MIDWAY, Utah – The University of Denver ski team wrapped up the Nordic portion of the 2026 Utah Invitational on Sunday with the 15-kilometer classical races.
The Pioneers recorded three top-10 results on day 2 of the meet and had all six of their scorers place inside the top 15 in the mass start events at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center. Denver also had three finishers inside the top 10 on Saturday in the 7.5K freestyle interval start.
DU's women were led by junior
Maja Moland in eighth with a time of 44:54.8, and sophomore
Anna Stewart registering her first top 10 of the season and fifth of her career by finishing ninth in 44:59.5. Freshman
Estelle Darbellay scored for the first time on the college circuit by coming in 14th place.
Eemil Juntunen was the top finisher for the Pioneers in the men's classic race in seventh with a time of 37:21.5. It was the sophomore's second top 10 of the season and first in a non-sprints event. DU's other two scorers were senior
Micah Steinberg in 11th and freshman
Yannick Zellweger in 12th.
Senior
Krystof Zatloukal was 23rd, graduate student
Sondre Oestervold was 24th and sophomore
Joe Graziadei was 31st.
For the women, senior
Eve-Ondine Duchaufour and freshman
Synne Bollingmo did not finish while rookie
Ruby Serrouya didn't start.
The University of Colorado expanded its lead in the team standings of the meet with the conclusion of the cross-country events. The Buffaloes own 369 points and lead host Utah by 26 points (343). Denver is in fourth place with 253 points and trail third-place Montana State by just five points (258).
Utah's Mons Melbye for the men and Erica Laven for the women each picked up their second individual victories in as many days. Melbye snagged his third race of the season while Laven is now 4-for-4 this season in wins and already owns 12 in her two-year career in Salt Lake City.
Colorado had three skiers on the podium on Sunday, with Astri Lunde in second and Nina Schamberger in third for the women and Jakob Moch placing second for the men. Alaska Anchorage's Corbin Carpenter took the bronze in the men's event.
The Utah Invitational concludes in its entirety next month with the alpine giant slalom and slalom races at Olympic Park in Park City on Feb. 22-24.
UP NEXT: The Nordic Pioneers return to Colorado for their next events with the Denver Invitational on Feb. 7-8. The next races on the RMISA circuit are four days of alpine events at Mount-Rose Ski Tahoe for the Nevada Invitational and two individual qualifiers on Jan. 31-Feb. 3
DENVER WOMEN 15K CLASSIC INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
8.
Maja Moland, 44.54.8
9.
Anna Stewart, 44:59.5
14.
Estelle Darbellay, 46:02.1
DNF:
Eve-Ondine Duchaufour,
Synne Bollingmo
DNS:
Ruby Serrouya
DENVER MEN 15K CLASSIC INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
7.
Eemil Juntunen, 37:21.5
11.
Micah Steinberg, 37:27.3
12.
Yannick Zellweger, 37:32.0
23.
Krystof Zatloukal, 39:38.9
24.
Sondre Oestervold, 39:39.9
31.
Joe Graziadei, 41:03.5
TEAM STANDINGS (through 4-of-8 events): 1. Colorado 369; 2. Utah 343; 3. Montana State 258;
4. Denver 253; 5. Alaska Fairbanks 215; 6. Alaska Anchorage 206
WOMEN'S 15K CLASSIC TOP 10 (20 finishers): 1. Erica Laven, UU, 42:00.0; 2. Astri Lunde, CU, 42:54.0; 3. Nina Schamberger, CU, 42:57.5; 4. Ally Wheeler, UU, 43:39.6; 5. Sofia Pedersen, UU, 43:58.8; 6. Katey Houser, MSU, 44:06.2; 7. Witta Walcher, UU, 44:16.4;
8. Maja Moland, DU, 44.54.8; 9. Anna Stewart, DU, 44:59.5; 10. Selma Nevin, CU, 45:06.3.
MEN'S 15K CLASSIC TOP 10 (32 finishers): 1. Mons Melby, UU, 36:27.6; 2. Jakob Moch, CU, 36:35.3; 3. Corbin Carpenter, UAA, 36:43.4; 5. Storm Pedersen, CU, 37:21.0; 6. Hermod Bangstad, UAA, 37:21.0;
7. Eemil Juntunen, DU, 37:21.5; 8. Simon Chappaz, MSU, 37:22.1; 9. Johannes Flaaten, CU, 37:22.6; 10. Grey Barbier, MSU, 37:22.6.
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