HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Alaska Nanooks Nordic ski team wrapped up the U.S. National Ski Championships on Thursday, Jan. 7 with a top-five finisher. Mike Ophoff, Lukash Platil and Mariel Pulles were the three competitors for the Nanooks on the final day.

In the men's competition, Ophoff and Platil unfortunately did not make it past the qualifying round. Ophoff pulled out the better time between the two, racing a time of 4:00.10, which was good enough for a 37th overall finish and a 15th place finish in the men's U23 category. As for Platil, the senior was right behind Ophoff, finishing 45th overall with a time of 4:03.02. This time placed him 22nd in the men's senior race.

On the women's side of the race, Mariel Pulles put together one of the best runs the Nanooks have had in recent years. Head coach, Eliska Albrigsten said, "It's easily the best run a skier has had since I came to Fairbanks to coach. I can't think of any higher finish at an event like this by anyone."

Pulles started the day by taking 3rd in her heat of the classic sprint. This sent her to the quarter finals where the top 30 racers compete in five heats of six racers. In her heat she came in second and moved on to the semifinals. After finishing 3rd in her heat, she was chosen as a lucky loser to move on to the finals.

In the final heat, Pulles raced a time of 4:54.3, giving her a fifth place finish in the classic sprint out of six competitors. Pulles was also in the female U23 category and finished second in that category.

The Alaska Nanooks Nordic ski team take to the road again in two weeks when they head to Boulder, Colo. for the University of Colorado Invitational on Jan. 18-19.

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks Nordic ski team, follow @AlaskaNanooksXC on Twitter, or like the Alaska Nanooks XC team page on Facebook.