ANCHORAGE - Alaska Anchorage head ski coach Trond Flagstad announced Tuesday that local skier Tor Christopherson will join the Nordic squad for the upcoming 2010 ski season. Christopherson will suit up for UAA for just one season, as he joins the Seawolves at age 28.
A four-year letterwinner at East High School from 1997-2000, Christopherson was voted the Thunderbirds' Most Valuable Skier during his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. During his last season with East, Christopherson was the 2000 Regional 4A Skimeister Champion, before placing second at the state championships.
Following high school, Christopherson lived in Norway from 2000-01, then attended Colorado College from 2001-05 and received a bachelor's in biology. After graduation, he traveled extensively through South America and Europe before returning to Alaska where he has worked as an Environmental Consultant, and then as a carpenter building cabins in Hope.
In his downtime, Christopherson has gradually returned to skiing over the past four years. In February, Christopherson (2:22:09.4) competed in the 2009 American Birkebeiner freestyle, finishing 29th out of 3,327 competitors in the 50K race.
A month later, Christopherson finished eighth at the 2009 Tour of Anchorage in the men's freestyle, comlpeting the 50K in a time of 2:16:44.0. Recently, Christopherson competed in the Besh Cup on Dec. 20, posting a 12th-place finish in the 15K classic in a time of 43:21.00.
Christopherson will pursue a graduate degree in education at UAA.
