Kautzer and Goble Qualify for U23 World Ski Championships

Official FIS Nordic Junior and U23 World Ski Championships 2020 Website

HOUGHTON, Mich. – Michigan Tech Nordic skiers Sarah Goble and Amanda Kautzer have qualified to compete at the FIS Nordic Junior and U23 World Ski Championships 2020 in Oberwiesenthal, Germany. Goble and Kautzer will ski against some of the best under-23 cross country skiers in the world from March 1-8.

In order to qualify for the U23 World Ski Championships, American skiers must rank in the top five in points earned after all races at the 2020 L.L. Bean U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships.

A senior from Plymouth, Minnesota, Kautzer ranks second in qualifying with 140 points, tying her with Annika Landis of Middlebury College and Emma Tarbath of Montana State University. The senior from Plymouth, Minnesota earned her spot in at the World Ski Championships with three finishes inside the top 10. Kautzer placed second in the Skate Sprint to score 80 points, third in the Classic Sprint to score 60 points, seventh in the Classic 20K Mass Start to earn 36 points, and 23rd in the Skate 10K Individual Start to score eight points.

"I'm so excited to represent Michigan Tech. Qualifying for the World Championships on the skiing side has always been a goal of mine," said Kautzer. "I wasn't anticipating it at all coming into the season, so it was a bit of a surprise. To be able to qualify with Sarah [Goble] is going to be really cool, because we've been in a lot of races together but to be in one of this caliber and in another country is really cool."

Meanwhile, Goble ranks fifth in the standings with 110 points, ahead of the University of Utah teammates Mariah Bredal and Leah Lange. A senior from Harbor Springs, Michigan, Goble scored big points for four finishes inside the top 15 among American under-23 skiers. She secured 60 points for a third-place finish in the Skate Sprint, 50 points after finishing fourth in the Skate 10K Individual, 32 points for taking eighth in the Classic Sprint, and 15 points for placing 15th in the Classic 20K Mass Start.

"It's hard to even put it into words," said Goble. "It's an incredible opportunity and I think it shows how far our program has come to send two skiers to this event."

"These women have achieved just about all you can in their collegiate careers as captains, NCAA Championship competitors in cross country and Nordic skiing, and now to be able to compete for Team USA at a World Championship event is another testament to all they have accomplished as student-athletes with Michigan Tech," said Tech head coach Tom Smith. "For our team to have two women representing Michigan Tech and the USA at the U23 World Ski Championships is downright awesome. We're honored to have them on our team, and now we look forward as they prepare to compete with the best in the world representing Team USA and our Nordic Huskies."

Click the link at the top of the page to visit the official website for the FIS Nordic Junior and U23 World Ski Championships 2020.