Huge Nordic Performance Lifts Cats to Fourth at Denver Invite

Saturday, February 10

Minturn, Colo./Maloit Park

All Day

Montana State University

5K Freestyle

SKI_2324_CATS CELEBRATE 1-2 FINISH at DU

Tilde baangman (middle) and Kate Oldham (right) celebrate their one-two finish in the 5K freestyle at the DU Invitational on Saturday morning at Maloit Park.

Huge Nordic Performance Lifts Cats to Fourth at Denver Invite

2/10/2024 6:20:00 PM | Men's Skiing, Women's Skiing

DU INVITE FINAL RESULTS

“Tilde and Kate have put in a lot of hard work this year and are just starting to realize their potential,” said MSU Nordic head coach Adam St. Pierre.

By: Tom Schulz

The Montana State Nordic team put together one of its best performances in recent memory as the men's and women's squads combined for 180 points to move the Bobcats into fourth place in the final team standings of the Denver Invitational at Maloit Park on Saturday morning.

The Bobcat women rode the one-two punch of Tilde Baangman and Kate Oldham as the duo placed first and second, respectively. Baangman won both cross country races en route to being named Nordic Skier of the Meet. The Oestersund, Sweden product covered the 5k freestyle event in 13:30.7, while Oldham, a junior from Carbondale, Colo., followed closely in 13:46.5.

"Tilde and Kate have put in a lot of hard work this year and are just starting to realize their potential," said MSU Nordic head coach Adam St. Pierre. "Tilde is currently the top ranked RMISA athlete for both classic and skate techniques. She was able to conserve energy, execute a really smart race, and win.

"Kate got some redemption in Saturday's skate race, showing her fitness with a runner-up finish," St. Pierre added. "She was involved in a crash early in the classic race on Friday, which cost her a lot of time and energy. I am super impressed she was able to ski her way into the top 10 after a crash in the first 200m of that race. Kate is getting a little stronger and racing a little faster every weekend and it's great to see the pay-off for her consistent great training."

Katey Houser finished MSU's scoring placing 14^th in 14:28.2. Other Bobcat racers included Lily Murnane, 20^th, 14:59.5, and Helen Wilson, 24^th, 15:26.4.

Bobcat junior Fredrik Nilsen reached the podium for the first time this season finishing third in a time of 11:41.5 over five kilometers. In all, MSU put four skiers in the top 10. Nilsen was followed by Kai Meyers, sixth, 12:08.8, Florian Winker, seventh, 12:13.7, and Phineas Pischer, eighth, 12:15.8.

"Our men are healthy and getting stronger every day," St. Pierre said. "Freddy (Nilsen) and Kai dealt with some illness in December, and it took them the month of January to come back, but we are starting to see the pay-off from their strong summer and fall training.

"Flo (Winker) has been consistent all season," he added. "The altitude in Minturn challenged him, the venue is at over 8,000-feet, and racing at that altitude requires a different pacing strategy than lower altitude venues. I'm also incredibly proud of freshman Phineas Fischer who turned in his best races of the season and scored his first RMISA top 10. He has been training very well and his race results will keep improving."

Other Bobcat finishers included Joel Power, 17^th, 12:36.9, and Gavin Galyardt, 19^th, 12:39.9.

Denver's Andreas Kirkeng won the 5K freestyle in 11:25.7.

Colorado captured the DU Invite team title racking up 626 points. The Buffaloes were followed by DU 615, Utah 549, MSU 520 ½, Alaska Anchorage 495, Westminster 241 ½, Alaska Fairbanks 204, Nevada 118, Colorado Mountain 116, and Wyoming 112.