STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. – Sophomore
Andreas Kirkeng of the Denver Pioneers ski team won the men's 20-kilometer classical on Friday as the Spencer James Nelson Memorial Colorado Invitational got underway with the Nordic races at Howelsen Hill Ski Area.
Kirkeng beat Utah's Samuel Hendry to the finish line for the win in the mass start race, clocking in at nearly one hour (1:00:00.5). Hendry came in less than two seconds later at 1:00:01.9, while Colorado's Magnus Boee was third in 1:00:31.3.
Overall, five men's skiers finished within 38 seconds of one another, with DU's
Bernhard Flaschberger placing fifth in 1:00:38.1. Flaschberger now has three top-five results this winter and has placed in the top 10 in all four distance races of the season.
The women also competed in the 20K distance, with freshman
Selma Andersen making her collegiate debut and leading the Pioneers in seventh at 1:12:59.9. Junior
Hanna Ray came in 14th (1:14:09.6), while sophomore
Bettina Burgess also scored for the squad in 20th (1:23:18.4).
"Great day for the Nordic Pios at the first day of the CU Invite," said Denver Head Nordic Coach
Rogan Brown. "Andreas skied a super smart and tactical race with an impressive win, and Berni was close behind. Selma and Hanna had a great fight out on the track, and the whole team is looking forward to another great day of racing tomorrow."
Kirkeng's victory was his second of the season and fourth of his career, matching his total from his freshman campaign in 2022. Three of his victories have now come in the classic discipline, but his win earlier this season was in the 10K freestyle at the U.S. Cross Country National Championships and RMISA Nordic Qualifiers on Jan. 2.
Sophomore
Elijah Weenig was Denver's third scorer in the men's race in 16th while freshman
Sivert Wulff placed 21st.
While the top of the men's 20K was grouped together, that wasn't the case in the women's race with the top six separated by nearly four minutes. CU's Hanna Abrahamsson won by a comfortable margin, beating out second-place Celine Mayer of Utah by one minute and 35 seconds. The Buffaloes' Weronika Kaleta came in third and had teammate Anna-Maria Dietze place fourth to give Colorado the team win in the women's race and the lead after the first day of the meet.
Denver was second as a team in the men's competition, garnering 85 team points, and is presently third overall at the CU Invite with 144 points. The Pioneers are just 35 points behind the hosts from Boulder (179) and eight behind second-place Utah (152).
UP NEXT: The Nordic segment of the Colorado Invitational concludes on Saturday with the women's 5K and men's 10K freestyle at Howelsen Hill, with both being conducted with an interval start. The CU Invite wraps up with two days of alpine giant slalom races next Thursday and Friday at Eldora Mountain Resort in Nederland.
NOTES
DENVER MEN INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
1.
Andreas Kirkeng, 1:00:00.5
5.
Bernhard Flaschberger, 1:00:38.1
16.
Elijah Weenig, 1:06:30.9
21.
Sivert Wulff, 1:08:10.2
DNS:
Jonah Steinberg
DENVER WOMEN INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
7.
Selma Andersen, 1:12:59.9
14.
Hanna Ray, 1:14:09.6
20.
Bettina Burgess, 1:23:18.4
DNF:
Sidney Barbier
DNS:
Vera Norli,
Emma Larsson
TEAM STANDINGS (through 2-of-8 events): 1. Colorado 179; 2. Utah 152; 3. Denver 144; 4. Montana State 122; 5. Alaska Fairbanks 118; 6. Alaska Anchorage 72; 7. Wyoming 15
MEN'S 20K CLASSIC TOP 10 (23 finishers): 1. Andreas Kirkeng, DU, 1:00:00.5; 2. Sam Hendry, UU, 1:00:01.9; 3. Magnus Boee, CU, 1:00:31.3; 4. Walker Hall, UU, 1:00:37.4;
5. Bernhard Flaschberger, 1:00:38.1; 6. Christopher Kalev, UAF, 1:01:34.5; 7. Brian Bushey, UU, 1:02:19.7; 8. Peter Hinds, UAA, 1:02:27.6; 9. Mike Ophoff, UAF, 1:02:30.5; 10. Alexander Maurer, CU, 1:02:36.8.
WOMEN'S 20K CLASSIC TOP 10 (22 finishers): 1. Hanna Abrahamsson, CU, 1:08:41.0; 2. Celine Mayer, UU, 1:10:28.0; 3. Weronika Kaleta, CU, 1:10:31.9; 4. Anna-Maria Dietze, CU, 1:10:32.7; 5. Mariel Pulles, UAF, 1:11:00.0; 6. Tilde Baangman, MSU, 1:12:52.8;
7. Selma Andersen, DU, 1:12:59.9; 8. Kendall Kramer, UAF, 1:13:01.9; 9. Ezra Smith, UU, 1:13:12.6; 10. Emma Albrecht, MSU, 1:13:32.1.
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