Complete Results
MINNEAPOLIS – Senior #Julia Curry# led the St. Scholastica women's Nordic skiing efforts for the second day in a row, finishing 22nd in the women's 10km mass start classic in the Central Collegiate Ski Association (CCSA) portion of the USSA SuperTour at Wirth Park in Minneapolis.
Curry finished in a time of 34:43.0, two minutes and 49 seconds behind CCSA winner, Alaska Fairbanks' Raphaela Sieber, who won in a time of 54.4. Northern Michigan's Christina Turman took second, finishing in 31:42.9, while Fairbanks', Theresia Schnurr rounded out the podium in 31:56.2.
CSS sophomore #Christina Groulx# finished in 23rd in a time of 34:52.3, 9.3 seconds behind Curry, while senior, #Lindsay Wallis#, rounded out the Saints team scoring in 28th, with a time of 35:27.8. The Saints finished seventh on the day as a team. Alaska Fairbanks won, Northern Michigan finished second, and Michigan Tech finished third, respectively.
Curry skied under tough circumstances after being rear-ended on the freeway the night prior on the way to a team dinner. The impact left those traveling in the van Curry was driving, showed signs of stress from the accident.
“I was struggling out there,” said Curry. “I was still a little nauseous from the shock of the impact, I think.” Teammates #Kathryn Van Every# and #Amanda Finstad#, who were in the vehicle with Curry, sat out the event, citing headaches and sore backs from the impact.
“I was actually a little surprised Julia raced today, and considering what she went through as the driver of the van last night, that was a tough performance,” said Saints head coach #Chad Salmela#.
The Saints women came into the weekend already at a slight disadvantage with the two top-ranked skiers, #Eleanor Magnuson# and #Brooke Adams#, both sitting out in favor of training through the weekend.
“I think we saw improvements from those racing this weekend, so the trend there is good,” said Salmela. “But we had Magnuson and Adams sit out due to signs of fatigue the previous weekend. I think those two were just getting worn down, from the travel of going to Nationals, and some slight recent sickness. It felt like the right move to take a training week and not get backed into a worn-down pattern with the most important races still a month away. I think it was the right move and the rest of the ladies took over and raced a little better than they have been.”
The Saints head to Houghton, Mich. next weekend for the third straight weekend of NCAA Skiing Championship qualifying.
