Complete Results

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – #Julia Curry# (Jr.-Woodbury, Minn.) got the St. Scholastica women off to a good start in defending their title as Minnesota College Champions on Sunday by tagging to #Eleanor Magnuson# (So.-Champlin Park, Minn.) in third spot overall after the first leg of the 2 x 2 x 5km Minnesota College Championships relay, behind two University of Alaska Fairbanks teams.

While the Nanooks crashed the Minnesota College Championships, they pulled Curry to an early lead in the chase for the Minnesota title. In the end, Magnuson did her part as well, outsprinting two teams by less than two seconds at the finish, and posting the third fastest freestyle split to bring the duo to third overall at the finish behind UAF #1 and 2 teams, but first in the Minnesota Championship race. Saints team #2 of #Lindsey Johnson# (Fr.-St. Louis Park, Minn.) and #Megan Holmes# (Sr.-Gilbert, Minn./Mesabi East) clinched the title for the Saints by finishing seventh overall and fifth among Minnesota schools.

The format used for the championships is a unique two-person relay in which the first skier starts with a 5km classic leg, tags to the second skier who also skis 5km classic, then tags back to the first skier who skis 5km freestyle, who then tags back to the second skier who finishes with 5km freestyle. The Saints beat Gustavus Adolphus College for the Minnesota title, 16 points to 15 respectively.

“I'm very happy that we took the title again,” said Saints head coach Chad Salmela. “I wasn't sure what kind of competition for the Minnesota title we would see on the women's side. I'm psyched with how the women skied to take the title again. It's a nice feather in the cap of the program.”

The Saints return to NCAA qualification racing next weekend at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis.

1 Aurelia Korthauer, Ann Coulter UAF 1 1:11:38
2 Julia Pierson, Elisabeth Angeles UAF 2 1:13:16
3 Julia Curry (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury HS), Eleanor Manguson CSS 1 1:13:42
4. Christi Nowak, Megan Smith CSB 1 1:13:43
5. Erica Hett, Erin Eppler GUS 1 1:13:44
7. Lindsey Johnson (St. Louis Park, Minn./St. Louis Park HS), Megan Holmes (Gilbert, Minn./Mesabi East HS) CSS 2 1:18:52
11. Mary Kalleymeyn, Lindsey Wallis CSS 4 1:22:44
14. Sarah Johnson (Duluth, Minn./Marshall School), Caroline Lund (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) CSS 3 1:24:05
23. Jenna Stauffer (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview HS), Sara Koehler CSS 5 1:39:52

Team Scores
1. UAF 23
2. CSS 16
3. GAC 15
4. CSB 13
5. SCSU 7
6. STO 4

MN CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS
1. CSS 16
2. GAC 15
3. CSB 13
4. SCSU 7
5. STO 4