Hunter Wonders

Hunter Wonders is no stranger to success: The Anchorage nordic skier has won a silver medal in the World Junior Championships relay, taken a U.S National Championship and placed eighth at the Under-23 World Championships.

But the breakthrough result he achieved on the World Cup — the sport’s highest level — Saturday in Beitostolen, Norway, surprised even himself.

“Still a little in shock!” he posted on Instagram after placing 16th in the 10-kilometer interval-start classic race in 24 minutes and 32 seconds.

Wonders’ previous best in 14 previous World Cup individual starts was 30th.

Wonders, age 24 and a graduate of South Anchorage High School, finished just 37 seconds behind Norwegian winner Paal Goldberg. Gold medalist Simen Krueger was among those Wonders defeated.

On a frigid day, Wonders went out hot, recording the second-fastest split at 1.3 kilometers (he trailed only Goldberg by .2 seconds). At the 6.3 and 8.2-kilometer split stations, Wonders was in 12th place.

“I’m super stoked about the race!” Wonders told U.S. Ski and Snowboard. “I planned on taking it out fast and trying not to blow up and it worked out today. … It was cold out there but it helps to know that eventually, I’ll warm up! It’s great to feel like I’m in the fight this season and I’m excited for the rest.”

Alaskans Gus Schumacher (30th) and Scott Patterson (33rd) also held their own in the 74-racer field.

On the women’s side, Rosie Brennan of the Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center has many Top 10s on the World Cup and achieved another in the 10K classic by placing eighth. She raced twice in Beitostolen after missing three events in Lillehammer the previous weekend due to illness.

“It was VERY cold today,” Brennan said by email to media outlets. “I am normally not bothered by the cold, but I was admittedly not as prepared as I could have been. That said, I was really happy with my skiing, especially coming off illness. My skis were great as well. I did what I could with the body I had and it was definitely missing a gear that I wanted, but it was a very solid effort with some improved technical skiing.”

Brennan also placed 21st in Friday’s classic sprint after qualifying 12th.

Brennan, along with many top athletes including U.S. star Jessie Diggins, skipped Sunday’s 4X3-5-kilometer mixed relay in favor of additional rest as the World Cup shifts to Davos, Switzerland this upcoming weekend.

Wonders skied leg 2 for the U.S. team — which won gold at the inaugural mixed relay last March in Sweden. He was tagged in 10th place and held that spot as the Americans eventually finished 10th.

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