CRAFTSBURY COMMON, Vt. – The University of Denver ski team wrapped up its Nordic competition season last week at the U.S. SuperTour Finals and U.S. Cross Country National Championships at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center in Vermont.
 
Sophomore Andreas Kirkeng led Denver with three podiums, including wins in the freestyle sprints on Friday, March 24 and the 40K classical on Sunday, March 26. Both races were considered U.S. national championships.
 
Fellow sophomores Elijah Weenig and Jonah Steinberg also competed on the men's side, while freshman Selma Andersen was the lone DU woman to race.
 
The week began with the 10K classic last Wednesday, with Kirkeng placing second, Weenig coming in 24th and Steinberg finishing 32nd in the men's race. Andersen placed 12th in the women's competition.
 
Kirkeng picked up his first win of the week on Friday in the freestyle sprints. Weenig joined his classmate out of the qualifying round and finished 19th, while Steinberg was 33rd. Andersen didn't make it out of qualifying and placed 30th overall.
 
The final race of the season was also one of the toughest, with the athletes set for two-plus hours of skiing in the 40K classic. Kirkeng finished his tremendous 2022-23 winter season on top of the podium again, winning in two hours, 14 minutes and 4.6 seconds. In a sprint to the finish, Kirkeng edged John Steel Hagenbuch by 2.3 seconds (2:14:06.9).
 
Weenig finished 21st in the men's 40K while Andersen was 13th.
 
There was also a 4x5-kilometer freestyle mixed relay on Saturday, with Denver coming in ninth overall.
 
UP NEXT: The final races of the DU ski team's winter begin this weekend at the U.S. Alpine National Championships. This year's event is in Sun Valley, Idaho, and is set from April 2-5.
 
DENVER RESULTS

Wednesday, March 22
Men's 10K Classic (Interval Start)
2. Andreas Kirkeng, 27:36.6
24. Elijah Weenig, 30:30.2
32. Jonah Steinberg, 31:31.5
 
Women's 10K Classic (Interval Start)
12. Selma Andersen, 31:47.1
 
Friday, March 24
Men's Freestyle Sprints (1.6K) – U.S. National Championship
1. Andreas Kirkeng
19. Elijah Weenig
33. Jonah Steinberg
 
Women's Men's Freestyle Sprints (1.6K) – U.S. National Championship
30. Selma Andersen
 
Saturday, March 25
Freestyle 4x5K Mixed Relay
9. Denver
 
Sunday, March 26
Men's 40K Classic (Mass Start) – U.S. National Championship
1. Andreas Kirkeng, 2:14.04.6
21. Elijah Weenig, 2:21.55.3
DNF: Jonah Steinberg
 
Women's 40K Classic (Mass Start) – U.S. National Championship
13. Selma Andersen, 2:42.09.0
 

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