PALMER, Alaska – The Alaska Nanooks men's and women's cross country ski teams open their 2015-16 season by facing off against Alaska Anchorage in the Nordic Cup Invitational on Saturday (Nov. 21) and Sunday (Nov. 22) at the Government Peak Nordic Trails in Palmer, Alaska.
Date & Times | Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015
Women: 9:30am | Men: 10:00am
Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015 | Relay: 9:30am |
Distances/Races | Saturday
Women: Mass Start Classic 5km | Men: Mass Start Classic 10km
Sunday
Mixed Relay Skate (Alternate Male/Female), 4x5km |
Opposition | University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves |
Location | Government Peak Nordic Trails | Palmer, Alaska |
Social Media | Twitter | Facebook |
Welcome Back
The Alaska Nanooks men's and women's cross country ski teams return to the trails for the first time this season after participating in at least five different races during the 2014-15 year, while some Nanook student-athletes qualified for the NCAA Central Region Championships and the NCAA Championships in Lake Placid, New York last spring.
All-Time Series
The 2015-16 match-up between the Nanooks and the Seawolves will count as the 12th annual Nordic Cup Invitational. Although falling to Alaska Anchorage in the Nordic Cup last season, Alaska still holds an edge over the Seawolves with an overall record of 7-3-1.
For Your Information
The Nordic Cup invitational is hosted by the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves this season, as the location alternates between Fairbanks and Anchorage every year. The Nordic Cup does not count toward NCAA rankings.
Both the men's and women's race on Saturday will be a classic mass start. The women will compete first in the 5km, while the men will ski 10km. Sunday's race will be a mixed male/female 5km relay, where each team will consist of four skiers (two men, two women).
To claim the Nordic Cup, each Alaska team will submit their top three men times and top three women times from day one, and add it to the top two relay times from day two (four men, four women). Whichever team has the quickest combined times from both days, claims the 12th annual Nordic Cup.
Laying Down Trax
The Government Peak Trails in Palmer, Alaska will be a new venue for most of the Alaska Nanooks skiers and coaching staff, as it is the first time the Nordic Cup has been held there. Head Coach Nick Crawford expects the trails to be mostly rolling hills, not expecting a lot of climbing or downhill slopes.
Crawford Era
Opening the 2015-16 cross country ski season also marks a new era for the Nanooks, who are under the direction of first-year head coach Nick Crawford. Crawford previously coached in Fairbanks, where he headed the Lathrop High School cross country ski team from 2009-2011. Before coming to the Nanooks, Crawford coached the Bogus Basin Ski Team in Boise, Idaho. Crawford also serves as the head coach for men's and women's cross country running.
Crawford is assisted by third-year assistant coach and Fairbanks native, Christina Turman.
Top Returners
On the women's side, Alaska will look to juniors Nichole Bathe and Anne-Tine Markset to lead the small team. Both Bathe and Markset are the only Alaska Nanook returners who qualified for the 2015 NCAA Championships last year. Markset concluded her rookie season with the Nanooks at the NCAA Championships, placing 38th in the 15km mass start classic race. The Alaska Nanooks women's cross country ski team returns seven skiers, with no new faces this season.
The Alaska men's cross country ski team returns seven skiers, with four newcomers. Senior Michael Fahrenbach will be the leader for Alaska Nanooks men's cross country ski team, who is the only returning 2015 NCAA qualifier from the Nanooks. Coach Crawford also mentioned senior Isaac Lammers to also be a strong competitor for the Nanooks.
Local Talent
Freshman and Fairbanks native Max Donaldson joins the Nanooks after a highly successful high school cross country skiing career with the West Valley Wolfpack. Donaldson, who was hailed as one of the top high school recruits in the country, is a three time state champion, as well a junior National Champion. Coach Crawford hopes Donaldson will ski well enough with the Nanooks this season to qualify for the Under-20 World Junior Team for the United States.
Scouting the Competition – Alaska Anchorage
The Alaska Anchorage ski team will look to senior MacKenzie Kanady to lead the women's side, who was a second-team All-Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association selection last season. Senior Etienne Richard and junior Mario Roncador are Alaska Anchorage's men's ski team's notable athletes.
Coaches Corner
"We are really excited to participate in the Nordic Cup against Anchorage and finally open our season this weekend. Our team's preseason training was extremely productive. Many of our athletes are skiing to personal-best times in our practice time trails so far, so as a Coach, I can only hope we build off of our fitness and endurance to compete at a very high level for the remainder of the season." – Head coach Nick Crawford on this weekend.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks cross country ski teams, follow @alaskananooks on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks on Facebook.
