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Liza Stout and Michael Ward led the Steamboat Springs High School Nordic team's charge Thursday in the opening day of the Colorado High School State Skiing Championships.

Stout finished 16th overall and Ward came in 11th during Thursday's 5-kilometer classic race at Colorado Mountain College in Leadville.

Other finishers for Steamboat included Sarah Dixson in 22nd and Eva Lambek in 35th. On the boys side, Jasper Gantick finished 30th and Jack Burger finished 36th.

"I think they all did real well. I think they put in a great effort (Thursday)," Steamboat coach Chrissy Lynch said. "We went around the course (Wednesday) and didn't have a real good feel for the course. It skied a little different for them. It's definitely a different feeling being at 10,000 feet. But it was an amazing effort. They kept going the whole way."

Lynch said it snowed Wednesday, making the inspection of the course tougher than expected. After a brief dusting of snow Thursday morning, Lynch said it cleared up and was cold for the race.

She said conditions were perfect and the team found the right combination of wax for the course.

She said the biggest problem was the altitude. Most of the Steamboat skiers were within the lead pack at the halfway point but fell off at the end.

"Halfway around the course they were all up there in the top 15," she said. "I think they started strong and got a little bit worn down with this altitude. Here, every second counts, but they really pushed hard at the end."

The focus now turns to today's skate race. Lynch said the course should set up well for the Steamboat team.

"It's like a rollercoaster," she said. "All our guys are good at those downhills. It's a quick technical course that's right up their alley."

- To reach Luke Graham, call 871-4229

or e-mail lgraham@steamboatpilot.com