WEST YELLOWSTONE, Mont. – Senior #Tyler Kjorstad# (Sr.-Duluth, Minn./Marshall) led the St. Scholastica Nordic ski team in its first national-stage effort at the US Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) Supertour Men's 15 km Classic event in West Yellowstone, Mont. on Friday.

Finishing in a time of 46:10 and 61st place, Kjorstad was 5:47 off the pace of winner, Ivan Babikov, of Canmore, Alberta, Canada. Babikov was a 2006 Olympian for Russia, now competing for the Canadian National Team. Sophomore #Waylon Manske# (So.-Bemidji, Minn.) finished in 86th with a time of 49:23.

"This is a start for us, but I never tell the guys to get too excited if they do well at these races, and don't get disappointed if they don't do well," said Saints head coach, Chad Salmela. "We focus more on the events that really count towards NCAAs, and at this altitude (7500 feet), we just aren't here long enough to expect much. I wanted the boys to go out there and just race again, and whatever came of it, that's it. It's a start."

With most of the nation's best skiers in attendance, the West Yellowstone Supertour is a sneak peak to New Years week and the US National Championships in Anchorage, Alas. "This is the first look at a similar type field, but I expect the skiers I take up there to have their A-game by Anchorage," said Salmela. "This is not yet our A-Game, more like our C-Game. I am not excited about these results, but I am excited for where they are, all things considered. We have good fitness."

The Saints head to Marquette, Mich. Saturday for the Wildcat Invitational.