Full Results (PDF)

Midway, Utah – The Alaska Nanooks Nordic ski team opened their season with a bang. Both the men and women teams competed in 1.5k FIS Qualifiers resulting in four top-20 placements and Mariel Pulles of the women's team grabbing the top spot in her race. 
 
Pulles, a sophomore from Estonia, impressed a year ago as a freshman and kept the momentum going into the new year. She picked up a first place finish in the 1.5k classic sprint qualifier with a time of 3:47.78, more than five seconds faster than the next finisher. Kendall Kramer opened her collegiate career with a 21^st-overall finish, putting up a time of 4:12.43. Alongside her 21^st-place, she ranked 12^th in the women's college class. Sage Robine wrapped-up the finishing 'Nooks as she placed 84^th-overall and 18^th in the women's college class.
 
Rya Berrigan and Catherine Reed-Metayer did not start.
 
On the men's side of the slope, Mike Ophoff found himself as the top-dog for the 'Nooks. He cruised to a sixth-place finish in the 1.5k classic sprint with a time of 3:21.79. This time was good enough for a fifth-place finish in the men's college class. Rounding out the top-10 was Christopher Kalev who posted a 3:23.35. With this time and placement overall, he finished eighth in the men's college class. 
 
Lukash Platil was the final top-20 finish on the day for the 'Nooks, coming in at 18^th-overall and 12^th in the men's college class. Platil raced to a time of 3:30.22. The final finishing Alaska racer was Patrick Marbacher who finished 39^th-overall with a time of 3:41.84. This gave him a 18^th-place finish in the men's college class. 
 
Logan Mowry was the lone men's skier to not start. 
 
Coaches Quotes
The team has been training really well, and I'm super proud of their performances today. Almost everyone beat their starting bib number by quite a bit, which is based off their FIS ranking, so that is a great sign. Mariel Pulles looked incredibly strong, and we were jumping up and down with excitement while watching the live-timing. She crushed it. Now the crew is resting up, as we have two more days of races. 
 
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks Nordic ski teams, follow @UAFXC on Instagram or like the Alaska Nanooks XC team page on Facebook.