RESULTS

HOUGHTON, Mich. (csssaints.com) - Anita Kirvesniemi (Simpele, Finland/Joensuun Yhteiskoulun Lukio (New Mexico)) nearly became the first Saint to win a Central Collegiate Ski Association (CCSA) NCAA qualifier event last year at Mt. Itasca's 5km classic, but she fell three seconds shy of then teammate, Sarah Allen (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS (Northern Michigan)), for that honor. She didn't wait long in the 2015 season to match Allen's feat, as she won the CCSA "race within a race" at the U.S. National Championships women's 20km classic mass start, in a time of 1:13:57.8, that put her 17^th across the line in the championship race.

The race winner was Alaska Pacific University's Rosie Brennan, in a time of 1:10:42.4, (APU is not an NCAA skiing program). Michigan Tech's Ulrika Axelsson finished 20^th and second in the CCSA in a time of 1:14:24.4, while Northern Michigan's Jordyn Ross finished 24^th and rounded out the CCSA podium in a time of 1:14:43.5. 

Senior Sharmila Ahmed (Burnsville, Minn./Burnsville HS) made a late move in the race to move into third for the CCSA, but down the stretch was re-passed by Ross and fellow Wildcat, Felicia Gesior, to wind up 26^th overall and fifth in the CCSA in 1:14:55.3.  Senior Liz Peterson (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake HS) rounded out the Saints scoring in 46^th overall and 12^th in the CCSA, in a time of 1:19:59.7.  The Saints tied for second in the CCSA team scoring with Michigan Tech, both teams four points behind Northern Michigan.

Kirvesniemi started smart, moving through traffic from a poor start position in the mass start field to place herself in contact with a massive lead pack. Ahmed and Peterson also started conservatively and gained spots the entire race. "All our women just moved up the field the whole race," reported Saints head coach Chad Salmela. "Sharmila was well outside the top 30 at the start with Liz right behind her and Anita was around 30^th at 3km."

Kirvesniemi marked Axelsson of Michigan Tech the entire race, and dropped the Husky with less than 2km to the finish to spread her margin of CCSA victory by nearly 30 seconds. Ahmed did much the same, sitting eighth most of the race among CCSA skiers, but skied and impressive final five kilometers to move into third with a little more than 200 meters to the finish, ahead of Ross and Gesior of NMU. "I just went too early and died (down the stretch) and they passed me back," said Ahmed.

"What an awesome day for our women," glowed Salmela. "To get a win in the CCSA for Anita is really great, and she skied so smart and determined." He was also enthused about the upswing in both Ahmed and Peterson. "Sharmila was suppressed by a bug over the Holidays and Liz has had to battle back spasms, so for a 20km to go this well for both is a real confidence builder for us."