January 23, 2010 (Soldier Hollow, UT) – University of New Mexico Nordic skier Martin Kaas scored his third race of the 2010 season on Friday winning the 10-kilometer classic at the Utah Invitational in Soldier Hollow. Kaas crossed the finish line in 33:51.1 for his second classic victory and third win of the season. The Lobos remain in first place overall with 658 points, a 20-point edge over second place Denver. Kaas will go for his fourth win of the season on Saturday in the freestyle race.

“Martin had another great race,” said Lobos head coach Fredrik Landstedt. “He beat everyone on the final two kilometers to take the win. Pierre (Niess) also had a very good first race as a Lobo.”

Kaas has become a one-man wrecking crew on the UNM men’s Nordic record book. The junior from Oslo, Norway, is the first Lobo men’s Nordic skier to win two classic races in a season. The majority of men’s Nordic wins have come in freestyle events where the season (Jimmy Vika, 2003) and career records (Dirk Grimm, 2004-06; Jimmy Vika, 2003; and Peter Rune, 1991-92) are four. Kaas already has one freestyle win this season, last Saturday at the Montana State Invitational. Overall Alpine win records are five for both the season and career. Kaas has three in 2010 and for his 2008 to present career.

The Lobos picked up another men’s Nordic skier during the first week of school. Pierre Niess, a freshman from France, placed seventh in the men’s race, followed by junior Simon Reissmann in 15th. The men’s squad won the team scoring with 112 points.

The women had a tough race with senior Polina Ermoshina placing seventh after several days of being sick and unable to practice. Freshman Linn Klaesson placed 15th, while sophomore Ingrid Leask wrapped up the team scoring in 27th place. The freestyle races on Saturday will wrap up the 2010 Utah Invitational. The next collegiate races will be the Jade Enterprises/New Mexico Invitational on Feb. 5-6 in Red River and Taos, N.M.

Dartmouth Streak Continues at St. Michaels College Carnival
(Jeffersonville, VT) – The streak continues with Dartmouth taking the lead by twenty six points over the University of Vermont during the first day of the St. Michael’s Carnival. Blue skies and bitter single digit temperatures greeted the teams as they piled into their vans in the early morning but the temperature rose into the comfortable level and some clouds temporarily swooped in later on, a foreboding reminder of the forecast for Sunday and Monday.

The Nordic portion of Friday’s festivities, the Men’s 15km and Women’s 10km Freestyle Skate, was held at Sleepy Hollow in Huntington, VT. For the Men Nils Koons (Dartmouth College) won in 42:02. The University of Vermont’s Alex Howe (42m13s) placed second, and the University of New Hampshire’s Dylan McGuffin (42m17m) rounded out the top three. Erika Flowers (31m10s) of Dartmouth took the Women’s 10k victory followed by Colby’s Lucy Garrec (31m33s) and Dartmouth’s Katie Bono (31m47s).

For the overall Dartmouth took home 450 points, the University of Vermont clocked 424 points, and the University of New Hampshire scored 391.5 points. Tomorrow is the Nordic Classic Sprint relay as the University of Vermont has its closest chance yet to take a crack at Dartmouth.

With files from University of New Mexico, RMISA, and EISA.

Results

St. Michaels Carnival

Men’s 15km Freestyle Results here
Women’s 10km Freestyle Results here

Utah Invitational

Women’s 5K Classic
1. Eliska Hajkova, CU, 18:16.4
2. Antje Maempel, DU, 18:24.0
3. Kate Dolan, DU, 18:51.9
4. Stephanie Hiemer, UAA, 19:18.2
5. Alex Turzian, CU, 19:27.4
6. Zoe Roy, Utah, 19:31.6
7. Polina Ermoshina, UNM, 19:32:1
8. Casey Kutz, MSU, 19:32.5
9. Maria Graefnings, UNR, 19:35.2
10. Jamie Bronga, UAA, 19:48.5.

Men’s 10K Classic
1. Martin Kaas, UNM, 33:51.1
2. Bernhard Roenning, MSU, 34:16.4
3. Miles Havlick, Utah, 34:17.6
4. Vegard Kjoelhamar, CU, 34:21.9
5. Kristian Soerlund, DU, 34:26.3
6. Rolf Figi, Utah, 34:32.4
7. Pierre Niess, UNM, 34:48.2
8. Jesper Ostensen, CU, 35:03.6
9. Harald Loevenskiold, DU, 35:04.8
10. Matt Gelso, CU, 35:10.8.