Complete Results

RIPTON, Vt. (csssaints.com) -- St. Scholastica senior Jeremy Hecker (Andover, Minn./Andover HS (Minnesota-Twin Cities)) did something Thursday, no other Saints skier has ever done; toed the start line of his third NCAA Skiing Championships race, at the Rikert Nordic Center on the Breadloaf campus of Middlebury College.  It was the 10km classic, the first time Hecker would contend the discipline as the 10km at the 2012 championship was done in the freestyle technique.

Hecker started fine and with his normal controlled manner, lagging 15 seconds behind the leaders approaching two kilometers, but from there, things would unravel.  Hecker's lower back began to spasm and seize up, making it very hard to increase his effort, or even get into a tuck position on the downhills.  The result was his worst finish at the championship to date, finishing 39th, in a time of 28:41.4.

Colorado's Rune Oedegaard won the event in 26:00.2, bettering University of New Mexico's Mats Resaland by 5.2 seconds.  Third was claimed by University of Alaska Anchorage's Viktor Brannmark in 26:28.5.  The Seawolves of Alaska Anchorage won the day in men's Nordic. 

"I felt great physically," said Hecker after the race.  "I just couldn't push very hard or tuck after 2k."  Hecker had similar problems in the majority of his classic races in his sophomore season, so the circumstances are not unprecedented.

"I caught Jeremy at the top of the second climb at about 1.8 kilometers, and thought he was in 21st out of 24 racers, he was still only 14 seconds out of the lead at that point and he always starts slow," said Saints head coach Chad Salmela.  "He always gives me a heart attack, and I just thought he'd ski his way further up the order on the second lap, but by the second lap, he just didn't look anything like himself."

Hecker has had a landmark season in the classic technique for the first time in his collegiate career, having better results in classic races than in freestyle races this season.  His traditional strength, freestyle, has been strong as well and that is where Salmela hopes Hecker will end his college career Saturday, on a high note. 

"This back thing has precedent in classic, and he has never complained of it in freestyle," according to Salmela.  "He felt good with his race form today, got a little charge physically but obviously didn't die outt here on physical output.  Nobody likes to be second to last, but it's also no reason not to be totally optimistic about his chances Saturday."

Hecker finished a program second-best 16th in the 2012 NCAA Championship freestyle race, which was an individual start 10km.  Saturday's is a 20km mass start freestyle.

"These championships are not over," insists Salmela.  "In the wake of adversity, the sun comes out.  Saturday is forecasted to be sunny.  That's a good omen."

The Saints wrap up their 2013 season Saturday with the 20km mass start freestyle at the Rikert Nordic Center.