March 11, 2010 (Steamboat Springs, CO) – Denver University’s Antje Maempel earned her third NCAA Nordic title on Thursday, to accompany the two she won at the 2009 NCAA Division I Skiing Championships.  She and teammate Mari Elden stood 1st and 3rd on the podium after the women’s 5km classic event at Howelson Hill in Steamboat Springs, CO. Rosie Brennan, from Park City, UT, but skiing for Dartmouth College, was quite at home at the altitude and placed 2nd. UVM’s Caitlin Patterson was the only other Eastern skier in the top 10, placing 9th.

In the men’s 10km classic event a result not often seen – an American on the top of the podium. CU’s Matt Gelso won with a time of 29.25.5 with a 24.2 second margin over UVM’s Franz Bernstein. Charlie Smith of the University of Nevada was third at 4.3 seconds behind Bernstein.

After four ski events Denver University leads the Team Division with 420 points followed by Colorado in 2nd at 351 with New Mexico in 3rd with 319 points.

On Friday are the final Alpine events, the slalom competitions. The Nordic events conclude the Championships with the women’s 15km and men’s 20km Nordic freestyle races on March 13.

Full Women’s 5km Classic results here.

Results (brief)
1.    Antje Maempel (DU) 16:03.4
2.    Rosie Brennan (DAR) 16:50.1
3.    Mari Elden (DU) 17:07.1
4.    Joanne Reid (CU) 17:09.9
5.    Kaelin Kiesel (MSU) 17:11.8

Full Men’s 10km Classic results here.

Results (brief)
1. Matt Gelso (CU) 29:25.5
2. Franz Bernstein (UVM) 29:49.7
3. Charlie Smith (UN) 29:54.0
4. Vegard Kjoelhamar (CU) 29:54.5
5. Martin Kaas (UNM) 29:57.1

NCAA Championship Team Scores (after two alpine and two Nordic events)-

1. Denver 420
2. Colorado 351
3. New Mexico 319
4. Utah 300.5
5. Vermont 287.5
6. Dartmouth 275
7.  Alaska-Anchorage 233
8. Montana State 185
9. New Hampshire 155
10. Middlebury 137.5
11. Nevada 126
12. Northern Michigan 88
13. Alaska-Fairbanks 87
14. Williams 73
15. Colby 66.5
16. Bates 52
17. Wisconsin-Green Bay 35
18. St. Lawrence 32
19. Michigan Tech 23
20. Wellesley 10
21 (tie). St. Michael’s and Gustavus Adolphus 6