Minneapolis' Caitlin Gregg won the elite women's race at the 44th annual American Birkebeiner for the fifth time Saturday, covering the 50-kilometer cross-country skiing course from Cable to Hayward, Wis., in 2 hours, 23 minutes, 30.3 seconds.
This marked the return of the race after it was canceled last year because of a lack of snow.
Gregg, 37, also won the Birkie in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2016. The 2010 Olympian finished 2.5 seconds ahead of Sweden's Maria Graefnings this year.
As Caitlin Compton, Gregg finished sixth in the women's team sprint at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics with Kikkan Randall, the Alaskan who won the event at the Pyeongchang Olympics paired with Afton's Jessie Diggins on Wednesday. Gregg said their gold medal inspired her in the Birkie.
Norway's Anders Gloersen won the elite men's race in 2:02.29.6. He was 1.9 seconds ahead of France's Ivan Perrillat-Boiteux, who finished second in the 2016 race by 1 second.
MIAC hockey finals set
Luke Dietsch and Chandler Madry scored in the last 1:16 of regulation as Augsburg edged host St. John's 4-3 in one of the MIAC men's hockey semifinals. Visiting Gustavus beat St. Thomas 4-3 in overtime in the other semifinal on Colton Schmidt's second goal of the game at 2:38 of the extra period.
In the women's semifinals, Gustavus beat Bethel 4-0 in St. Peter, Minn., behind Diana Draayer who had two goals and an assist and Hamline defeated visiting Augsburg 4-1 on goals from freshmen Madison Gaffney, Jordan Hansen and Madison Kolbow and junior Leah Schwartzman.
Tommies sweep in track
Coach Steve Mathre's St. Thomas men's track and field team made it 34 team titles in the 34-year history of the MIAC Indoor Championships at Macalester College as they topped runner-up Carleton 168 to 123. Conor White of the Tommies won his second consecutive long jump title.
The Tommies women won their 19th year in a row with 171.5 points, to 88 for runner-up Bethel. This was the 81st conference team championship in cross-country or indoor and outdoor track for St. Thomas coach Joe Sweeney, in his 38th year.
Auggies tough on mat
The Augsburg wrestling team won an NCAA Division III regional title for the 16th consecutive year, qualifying seven individuals for the national championships, at the NCAA Upper Midwest Regional at Si Melby Hall.
Augsburg, No. 2 in the latest Division III national poll, won the regional by 19 points over Wisconsin-La Crosse.
The regional champions for the Auggies were Sam Bennyhoff (133 pounds), Ryan Epps (157) and Lucas Jeske (165).
