Matt Liebsch competed Friday in the World Cup in Canmore, Canada, and skied off with the top prize Sunday in Minneapolis' winter-weather-sports showcase at the Annual City of Lakes Loppet.
Nice work if you can get it.
The Nordic skier from Plymouth, who just missed qualifying for the Olympic team, won $1,000 for his first-place finish at 1:22:13 in the 33k freestyle. The race started at Theodore Wirth Park and finished in Uptown.
Josh Smullin finished second in 1:23:44 and Andre Watt third in 1:25:49. Kristina Owen won the women's race in 1:33:54.
Andy Liebner won Sunday's other big event, the Hoigaard's Classic, a 25k classic/diagonal stride race, in 1:13:36. Audrey Weber won the women's race in 1:24:54.
Etc. • The Gophers men's tennis team ended a three-match losing streak by sweeping St. Mary's (Calif.), 7-0, at the Baseline Tennis Center on Sunday. The Gophers, who are ranked No. 37, improved to 2-3.
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