The University of Alaska Fairbanks men’s Nordic skiing team marked a season of consistent progress in 2025, culminating in the achievement of an RMISA individual champion and three All-American finishes at the NCAA Championships.
The season began with the Nordic Cup on December 6-7, when the Nanooks hosted the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves at the newly opened UAF Competition Ski Trails. Ben Dohlby led the team in the 10k freestyle event on the first day, while Cole Flowers took charge in the classic sprints on day two. Both skiers finished second in their respective races, but despite strong performances, the Nanooks fell short against UAA in the Nordic Cup.
Following the Nordic Cup, the RMISA season kicked off in Anchorage after the new year, with the U.S. Nationals from January 2-7, 2025. Philipp Moosmayer posted the best result for the Nanooks in the 10k freestyle on the first day of competition, finishing 13th. Dohlby was close behind in 14th place. In the 20k classic race, Dohlby secured a top-10 finish, taking 10th, while Moosmayer came in 11th. Overall, Alaska finished the invite in fifth place with a total of 108 points. In addition to the RMISA events, the Nanooks participated in the U.S. Nationals’ classic and skate sprints. Flowers achieved the team’s best result, placing 11th after advancing to the semifinals in the classic sprints. Moosmayer also had a solid showing, making it to the quarterfinals of the skate sprints, where he finished fifth in his heat.
The Nanooks placed fifth in the Nordic standings at the next three invites. The Utah Invite, held on January 18-19, featured the 7.5k classic and the 15k freestyle events. Alaska earned 99.5 points, with Dohlby’s performance in the classic event securing a 10th-place finish. Aidan Hay led the Nanooks in the freestyle, taking 17th, just ahead of Dohlby. The following week, the team traveled to Montana for the Montana State Invite, where they faced snowstorm conditions in the 20k freestyle race. Moosmayer and Dohlby led the way, finishing 14th and 16th, respectively. Hay also contributed to the team’s effort, finishing 19th. The second day brought even colder temperatures, but Gabriele Rigaudo impressed in his second collegiate race, finishing 16th in the 7.5k classic. Moosmayer finished 20th, and the team ended the invite with a total of 104 points.
At the Denver Invitational, held February 8-9, the Nanooks delivered strong performances in both the 7.5k classic and the 10k freestyle pursuit. In the classic, Dohlby finished eighth and Moosmayer secured 10th. Hay and Matyas Pavek added top-20 finishes, with Hay taking 13th and Pavek finishing 17th. The Nanooks finished third in the Nordic standings after the first race of the invite. In the pursuit race, Moosmayer improved his performance, climbing from 10th place to finish eighth. The team’s cumulative total of 133 points at the Denver Invite marked their third consecutive improvement in points.
The 2025 season saw impressive growth for the men’s Nordic skiing team, and with a national champion and multiple All-American accolades, the future looks bright for Alaska’s Nordic skiers.