Lauren Catlin’s runner-up finish in short track cross country was the highlight of the day for the Fort Lewis College cycling team at the Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships on Friday in Beech Mountain, N.C.
Catlin finished in 29 minutes, 8 seconds – 10 seconds behind Kate Courtney of Stanford in the women’s Division I race – while teammate Sofia Gomez Villafane was sixth in 29:42. Brittany Clawson was 14th for the Skyhawks, with Elizabeth Schwab 24th.
In the men’s race, Durangoan Stephan Davoust was the top Skyhawk, finishing fifth in 28 minutes, 25 seconds in a race won by Colorado’s Samuel Morrison. Payson McElveen of FLC was seventh, while Durango’s Sepp Kuss was eighth for CU in the Division I race.
Results from downhill qualifying were not immediately available nor were in-progress omnium standings.
Nationals will continue Saturday with the cross country and downhill finals for both the men and women, with racing set to start at 8:30 a.m. Sunday’s schedule includes the team relay finals and the men’s and women’s dual slalom finals.
FLC, which owns 18 national championships, is trying to win its ninth consecutive mountain bike title.
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