Complete Results

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The weather turned crazy in the matter of a few minutes at Kincaid Park near Anchorage, Wednesday, as nearly six inches of snow fell within a two hour time period, sending coaches of skiers at the U.S. National Championships scrambling to find wax that gave the skiers grip without icing up and bring the skis to a standstill.

Despite the extreme weather conditions, St. Scholastica junior #Julia Curry# (Jr.-Woodbury, Minn.) paced herself to her first top 10 finish in the Central Collegiate Ski Association (CCSA) women's field, by finishing ninth among CCSA competitors in the conference's second NCAA qualifier of the season in the women's 20km mass start classic race.

Northern Michigan's Laura DeWitt outpaced teammate Christina Gillis by a minute and a half to take the CCSA win in a time of 1:20:24.8 seconds to 1:20:15.4 seconds respectively. Alaska-Fairbanks' Theresia Schnurr finished third, just 4.5 seconds behind Gillis. Curry's ninth place finish in a time of 1:27:35.1 seconds is Curry's personal best finish in CCSA competition as well as the high water mark for the Saints women's program.

The CCSA NCAA qualifier was held within the U.S. National Championships 20km classic mass start, won by Anchorage's Kikkan Randall, her third straight win of the week, 10.2 seconds ahead of fellow Anchorageite, Holly Brooks. Minneapolis' Caitlin Compton finished third.

The junior athletes (19 and under) raced separately in a 5km classic race in which Saints sophomore #Eleanor Magnuson# (So.-Champlin Park, Minn.) finished 23rd, 1:53 seconds behind winner, Anne Hart of Minneapolis. The junior race was the final in a qualifying series for the U.S. Junior World Championship Team, and was not an NCAA qualifier for the CCSA.

“This was a great day for Saints women's skiing, “said Saints head coach Chad Salmela. “Julia was coming off a real tough race Monday, and to bounce back with one like today-a program-best finish-is just what she needed. Eleanor also skied really well in the junior category under tough conditions. Overall, I'm very happy with what I saw today from the women.”

The Saints next take to the snow January 17th at the Minnesota College Championships at St. John's University.

CCSA NCAA Qualifier
20km Mass Start Classic
Anchorage, AK
1/4/10
1. DEWITT, Laura Northern Michigan University 12 1:19:24.8
2. GILLIS, Christina Northern Michigan University 1:20:54.0
3. SCHNURR, Theresia University of Alaska Fairbanks 1:21:00.1
4. PIERSON, Julia University of Alaska Fairbanks 1:22:04.4
5. FREEMAN, Carolyn University of Wisconsin-Green 1:22:09.3
6. FJELDHEIM, Ingrid Northern Michigan University 1:24:05.5
7. ANGELES, Elisabeth University of Alaska Fairbanks 1:24:16.1
8. COULTER, Anna University of Alaska Fairbanks 1:24:36.8
9. CURRY, Julia College of St Scholastica 1:27:35.1


US National Championships
Anchorage AK
1/4/10
Women's 20km Classic Mass Start

1. RANDALL, Kikkan USST/APU 1 1:14:19.0 0
2. BROOKS, Holly APU Nordic Ski Center 2 1:14:29.2 +10.2
3. COMPTON, Caitlin Go! Training 3 1:15:04.7 +45.7
43. CURRY, Julia College of St Scholastica 20 1:27:35.1 +13:16.1