APU hosts outdoor watch party for Olympic cross-country skiing

Alaska Pacific University hosted an outdoor watch party for the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics and its first cross-country ski race on Friday evening. The event featured a small groomed ski loop on the APU grounds, food vendors and coffee. About 50 people came late in the evening to watch the women’s 7.5+7.5-kilometer skiathlon race, which began at 10:45 p.m. Alaska time.

Six athletes from APU’s elite ski team are competing in Beijing. Racing for USA in the skiathlon was Rosie Brennan who finished in 14th place and Hailey Swirbul in 40th place. Jessica Yeaton who competes for Australia, finished in 31st place.

The watch party co-hosted by the APU Nordic Ski Center and the Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage. The Alaska BookMobile helped project the broadcast onto a large screen.

[Johaug of Norway wins 1st gold medal of Beijing Olympics in skiathlon]