
Pioneers Finish Third at RMISA Invitational after Cold Temperatures Cancel Classical Nordic Races
2/6/2022 9:53:00 PM | Skiing
Results from Saturday's freestyle events were doubled to complete the meet
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The men's and women's 10K classical Nordic ski races for the RMISA Invitational on Sunday were canceled due to cold temperatures at Birch Hill Recreation Area.
The website that race organizers were using for temperature had it at minus-5 degrees Fahrenheit at race time, while the "feels like" (actual temperature) was at minus-11 degrees Fahrenheit.
Per RMISA rules, the results from Saturday's freestyle events were doubled to calculate the final results for team scoring in order to even out the alpine and Nordic points. For NCAA qualification, the race will be treated as a no result.
Due to the doubling of Saturday's results, the University of Denver finished third in the team standings at the meet with 571 points, 13 behind second-place Colorado (584). Utah won with 707 points, earning its third team victory of the season.
In Saturday's men's 10K freestyle, DU junior Bernhard Flaschberger led the field by picking up his fourth victory in his last five races. Senior Ole Marius Kirkeng placed 10th while freshman Andreas Kirkeng was 15th. In the women's 5K freestyle, juniors Vera Norli and Emma Larsson led the Pios in 13th and 14th place, respectively, and freshman Sidney Barbier was the third scorer in 21st.
The Pioneers and the other RMISA schools were in Fairbanks participating in the Besh Cup, a six-race series to select the Alaska team for the U.S. Junior National Championship and the Arctic Winter Games. The collegiate results from the two races this weekend were then going to be pulled for the RMISA Invitational, a generic meet that had alpine stops in Bozeman, Montana, and Park City, Utah.
The Nordic regular season now comes to an end, with the Pioneers and the other RMISA schools next set to compete in the conference and regional championships in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, later this month. The women's 5k and men's 10K classic is on Friday, Feb. 25, while the women's 15K and men's 20K freestyle is Saturday, Feb. 26.
UP NEXT: The alpine teams resume their season in two weeks with the Denver Invitational and an Alpine qualifier race. The date and locations of those race have been moved, with the giant slalom races taking place on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 17-18, at Copper Mountain, while the slalom event of the DU Invite will be held at Keystone resort on Monday, Feb. 21.
TEAM STANDINGS (through 8-of-8 events): 1. Utah 707; 2. Colorado 584; 2. Denver 571; 4. Montana State 492; 5. Alaska Anchorage 383; 6. Westminster 299; 7. Alaska Fairbanks 228; 8. 7. Colorado Mountain College 181
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
The website that race organizers were using for temperature had it at minus-5 degrees Fahrenheit at race time, while the "feels like" (actual temperature) was at minus-11 degrees Fahrenheit.
Per RMISA rules, the results from Saturday's freestyle events were doubled to calculate the final results for team scoring in order to even out the alpine and Nordic points. For NCAA qualification, the race will be treated as a no result.
Due to the doubling of Saturday's results, the University of Denver finished third in the team standings at the meet with 571 points, 13 behind second-place Colorado (584). Utah won with 707 points, earning its third team victory of the season.
In Saturday's men's 10K freestyle, DU junior Bernhard Flaschberger led the field by picking up his fourth victory in his last five races. Senior Ole Marius Kirkeng placed 10th while freshman Andreas Kirkeng was 15th. In the women's 5K freestyle, juniors Vera Norli and Emma Larsson led the Pios in 13th and 14th place, respectively, and freshman Sidney Barbier was the third scorer in 21st.
The Pioneers and the other RMISA schools were in Fairbanks participating in the Besh Cup, a six-race series to select the Alaska team for the U.S. Junior National Championship and the Arctic Winter Games. The collegiate results from the two races this weekend were then going to be pulled for the RMISA Invitational, a generic meet that had alpine stops in Bozeman, Montana, and Park City, Utah.
The Nordic regular season now comes to an end, with the Pioneers and the other RMISA schools next set to compete in the conference and regional championships in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, later this month. The women's 5k and men's 10K classic is on Friday, Feb. 25, while the women's 15K and men's 20K freestyle is Saturday, Feb. 26.
UP NEXT: The alpine teams resume their season in two weeks with the Denver Invitational and an Alpine qualifier race. The date and locations of those race have been moved, with the giant slalom races taking place on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 17-18, at Copper Mountain, while the slalom event of the DU Invite will be held at Keystone resort on Monday, Feb. 21.
TEAM STANDINGS (through 8-of-8 events): 1. Utah 707; 2. Colorado 584; 2. Denver 571; 4. Montana State 492; 5. Alaska Anchorage 383; 6. Westminster 299; 7. Alaska Fairbanks 228; 8. 7. Colorado Mountain College 181
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
Friday, March 13
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Monday, February 23


























