th overall.
Junior Bernhard Flaschberger also scored for the DU men in 12th place, while freshman Elijah Weenig was 23rd, senior Nick Sweeney was 26th and freshman Jonah Steinberg was 30th.
Sophomore Hanna Ray and junior Vera Norli led the Pioneer women by placing 12th and 13th, respectively. Freshman Sidney Barbier also scored for Denver for the second straight race by coming in 22nd. Sadie Cotton was 24th and Gracie Shanley was 30th.
The University of Utah won the women's team event with another podium sweep, led by Sydney Palmer-Leger. Julia Richter came in second and Karianne Dengerud was third.
UP NEXT: Wednesday's 10K freestyle pursuit closes out the UAF Invite, with races set to begin at 4 p.m. MT (2 p.m. in Alaska). The Pioneers will stay in Fairbanks until the weekend when they compete in classic and freestyle races as part of the Besh Cup at Birch Hill, with the collegiate results being pulled to serve as the Nordic portion of the RMISA Invitational.
NOTES
- The Denver women scored 53 points, finishing fifth in the team event
- Ole Marius Kirkeng now has seven career top-10 finishes
- Hanna Ray has placed in the top 14 in five-of-six races this year and in all four classical events
DENVER WOMEN INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
12. Hanna Ray, 16:46.5
13. Vera Norli, 17:04.5
22. Sidney Barbier, 17:53.1
24. Sadie Cotton, 18:05.9
30. Gracie Shanley, 19:05.3
DENVER MEN INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
1. Andreas Kirkeng, 13:22.5
2. Ole Marius Kirkeng, 13:22.7
12. Bernhard Flaschberger, 13:56.0
23. Elijah Weenig, 14:35.6
26. Nick Sweeney 14:47.2
30. Jonah Steinberg, 15:11.1
TEAM STANDINGS (through 2-of-4 events): 1. Utah 185; 2. Colorado 160.5; 3. Denver 150; 4. Alaska Fairbanks 125; 5. Montana State 106; 6. Alaska Anchorage 105.5
WOMEN'S 5K CLASSIC TOP 10 (30 finishers): 1. Sydney Palmer-Leger, UU, 15:48.2; 2. Julia Richter, UU, 15:50.8; 3. Karianne Dengerud, UU, 15:56.9; 4. Hanna Abrahamsson, CU, 16:22.4; 5. Karolina Kaleta, CU, 16:30.3; 6. Anna-Maria Dietze, CU, 16:33.3; T7. Sophia Mazzoni, MSU, 16:33.6; T7. Pascale Paradis, UAA, 16:33.6; 9. Kendall Kramer, UAF, 16:41.8; 10. Anna Pryce, MSU, 16:42.3
MEN'S 5K CLASSIC TOP 10 (33 finishers): 1. Andreas Kirkeng, DU, 13:22.5; 2. Ole Marius Kirkeng, DU, 13:22.7; 3. Magnus Boee, CU, 13:36.2; 4. Will Koch, CU, 13:36.4; 5. Joe Davies, UAF, 13:46.2; 6. Walker Hall, UU, 13:46.3; 7. Brian Bushey, UU, 13:47.6; 8. Christopher Kalev, UAF, 13:48.8; 9. Bjorn Riksaasen, UU, 13:50.8; 10. Mike Ophoff, UAF, 13:52.0
CORONAVIRUS UPDATES: Masks are required at all indoor athletic events. For the latest University of Denver updates on the coronavirus, click here.
DONATE: Fans interested in making a donation to the Pioneers Athletic Fund can do so by clicking here. Your gift will transform the lives of our student-athletes by giving them the first-class resources needed to excel in the classroom and beyond. Thank you for Building Pioneers for Life!
Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of DU's NCAA Division I sports
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Skiing on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_Skiing on Twitter
Follow @DenverPioneers and @DU_Skiing on Instagram
Players Mentioned
Nordic
/ Skiing
Nordic
/ Skiing
Nordic
/ Skiing
Nordic
/ Skiing
Nordic
/ Skiing
Nordic
/ Skiing
Nordic
/ Skiing
Nordic
/ Skiing
Nordic
/ Skiing
Nordic
/ Skiing
Nordic
/ SkiingFriday, March 13
Thursday, March 12
Wednesday, March 11
Monday, February 23
