RESULTS

DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica men's nordic ski team had its first action of the season on Saturday with its first-ever race at the new Grand Avenue Nordic Ski Center at the base of Spirit Mountain in Duluth.
 
Race Winner
The men would go around the 2.5km course loop four times in the 10km freestyle mass start. Last year's NCAA Qualifier for the Saints, Emil Book Bratbak (Asgardstrand, Norway/Lillehammer), jumped out in front at the start and would lead throughout. He maintained a 9-to-12 second lead for much of the race and won with a total time of 24:11.
 
The victory marks his second race win of his career and his first skate race win.
 
Other Top Performances
Book Bratbak was holding off his teammates for the win, as sophomore Gus Schatzlein (Savage, Minn./Prior Lake HS) was seventh after the first 2.5km and continued to climb each lap to ultimately finish a career-best second with a time of 24:23.
 
Fellow sophomore Nick Matelich (Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman HS (Montana State)) placed third overall to sweep the podium for the Saints with a time of 24:25. Another sophomore Bjorn Larson (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS (Colorado State)) also posted a top 10 finish, coming home a personal-best ninth in a time of 24:45.
 
Three more Saints finished in the top 15 with freshman Drake Hacker (Lisbon, Wis./Homeschool), sophomore John Schwinghamer (Mora, Minn./Mora HS (South Dakota State)) and junior Ryan Steger (Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS) placing 13^th, 14^th and 15^th, respectively.
 
Up Next
Sunday's action will be the 1.4km classic sprint races with qualifying beginning at 9:30 a.m.