CCSA Puts 3 Team in Top 10 at Sprints

Senior Championships

Mon, Jan  8, 2007 - By Matias Saari

Houghton, Mich. - The Central Collegiate Ski Association wrapped up a stellar U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships by placing three teams in the top 10 in Sunday's inaugural team sprint.

The Northern Michigan University duo of Lindsey Weier and Lindsey Williams placed fourth at the Michigan Tech trails by each completing three alternating 1.3-kilometer laps in 18 minutes, 1 second, just two seconds off the bronze-medal position.

Skating to a fifth-place finish were NMU's Maria Stuber and Anna Berglund (18:10) while Anna and Julia Coulter of the Alaska Nanooks took 10th (18:33).

CXC's Laura Valaas and former NMU skier Caitlin Compton won gold in 17:17.

Forty-four women's teams started the race, a first for U.S. Nationals after the event made its Olympic debut last year in Italy.

Lars Flora and Chad Giese of Subaru Factory Team upset Torin Koos and Andy Newell of the US Ski Team by a half-second to win the men's title in 15:14. Former Alaska Nanook Tyson Flaharty (teamed with Anders Haugen) had the lead on the final lap before finishing fourth, while NMU graduate Bryan Cook joined Garrott Kuzzy to place eighth among 57 teams.