Wildcats take second at Michigan Tech Challenge
Michigan Tech Challenge
Fri, Dec 18, 2009 - By NMU
HOUGHTON, Mich. – Christina Gillis made it a clean sweep Sunday as she took the 5K classic race at the Michigan Tech Challenge. Three other Wildcats skated to top 10 finishes. Gillis won the 5K freestyle race yesterday at Michigan Tech.
Gillis covered the course in a time of 18:37.8 just edging out Carolyn Freeman of UW-Green Bay (18:38.4). Marie-Helen Soderman placed third (18:45.9) while teammates Libby Ellis (19:22.3) and Rose Frankowski (19:57.2) were seventh and 10th respectively.
Karmen Whitham finished 13th (20:13.2) while Caitlin Cassidy (20:18.2) was the next skier. A couple places back were Anna Berglund (20:36.8) and Molly Burger (21:06.3) in 16th and 17th respectively. Katie Holway was the final NMU skier in the field as she finished the race with a time of 21:29.1 for 21st.
Another newcomer led the men’s Nordic ski team Sunday at the Michigan Tech Challenge. Today it was redshirt freshman Chris Bowler. Three other Wildcats skated to top 10 finishes.
Bowler placed third overall in the 10K classic race with a time of 32:22.6. George Cartwright was fifth with a time of 33:26.3 while teammates Kevin Cutts (33:40.2) and Tim Cook (34:17.8) were eighth and 10th respectively. Later in the pack was Ben Hugus (34:42.1) in 13th. Tom McFadden was 18th with a time of 35:18.6.
In the team race the 'Cats were second with 16 points. MTU won the men's competition with 18 points as UW-Green Bay was third (11).
The team will be in action again after Christmas at the U.S. National Championships which are being held in Anchorage, Alaska (Jan. 2-10).