DONNER SUMMIT, Calif. – New Mexico won its first NCAA championship in any sport with their capture of the 2004 NCAA Skiing Championships here at Auburn Ski Club Saturday. Sigrid Aas (UAF) and Henning Dybendal (UU) both repeated their victories from Thursday.
The Lobos took the lead Friday following the men's and women's slalom events, over taking Denver, who led the first two days, and defending NCAA Champion Utah. New Mexico scored 623 points, followed by 581 for Utah and 568 for Denver. Colorado was fourth with 564, Vermont was fifth with 533.5 and Division III member Middlebury was seventh with 495.5 in the all-division championship. Host Nevada was ninth with 383 points.
Head Coach George Brooks of New Mexico, in his 34th year, got good depth in all four disciplines, men's and women's alpine on Wednesday and Friday, and men's and women's Nordic on Thursday and today.
Henning Dybendal of Utah won the 20K Classical in 53:11.9 and was followed by Colorado's Tor Erik Schjellerud was second with a time of 53:16.7 and New Mexico's Geir-Endre Rogn finished third in a time of 53:21.7
Winning the women's 15K race was Sigrid Aas of Alaska-Fairbanks edging fellow Alaskan but from Alaska-Anchorage, Mandy Kaempf for the second time in three days. Aas came in with a time of 53:04.7 to 53:12.8 for Kaempf and helping the Lobos' cause was Trine Lundamo in third with a time of 53:21.6 and Lena Jensen placed 11th to give them some valuable points. Colorado's duo of Jana Rehemaa and Muriele Huberli were fourth and fifth, respectively.
Conditions were sunny and warm as the have been all week in the Truckee Meadows with temperatures quite warm for spectators and skiers, especially in the afternoon.