Marius Korthauer's undefeated run through the Central Collegiate Ski Association season was finally ended Sunday, and Phil Violett of Northern Michigan University was the guy to do it — just barely.
Violett completed the 15-kilometer classic race at the NCAA Central Region Championships in Biwabik, Minn., in 43 minutes, 36.7 seconds. Korthauer, of the Alaska Nanooks, was runner-up just six-tenths of a second back.
Violett, seventh in Saturday's freestyle race, has excelled all season in classic races but until Sunday had not beaten Korthauer.
NMU's Martin Banerud, Gus Kaeding and Bill Bowler recorded the next three college spots as the Wildcats won the men's team title by topping Alaska by six points. Michigan Tech was a distant third and Saint Scholastica placed fourth.
Alaska's Vahur Teppan, the defending champion, was sixth among collegians and seventh overall.
In the women's race, Laura DeWitt of NMU (32:46) edged teammate Morgan Smyth
by 1.7 seconds to take the crown.
Aurelia Korthauer, the champion Saturday, took third 23 seconds back.
Kathleen DeWahl (fourth) and Laura Edlund (fifth) led Gustavus Adolphus College to second place in the women's team standings behind NMU. The Gusties come from a Division III school in St. Peter, Minn. Alaska was third.
NMU handily repeated their combined team title with 327 points. Alaska was next with 285, followed by MTU (224), GAC (223) and Wisconsin-Green Bay (215).
The list of 10 men and 11 women who have now qualified for the NCAA Championships next month in Bozeman, Mont., will be released shortly.
Complete men's, women's and team results. Note that Brian Gregg and Andre Watt of CXC are not collegiate skiers.
The top CCSA placing for each school over the two days of racing is as follows:
NMU: Phil Violett (1st, CL); Laura DeWitt (1st, CL)
Alaska: Marius Korthauer (1st, FS); Aurelia Korthauer (1st, FS)
Gustavus Adolphus: Kathleen DeWahl (4th, CL)
St. Scholastica: Bjorn Bakken, (4th, FS)
Wisconsin-Green Bay: Santiago Ocariz (6th, FS)
Michigan Tech: Jesse Lang (7th, CL)
St. Benedict (women only): Anna Roessler (12th, FS)
Northland: Sara Domek (17th, FS)
St. Olaf: Nels Dyste (18th, FS)
St. Cloud St. (women only): Diane Vezendy (30th, FS, CL)
St. John's University (men only): Mason Bacso (31st, FS)
MEN'S STANDINGS
1. NMU, 161
2. Alaska, 155
3. MTU, 121
4. CSS, 118
5. UWGB, 102
6. GAC, 77
7. STO, 68
8. SJU, 45
9. Northland, 22
WOMEN'S STANDINGS
1. NMU, 166
2. GAC, 146
3. Alaska, 130
4. UWGB, 113
5. MTU, 103
6. CSB, 82
7. CSS, 64
8. STO, 57
9. SCSU, 34
10. Northland, 33
COMBINED TEAM STANDINGS
1. NMU: 327
2. Alaska: 285
3. MTU: 224
4. GAC: 223
5. UWGB: 215
6. CSS: 182
7. STO: 125
8. CSB (women only): 82
9. Northland: 55
10. SJU (men only): 45
11. SCSU (women only): 34
Source: www.ccsaski.com
