MTU’s Junkkala earns bronze
DULUTH, Minn. — The women’s 20k mass start podium came down to a thrilling photo finish, as the top three finishers crossed the line just 0.3 seconds apart.
Junior Henriette Nilssen (Nittedal, Norway) was the leader of that pack, claiming gold with a time of 52:33.7. The pack was tight through the 13.3k mark, as Nilssen wavered between seventh and first until leading the pack from the 16.6k mark and beyond.
Della Bettendorf of the College of St. Scholastica earned silver, finishing +0.2 behind Nilssen at 52:34.0. Julia Junkkala of Michigan Tech finished +0.3 behind Nilssen at 52:34.0 to round out the podium and earn bronze.
A full list of results from today can be found here.
Senior transfer Greta Leitheiser (Bend, Ore.) and fifth-year Lauren McCollor (Plymouth, Minn.) were a part of that lead pack of six racers, as the duo finished fifth and sixth at 52:58.1 and 53:18.4, +24.4 and +44.7. The next fastest racer was Catherine Stow of MTU, who was +2:09.0 behind Nilssen.
Riley Grossklaus (57:38.7) and Jordan Parent (57:50.1) finished 17th and 19th, Lena Kjelstrup (59:36.5) and Monet Argeropoulos (1:02:12.19) placed 27th and 28th, and Emma Klevenberg and Meija Peterson DNF.
The Wildcats now await the NCAA Championships, taking place on March 12 and March 14 at Soldier Hollow in Utah.
