Complete Results

WEST YELLOWSTONE, Mont. - Junior #Julia Curry# (Jr.-Woodbury, Minn.) led the Saints out of the start gate for the 2009-10 season with an 82nd place finish in the USSA Supertour and Continetal Cup women's 5km classic today.

Curry finished in a time of 19:21.8, 3:04 off the winning time of Madeleine Williams of the Alberta World Cup Academy. Williams outpaced Friday's 10km freestyle winner, Holly Brooks, of Alaska Pacific University, by 5.6 seconds. Canadian National Teamer and. Wednesday's sprint winner, Daaha Gaiazova, finished third, nine seconds back of Williams. Saints senior #Megan Holmes# (Sr.-Gilbert, Minn./Mesabi East) finished 100th.

Curry had a strong 3km, but began to feel the altitude in the final two.

"This was a big step for our women's program today," said Saints head coach Chad Salmela. "This is the first time in program history that we've had women racing at this level, this early, at this altitude. I like what I saw in how the ladies skied, primarily that they raced smart in the circumstances, and they held together big technique breakthroughs in a race situation. This makes today very productive.

The Saints race next at the Wildcat Invitational next weekend in Marquette, Mich., weather permitting.