Community Race Results | Collegiate Race Results

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Alaska Nanooks men's and women's cross country teams opened the 2019 season at home on Saturday, competing in the Blue and Gold 5km Run Fest at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Trails.

The Nanooks went head-to-head against in-state rival Alaska Anchorage in the Saturday event, with the women running a 5km race and the men competing in a 7km race.

WOMEN
The Anchorage Seawolves defeated the Nanooks 17-39 in the women's 5km, with UAA sweeping the top-three positions.

UAA's Emmanuelah Chelimo placed first overall with a time of 18:33.12, followed by teammates Nancy Jeptoo (18:33.89) and Yvonne Jeschke (19:36.00).

Alaska's redshirt-senior Alex Bergholtz was the first Nook to cross the finish line on Saturday, placing fourth overall with a time of 19:41.66, only 01:08.54 behind Chelimo.

Junior Anja Maijala earned a time of 20:28.06 to place seventh, followed by teammates Mariel Pulles (20:32.90) and Noelle Resignolo (20:57.99) to place eighth and ninth, respectively.

Sophomore Maggie Meeds rounded-out Alaska's top-five finishers, placing 12th with a time of 21:41.44.

MEN
The Nanooks fell victim to the nationally-ranked Seawolves in the men's 7km race, falling 17-41. Like the women's race, the Seawolves took the top-three slots.

UAA's Wesley Kirui was the only runner of the day to earn a sub-22 minute time, crossing the finish line at 21:59.68 to place first overall.

Following Kirui was teammates, Felix Kemboi (22:11.15) and Nickson Koech (22:57.16), who placed second and third overall, respectively.

Alaska senior Lukash Platil was the first runner in Blue and Gold to cross the finish line on Saturday, placing fourth overall with a time of 23:36.26, earning four points. Platil's time was 01:35.58 behind Kirui's first-place time.

Senior Jacob Walsh placed seventh for the Nanooks with a time of 23:59.16, followed by redshirt-sophomore Jack Matherly, who placed ninth with a time of 24:21.56.

freshman Mike Ophoff (24:24.56) and redshirt-sophomore Logan Mowry (24:44.05) rounded-out Alaska's top-five, placing 10th and 11th, respectively.

The Alaska Nanooks men's and women's cross country running teams will head to Monmouth, Oregon on Friday, Sept. 6 at the Ash Creek Invitational, hosted by Western Oregon.

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks men's and women's cross country running teams, follow @AlaskaNanooksXC on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks XC team page on Facebook.