FISHHOOK, Alaska – The Alaska Nanooks men's and women's Nordic ski teams opened the 2019-20 season on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Government Peak Recreation Area in Fishhook, Alaska. The teams faced in-state rival Alaska Anchorage in day one of the 16^th annual Nordic Cup.
 
UAA holds the advantage after day one, as their top-three individual times combined for each gender come out faster than Alaska's. In the women's 5k, UAA won with a combined time of 47:43.6, defeating the Nanook's combined time of 48:23.6. In the men's 10k, Anchorage won with a combined time of 84:01.4, over Alaska's time of 89:26.1.
 
Mariel Pulles placed first in the women's 5k with a time of 15:28.4 in a field of 13 skiers. Behind her, Anja Maijala finished second for the Nanooks and fifth overall with a time of 16:06.2.
 
In the men's 10k, UAA held the top five finishers out of 14. Mike Ophoff finished first for Alaska and sixth overall with a time of 2:25.2. Directly behind him, in seventh place, was Tristan Sayre who finished with a time of 2:45.9.
 
The Alaska Nanooks men's and women's Nordic ski teams will be back at it tomorrow (Sunday, Dec. 8) at the Government Peak Recreation Area, as they are set to compete in the 10 & 15km classic beginning at 9:30 A.M. AKST.
 
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks men's and women's Nordic Ski teams, follow @AlaskaNanooksXC on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks XC team page on Facebook.