February 27, 2011 (Park City, Utah) – The NCAA Western Regional Championships opened on Friday with the Nordic events taking place at Soldier’s Hollow in Park City, Utah, with athletes vying for a final chance to qualify for NCAA Championships.

Miles Havlick (UU) scored a home turf win in the men’s 10km freestyle event, posting a time of 30:29.3. Tor-Haken Hellebostad (UNM) picked up second, 25.3 seconds down on Havlick with Reid Pletcher (CU) third at 49.9 seconds. The University of Utah put three skiers in the top five with Havlick’s team mates Tom Smith and Rolf Figi in fourth and fifth at 31:23.6 and 31:34.3 respectively. The University of Utah took the team win scoring 130 points, followed by UNM with 108 and CU with 105.

University of Colorado skiers picked up the top two spots in the women’s 5km freestyle race with a win by Eliska Hajkova in 16:45.9, followed by Joanne Reid in second at 25.7 seconds behind. Utah Unversity’s Maria Graefnings spoiled Colorado’s podium sweep, taking third in 17:21.4 ahead of Colorado’s Alexa Turzian, who crossed the line in 17:42.1. Utah’s Zoe Roy was fifth in a time of 17:53.6. The Universty of Colorado took the team prize with 138 points, followed by UU with 109 and UNM with 92.

With their score the University of Utah collected enough points to win the overall 2011 RMISA regular season championship which was awarded on Saturday when skiers reconvened for the women’s 15km classic while the men contested a 20km course.

The University of Alaska Anchorage took the top two spots in the men’s race with Lukas Ebner winning in 1:05:11.4, followed by Lasse Nielsen Moelgaard, 54.7 seconds down. Hellebostad nabbed his second podium of the weekend in third, a further 19 seconds down. Ian Mallams (CU) and Havlick (UU) were fourth and fifth crossing at 1:06:51.0 and 1:07:24.9 respectively. UAA won the team score with 134 points, followed by CU with 103 and UU with 92 points.

Hajkova as on fire repeating her performance from the opening day to take the women’s race in 56:11.2, while Greafnings bettered yesterday’s result grabbing second, down 21.6 seconds on the winner. Greafnings’ team mate Roy also improved on her result from Friday, claiming third, a further 30.7 seconds behind the leader.

Chris Lovelald (UNM) and Kate Dolan (DU) were fourth and fifth, with times of 57:09.5 and 57:23.6, respectively. The University of Utah won today’s team score with 128 points, followed by Colorado and UNM both with 109.

Classic results and standings HERE.
Freestyle results and standings HERE.