Utah Takes Commanding Lead In Own Invitational After Nordic Racing

Saturday, January 18, 2025 • by Curtis Snyder, RMISA

MIDWAY, Utah—The host Utah Utes took a commanding lead in their own invitational, winning three of the four races individual and all four as a team, racking up 389 points and a 57.5 point lead over the competition after a pair of racing days here at Soldier Hollow with race results taking from US Super Tour races.

The women's 7.5K classic race was first and Utah's Erica Laven won by over 30 seconds over Colorado's Astri Lunde while Alaska Fairbank's Kendall Kramer took third to round out the podium and Colorado's Tilde Baangman and Utah's Celine Mayer rounded out the top five.

The Utes Walker Hall then won his first race of the season as the Utes put four in the top seven of the race. Hall beat out Denver's Florian Knopf while the Ute's Joe Davies rounded out the podium. Colorado's Will Koch was fourth and Denver's Andreas Kirkeng fifth ahead of the Utes' pair of Brian Bushey and Zachary Jayne to give Utah four in the top seven.

The next day, action turned toward the 15K freestyle races and Kirkeng won his third race of the season in a photo finish with Utah's Joe Davies. The Utes were again strong with three of the top four with Bushey and Hall taking third and fourth while Koch rounded out the top five.

The Utes won their third individual race of the meet with Laven sweeping the women's titles, this time by 19.2 seconds over Kramer. Denver's Eve-Ondine Duchaufour hit the podium in third place and was joined by Moland in fourth while the Ute's Selma Nevin rounding out the top five.

Utah scored nearly identically in both races, picking up 101 and 102 in the two men's races and 94 and 92 in the two women's races for a total of 389. Denver is 57.5 points back with 331.5 points and Colorado is third with 299. Alaska Anchorage (227), Alaska Fairbanks (217.5) and Montana State (207) are all within 20 points of each other rounding out the team scoring.

The Nordic teams remain in action and will follow the Super Tour to Montana for the MSU Invitational next Friday and Sunday.

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