DU Wins School's 21st NCAA Skiing Championship

(above) Kate Dolan, Antje Maempel & Mari Elden closed out DU's 21st National Championship in the Freestyle Cross Country on Saturday

(above) The University of Denver Ski Team won its third straight NCAA Championship today


The University of Denver ski team held a healthy lead heading into the fourth and final day of the NCAA National Championships. With the University of Colorado ready to pounce, DU was going to need an improved effort from their men's Freestyle Cross Country team to hold off the Buffaloes.

In the morning session the Denver men turned in an inspired effort and held their ground with a 4th, 18th and 21st place finish. When DU's Harald Loevenskiold crossed the line in fourth place and CU wasn't able to gain many points in the standings, the meet was all but over. Andrew Dougherty finished 18th and Kristian Soerlund finished 21st to hold off CU's skiers.

All that remained was for DU's über-skier Antje Maempel to work her magic for three laps on Steamboat's 5K Cross Country course and the title was in the bank. Maempel won by six seconds over a pair of CU skiers. Mari Elden finished 8th for DU and Kate Dolan finished 11th to pad the margin of victory for the Pioneers.

It was a sensational week for the Pioneer skiers. Five 1st place finishes out of eight events.(Lief Kristian Haugen won the Giant Slalom). Two second place finishes for Lindsay Cone and a third place finish for Mari Elden.

The best news? Maepel is just a Junior.

6 comments:

vizoroo said...

D-Rah!
Great News!
3 in a row!
21st Overall!!!

puck swami said...

Everybody Sing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSf3xzzWtaI

dggoddard said...

Awesome.

Anonymous said...

SWEET!!! Great job by the Pioneers to dominate from the start, and accomplish the 3-peat.

CU: always the bride's maid, never the bride. So sad...

GO DU!

Anonymous said...

Go Pios!! Thanks for a great showing, Skiers!

-- chase

du78 said...

Two thumbs up!!!

Great job by the ski team!!!