Elset and Cuenot Make Heats of US Nats Freestyle Sprint

HOUGHTON, Mich. — Michigan Tech had two athletes qualify for the heats during today's freestyle sprints at the U.S. Cross Country Skiing Championships hosted by Tech at the Nordic Training Center. 

Didrik Fjeld Elset advanced to the semifinals and Gaspard Cuenot earned a spot in the quarterfinals.

A total of 185 men and 149 women made qualifying runs this morning, with the top 30 in each gender advancing to the quarterfinals. The quarterfinal entries were trimmed to 12 skiers for the semifinals and six in each final.

Elset skied the sprint loop in 3:25.94 to qualify 21st. Cuenot posted a time of 3:26.83 for 25th.

Elset finished second in his quarterfinal in 3:18.38 to advance. He suffered a crash in the opening 200 meters of the semifinal and did not advance to the final. Cuenot skied a 3:35.90 and placed sixth in his quarterfinal heat.

"Our guys had a pretty good day with two making the heats," said Tech coach Joe Haggenmiller. "It's a significant accomplishment to finish in the top 30 in this field, and nothing to be ashamed of if you don't.

"Sunshine and the temperature at 20 made for ideal conditions and fun day of racing."

Tech's top female finisher was Andrea Lee, who was 59th in 4:19.46. Lisa Konig (78th, 4:23.89) and Carolyn Lucca (96th, 4:29.44) were also in the top 100.

Other top 100 men's finishers were Kyle Hanson (92nd, 3:37.10) and Thomas Kendrick (98th, 3:38.71). 

Skiers will take two days off before returning to the Nordic Training Center for the freestyle distance races Thursday (Jan. 7). The men will complete three laps on a gruelling 10-kilometer loop while the women will ski the loop twice.