Tech Nordic Women Win Coleraine CXC Cup; Freed Claims Gold in Freestyle
COLERAINE, Minn. – The Michigan Tech Nordic ski team had a successful weekend in Coleraine, Minnesota, at the Coleraine CXC Cup, highlighted by the first CCSA team win of the season by the women's squad, along with Colin Freed taking the top stoop in the Freestyle Interval Start.
Quotable
"Really excited to see the women's team come away with the two-day title by just one point and we had just an outstanding Saturday with six women in the top-10, which is probably the deepest top-10 we've had in a very long time," said. "It was a really fun race weekend–the courses we're different with a short 1.6km loop that was fast and furious, which made for a super tactical race in the classic and a grind in the skate race on Saturday. Shoutout to Colin Freed for taking his first CCSA Invite win in the skate race with a super commanding last two laps. Jasper Johnston had a breakthrough weekend with two top-10 results, being one of our scorers in the skate race with a career-best in the distance race as well. Our newest member of the team, Synne Herheim, had two really strong performances, battling for the podium in Sunday's race. Anabel Needham, just doing what she does, being the leader that we need and showing incredible fight in both races this weekend, along with Olivia Laven having two solid races this weekend, which was great to see her consistency and fast racing. Lastly Wes Campbell deserves a shoutout leading the men's team in Sunday's race in a really tight sprint to the finish–showing he's in great form also having great qualifying results, which should be a good confidence boost for him going into world junior championships."
In Saturday's Freestyle Interval Start, the Nordic Huskies saw three podium finishes between the two teams, with Freed taking the win in the men's field by over eight seconds (18:04.0). Anabel Needham took the win in the women's race with Olivia Laven earning bronze.
The women saw first years Synne Herheim and Greta Hansen among the top-10, placing fifth and seventh, respectively.
The men's team also had a strong showing following the top-finisher in Freed. Wes Campbell (4th place), Jasper Johnston (6th place), Skylar Patten (7th place), Henry Snider (8th place) and Tryg Solberg (10th place) showed true pack racing over the five lap course.
Sunday's Classic Mass Start Anabel Needham's performance earned her silver in the race by over 22 seconds in a time of 47:13.8. A quintet of Huskies followed her with Synne Herheim (4th place), Olivia Laven (7th place), Marie Sølverud Wangen (8th place), Alice McKnight (9th place), and Greta Hansen (10th place).
Wes Campbell was the Huskies first finisher in the men's race with his fifth place finish, just 2.4 seconds shy of making the podium. The Huskies depth was on display once again, showing places seven through 11 being Michigan Tech skiers. Skylar Patten led a pack of five Huskies with his seventh place finish, Colin Freed (8th place), Mikkel Katla (9th place), Jasper Johnston (10th place) and Tryg Solberg (11th place) rounded out the Tech cluster.
Up Next
The Nordic Huskies are back in action next week, traveling to Brillion, Wisconsin, for the Ariens CCSA Invite for a Skate Interval Start on Saturday (Jan. 27) and the Classic Team Sprint Sunday (Jan. 28).
Gender-specific team standings (Female)
Team | D1F | D2F | Total
MTU | 069 | 065 | 134
NMU | 064 | 069 | 133
CSS | 048 | 047 | 095
UWGB | 020 | 029 | 049
SOC | 029 | 018 | 047
Gender-specific team standings (Male)
Team | D1M | D2M | Total
NMU | 063 | 072 | 135
MTU | 067 | 058 | 125
CSS | 052 | 039 | 091
UWGB | 031 | 034 | 065
SOC | 000 | 000 | 000
Overall team standings
Team | D1F | D1M | D2F | D2M | Total
NMU | 064 | 063 | 069 | 072 | 268
MTU | 069 | 067 | 065 | 058 | 259
CSS | 048 | 052 | 047 | 039 | 186
UWGB | 020 | 031 | 029 | 034 | 114
SOC | 029 | 000 | 018 | 000 | 047