The University of Wyoming men’s and women’s Nordic ski teams opened the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association National Championships in Lake Placid, New York, with strong performances Tuesday.
The Cowboys tied Western Colorado University with a low score of 22 points each in the 7.5-kilometer interval start classic race, but had to settle for second place due to a complex tiebreaker rule. The men placed four skiers in the top 10 of the 11-team field.
Sophomore Jack Jendro of Andover, Minnesota, led the Cowboys with a sixth-place finish in 21:58.3. Lander sophomore Diego Lobatos was seventh in 22:07, followed by fellow Lander sophomore Kaleb Simonson in ninth at 22:10.6. Laramie junior Austin Quillinan rounded out the top 10 in 22:16.2.
The Cowgirls took third place with 33 points in the 14-team field, behind champion St. Olaf College from Minnesota (11 points) and Paul Smiths College from New York (28 points).
The interval start format sent skiers off every 15 seconds, with women racing first followed by the men five minutes later.
“The men started as the conditions were deteriorating and the tracks were nonexistent in places,” co-head coach Christine Boggs said. “The men skied well as a team, with some individuals feeling great and some feeling a little rough.”
Other Cowboy finishers included Salt Lake City freshman Drew Crouch in 16th, Casper freshman Hunter Pickett in 26th and Casper freshman William Blair in 27th in the 74-man field.
The latest news in your social feeds
Subscribe to our social media platforms to stay tuned