Anchorage Daily News

Though Andy Liebner of Soldotna earned second-team All-American honors, Wednesday was a disappointing day for UAA at the NCAA ski championships in Bozeman, Mont.

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Andy Liebner

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Skiing into falling snow at Bohart Ranch, Liebner, a sophomore, finished ninth in the men's 10-kilometer skate race, garnering All-America status for the second straight season. He finished in 31 minutes, 27.6 seconds.

But junior Raphael Wunderle, hampered by a cough and cold, finished more than two minutes behind in 27th, his worst showing at the NCAAs. Wunderle placed in the top 10 in all 10 of his races this season, including three top-3 showings.

"We don't want to make any excuses, but he was still recovering," said UAA coach Trond Flagstad. "He had to take five days off last week. His legs were pretty dead."

Also, freshman Max Treinen of Anchorage placed 35th in 33:48.8. He flew into Bozeman Saturday from Italy, where he'd competed at the World Junior Cross County Championships.

Flagstad said both Treinen and Wunderle are capable of top-10 finishes and predicted both would bounce back in Friday's classic race.

Senior Brittany Greer, the only woman to qualify for UAA, placed 32nd in the 5-K skate race in a time of 20:09.6.

Competition shifts to alpine races today at Bridger Bowl Resort, with the men's and women's giant slalom. UAA qualified a full team of six skiers for the first time since 1999.

UAA sits in 10th place. Final team standings are determined by men's and women's finishes in both the nordic and alpine races.

Flagstad said the team is capable of bettering last year's disappointing 12 th-place finish at nationals.

"This is where you show what you can do," he said. "This is our most important meet of the year."

UAF skiers fared better, with three Nanooks earning All-America status.

Senior Marius Korthauer placed second (30:48.3), earning first-team All-America honors. It was Korthauer's career-best finish at nationals and the fifth time he's claimed All-America honors.

Vahur Teppan also became an All-American, nipping Liebner by two-tenths of second to place eighth. For the UAF women, Anna Coulter finished ninth (18:09.1) for her first All-America showing.

Find Ron Wilmot online at adn.com/contact/rwilmot or call 1-907-352-6712.

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