Three UAF Nanook skiers comprised the podium for the main event of the 37th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot. All three skiers recently competed in the NCAA championships in Steamboat Springs, CO, while pursuing their engineering degrees. Mike and Christopher are skiing while engineering graduate students. Christopher Kalev won the 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot for the second straight year with a time of 2:15:39.4; Ben Dohlby was second in 2:16:13.4 and Mike Ophoff third in 2:17:14.6. Christopher improved upon his time from 2023 when he finished in 2:19.00.6. Earlier this season Christopher competed in World Cup races in Minneapolis and Canmore, Alberta representing his native Estonia.

The women’s 50 km podium was also topped by an Nanook skier, Rosie Fordham, who was an All-American at NCAA finals this year. Rosie’s winning time was 2:34:37.7 and was much faster than her winning time in 2022 when her finish was clocked at 2:43:15.8. Rosie, a mathematics student, also raced in the Minneapolis World Cup races representing Australia. Astrid Stav of UAA was second behind Rosie in 2:36:06.8 and Anna Engel of APU was third in 2:57:27.2.

Congratulations to all of these amazing skiers.

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner story: https://www.newsminer.com/sports/local/two-uaf-athletes-win-37th-annual-sonot-kkaazoot-races/article_3d425b90-e96a-11ee-8b7d-9f1df3afd40a.html