NCAA: Buffs, Pioneers battling for CU Invite title

The University of Colorado added, albeit slightly, to its overall lead as the Buffs held serve as the 14th Annual Laura Sharpe Flood Memorial/CU Invitational resumed Saturday at the Snow Mountain Ranch Nordic Center in Winter Park.
The University of Colorado added, albeit slightly, to its overall lead as the Buffs held serve as the 14th Annual Laura Sharpe Flood Memorial/CU Invitational resumed Saturday at the Snow Mountain Ranch Nordic Center in Winter Park.
    Colorado led the competition by 19 points after the alpine races two weeks ago in Steamboat Springs, and with a second-place overall finish in Saturday’s interval freestyle nordic races held its position, as the Buffs lead with 407 points.  That added one point to the CU lead, as Denver remained in second with 387, with Utah moving into third (370), ahead of New Mexico (354) and Nevada (341).
    Buff senior Maria Grevsgaard won for the third time in as many races this winter, and in the process tied the school record for the most career wins by a Nordic skier, male or female, with 11.  She cruised for the third straight time as well, this time completing the 5-kilometer course in 14:50.5, a full 31 seconds ahead of Denver’s Annelise Bailly, who was timed in 15:21.4.
    Grevsgaard is now tied for fourth in all-time overall career wins, as she and teammate Lucie Zikova (12 alpine wins) are chasing the all-time leader, Per Kare Jakobsen.  He captured 13 cross-country events from 1988-90.
    The CU women won the race with 72 points, topping Montana State and Utah by nine. Lenka Palanova has returned to the form of her freshman season and finished fifth in 15:50.5, with senior Mia Gaw taking 16th in 16:26.2
    In the men’s 10-kilometer freestyle race, Denver’s Rene Reisshauer won in a 26:40.6 time, good for a comfortable win over Alaska’s Raphael Wunderle, who took runner-up honors in 26:47.2. Alaska-Anchorage and Montana State tied for the team lead with 71 points and the Bobcats edged the Buffs, 134-129, overall for points on the day.
    The CU men had its top three finishers just outside the top 10, as freshman Jesper Ostensen led the way with an 11th place finish in 28:08.1, while senior Kit Richmond and junior Karl Nygren tied for 12th in 28:09.2.
    Colorado also was without the services of one of its top Nordic performers, as sophomore Matt Gelso has been sick and remained in Boulder.  If he feels up to it Sunday morning, he may join his teammates in Winter Park.
    “On the men’s side, we certainly hoped for and expected better, but I think with all the guys living in close quarters, we are a little off our ‘A’ game,” CU nordic coordinator Bruce Cranmer said.  “But that’s the reality of being a ski racer, not being able to compete at your best in distance sports.  Sickness affects this sport every year, and since it is one of endurance, some times you have to take your lumps.  I just hope this is it and we can avoid it the rest of the season.
    “As for the women, we were fairly solid and I thought it was a pretty good performance,” Cranmer added.  “Obviously Maria is skiing great and we hope it just continues. She’s definitely on her ‘A’ game and keeps on rolling.”
    The invitational will conclude Sunday with the Nordic classical races, with the women’s 10 km followed by the men’s 15 km.

Colorado Invitational Team Scores—1. Colorado 407;  2. Denver 387;  3. Utah 370;  4. New Mexico 354;  5. Nevada 341;  6. Alaska-Anchorage 309;  7. Montana State 300;  8. Western State 152;  9. Whitman 111;  10. Wyoming 22.
 
Women’s 5K Freestyle—1. Maria Grevsgaard, CU, 14:50.5;  2. Annelise Bailly, DU, 15:21.4;  3. Chelsea Holmes, UN, 15:37.3;  4. Paige Brady, UN, 15:46.7;  5. Lenka Palanova, CU, 15:50.5;  6. Claire Rennie, MSU, 15:56.5;  7. Kjersti Boe, Utah, 16:00.9;  8. Polina Ermoshina, UNM, 16:03.6;  9. Antje Maempel, DU, 16:05.8;  10. Kaelin Kiesel, MSU, 16:14.0;  11. Sara Schweiger, Utah, 16:14.3;  12. Annelies Cook, Utah, 16:15.3;  13, Devon Spika, WC, 16:18.1;  14. Zoe Roy, Utah, 16:19.9;  15. Melina Park, MSU, 16:25.2.
 
Men’s 10K Freestyle—1. Rene Reisshauer, DU, 26:40.6;  2. Raphael Wunderle, UAA, 26:47.2;  3. Anders Folleraas, MSU, 27:15.5;  4 Simon Reissman, UNM, 27:19.4;  5. Max Treinen, UAA, 27:34.5;  6. Even Sletten, Utah, 27:36.3;  7. John Stene, DU, 27:46.9;  8. Ben Fick, Utah, 27:48.3;  9. Gunnar Kristiansen, MSU, 27:55.1;  10. Nathan Park, MSU, 27:58.4;  11. Jesper Ostensen, CU, 28:08.1;  12 (tie). Karl Nygren, CU and Kit Richmond, CU, 28:09.2;  14. Snorri Einarsson, Utah, 28:11.5;  15. Joshua Smith, CU, 28:13.1.