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ISHPEMING -- Courtersy:  NMU

The Northern Michigan men’s and women’s Nordic ski teams are in first place after day one at the NCAA Central Regional at the Al Quaal Ski Area in Ishpeming.

The women’s 5-kilometer freestyle race started the day, with NMU taking three of the top four positions. Junior Marie Helen Soderman crossed the finish line first for the Wildcats, coming home with a time of 15:14.00.

Michigan Tech’s Alicia Flanders crossed the line in second place with a time of 15:30.10.

Less than five seconds separated NMU teammates, junior’s Monica Markvardsen and Libby Ellis for third place. Markvardsen crossed the line in third place with a time of 15:30.40, with Ellis right behind in fourth place with a time of 15:35.30.

After the first day on the trails, NMU sits in first place with 85 points.

Behind the ‘Cats is MTU with 75 points and just four points back in third place is the University of Alaska Fairbanks with 71 points.

The College of St. Scholastica is in fourth place with 55 points and rounding out the top five is Gustavus Adolphus College with 50 points.

The men’s 10k freestyle race capped off the afternoon on the trails, with NMU skiers once again dominating. The ‘Cats took five of the top seven positions, including sophomore Erik Soderman’s first place finish.

Soderman crossed the line with a time of 24:30.50. CSS’s Schommer Paul came home in second place, finishing with a time of 25:22.30. NMU’s freshman Kjell-Christian Markset, junior Chris Bowler and sophomore George Cartwright swept third through fifth place respectively. ‘Cat freshman Kyle Bratrud crossed the finish line in seventh place with a time of 25:59.50.

After the freestyle race, NMU is in first place with 85 points. CSS is in second place with 73 points and MTU sits four points back in third place with 69 points.

UAF and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay currently stand in fourth and fifth place, with 67 and 51 points respectively.

Saturday’s classic races begin at 10 a.m. with the men’s 15k mass start, followed by the women’s 10k mass start at noon.