It was a good debut for the NMU Nordic Skiing team this past weekend in Cable, Wisconsin at the American Birkebeiner Start, taking home three gold medals.

Graduate Kjetil Baanerud took first place for the Wildcats in the men’s 15k senior race with a time of 40:36.9 to start things off on day one. His teammates senior Tobias Moosmann and sophomore Matthew Bourne finished not too far behind in third and fifth place respectively with times of 42:05.8 and 42:31.8. 

The ‘Cats had two more top-10 finishes in the event when sophomore Maurus Grond crossed the line in seventh place with a time of 42:37.1 and sophomore Kristoffer Karsrud finishing in ninth with a time of 43:10.5.

The women’s side also got some gold on Saturday when sophomore Malin Boerjesjoe won the Women’s 10k at 31:37.1. Junior Savanna Fassio came in sixth in the event, finishing in sixth place in a time of 32:58.7. 

Baanerud continued his impressive weekend on Sunday, winning the Men’s 10k in a time of 22:45.7. Moosmann was right behind Baanerud once again, this time taking second place at 23:07.2. Like Moosmann in similar fashion, Grond and Karsrud were in the top 10, with Grond in seventh and Karsrud in eighth.

In the Women’s 5k, Boerjesjoe had another good showing with a third place finish and a time of 13:15.9. Fassio was near once again with another sixth place, this time crossing the line at 13:23.7.

The Wildcats are looking to win more events in their next meet at home for the CCSA Conference Qualifier on Saturday, Jan. 30 and Sunday, Jan. 31.