BOZEMAN, Mont. – The Denver Pioneers had six skiers place in the top 10 and nine in the top 20 on Friday as the 2025 Montana State Invitational began with the men's and women's Nordic 20-kilometer freestyle at Crosscut Mountain Sports Center.
Denver recorded 158 points on the day and is in second place in the meet. The Utah Utes lead with 209 points, while DU holds a four-point advantage over third-place Colorado (154 points).
Senior
Elijah Weenig led the Pioneers with his first career top five in fourth place in the men's mass start, timing in at 53:56.9. Graduate student
Florian Knopf was right behind Weenig in fifth, sophomore
Krystof Zatloukal was the team's third scorer in seventh and senior
Andreas Kirkeng picked up his fifth top 10 of the year in 10th.
The DU men compiled 85 points, with only Utah registering more with 104 after Joe Davies and Brian Bushey finished first and second and Zachary Jayne came in sixth. Colorado's Will Koch also placed on the podium in the bronze position.
On the women's side, graduate student
Lea Wenaas led Denver in sixth place, tying a season-best finish in 1:03:59.8, and freshman
Eve-Ondine Duchaufour was about a second behind her in seventh (1:04:00.9). Junior captain
Selma Andersen had a season-best result in 11th and sophomore
Maja Moland placed 13th.
The Utes also had two of their skiers on the women's podium, with Erica Laven (1:01:08.3) picking up her third victory in a row after beating CU's Tilde Baangman at the finish line by less than a second (1:02:08.2). UU teammates Selma Nevin and Nina Schamberger were third and fourth, respectively.
Freshman
Anna Stewart was 24th and senior
Sidney Barbier placed 28th in the women's event. DU's other skiers in the men's race saw junior
Micah Steinberg come in 17th and freshman
Landon Wyatt place 22nd in his first college race in his hometown of Bozeman.
Denver's 158 total points on the day was the squad's second most after the first day of a Nordic race this season, with only its 162 points from the 10K freestyle in the season opener on Jan. 2 at the Alaska Anchorage Invitational being more.
UP NEXT: The Montana State Invite resumes with the final day of Nordic races on Sunday with the 7.5K classical interval start at Crosscut Mountain Sports Center. The MSU Invitational concludes with alpine races on Feb. 3-4 at Bridger Bowl Ski Area in Bozeman.
There are also freestyle sprints races on Saturday at Crosscut Mountain Sports Center, but that event is only part of the U.S. Super Tour and the results won't count toward the Montana State-hosted meet.
DENVER WOMEN 20K FREESTYLE INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
6.
Lea Wenaas, 1:03:59.8
7.
Eve-Ondine Duchaufour, 1:04:00.9
11.
Selma Andersen, 1:05:03.2
13.
Maja Moland, 1:05:41.5
24.
Anna Stewart, 1:09:35.9
28.
Sidney Barbier, 1:15:39.7
DENVER MEN 20K FREESTYLE INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
4.
Elijah Weenig, 53:56.9
5.
Florian Knopf, 54:15.6
7.
Krystof Zatloukal, 55:29.0
10.
Andreas Kirkeng, 55:39.5
17.
Micah Steinberg, 56:36.3
22.
Landon Wyatt, 57:59.8
DNR.
Joe Graziadei
TEAM STANDINGS (through 2-of-8 events): 1. Utah 209;
2. Denver 158; 3. Colorado 154; 4. Alaska Anchorage 125; 5. Montana State 101; 6. Alaska Fairbanks 68
WOMEN'S 20K FREESTYLE TOP 10 (28 finishers): 1. Erica Laven, UU, 1:01:8.3; 2. Tilde Baangman, CU, 1:02:08.2; 3. Selma Nevin, UU, 1:02:30.5; 4. Nina Schamberger, UU, 1:03:41.4; 5. Astri Lunde, 1:03:58.9;
6. Lea Wenaas, DU, 1:03:59.8; 7. Eve-Ondine Duchaufour, DU, 1:04:00.9; 8. Katey Houser, MSU, 1:04:01.7; 9. Neve Gerard, UU, 1:04:03.4; 10. Astrid Stav, UAA, 1:04.57.9.
MEN'S 20K FREESTYLE TOP 10 (33 finishers): 1. Joe Davies, UU, 52:34.2; 2. Brian Bushey, UU, 52:36.1; 3. Will Koch, CU, 53:02.9;
4. Elijah Weenig, DU, 53:56.9; 5. Florian Knopf, 53:15.6; 6. Zachary Jayne, UU, 55:13.7;
7. Krystof Zatloukal, DU, 55:29.0; 8. Lucas Wilmot, UU, 55:32.0; 9. Derek Deuling, UAA, 55:32.0;
10. Andreas Kirkeng, DU, 55:39.5.
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