Fresh off winning the freestyle event at the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships, Montana State standout Kate Oldham continued her impressive streak by securing a third-place finish in the 20K classic race at the University of Alaska Anchorage Invitational held on Sunday afternoon at Kincaid Park, Anchorage.
The senior skier from Carbondale, Colorado, posted a time of 59 minutes, 51.6 seconds to complete the challenging 20K course. Oldham’s performance came just days after her previous victory, showcasing her consistent talent and determination.
Winning the event was Kendall Kramer from Alaska Fairbanks, who finished with a remarkable time of 58:17.2, underscoring the competitive nature of the invitational. Oldham was not alone on the podium; her teammates also made significant contributions to the team's score. Katey Houser finished 13th with a time of 1:03:09.1, and Anna Pryce followed closely behind, finishing 17th at 1:05:04.4.
On the men's side, Joel Power led the Bobcats, crossing the finish line with a time of 56:12.5, placing him among the top competitors of the day. The title for the men's classic was claimed by Denver's Andreas Kirkeng, who completed the race significantly faster at 50:47.5.
Montana State also saw performances from Phineas Fischer and Jack Conde, who finished 22nd and 23rd, respectively, with times of 57:02.1 and 57:10.3. These results contributed valuable points toward the overall team standings.
After the Nordic events at the invitational, Denver sits atop the team standings with 341 points, closely followed by the University of Utah with 334 points and Colorado with 294 points. University of Alaska Anchorage currently holds fourth place with 242 points, and Alaska Fairbanks is not far behind at 231 points, with Montana State trailing at 229 points.
The UAA Invitational will conclude with alpine races scheduled for February 19-21 at Alyeska Ski Resort, where the Bobcats aim to improve their standing through strong performances from their entire squad.
With momentum on their side following Oldham's achievements and contributions from her teammates, the Montana State Ski Team is poised to tackle the upcoming challenges head-on and make their mark at the final events of the invitational.