(CU Independent graphic/Adam Milner)
So far, a solid start for the Colorado Buffaloes ski team.
The Buffs currently have a 25-point lead thanks in part to five top-five and 11 top-ten finishes in men’s and women’s giant slalom and classical cross country races on Friday at the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association Championships in Steamboat Springs, Colo. The University of Colorado is hosting the event which also dubs as the NCAA West Regional Championships.
CU leads with 435 points while in-state rival Denver is second with 410 points. Rounding out the top five includes Alaska-Anchorage in third with 382 points, New Mexico in fourth with 362 points, and Utah in fifth with 356 points.
Senior Matt Gelso led CU to their only win on the day in the men’s 10-kilometer cross country race with a time of 29 minutes and 17.8 seconds. Also in the race, junior Jesper Ostensen finished third and senior Vegard Kjoelhamar finished fifth for the Buffs.
Freshman Joanne Reid led Colorado in the women’s 5k classical cross country race with a fifth place finish while sophomore Eliska Hajkova finished seventh.
Junior Carolina Nordh was the highest placed Buffalo in fifth in the women’s giant slalom while freshman Erika Ghent finished sixth, sophomore Sara Hjertman finished eighth and sophomore Jennifer Allen finished tenth as well for CU.
In the men’s slalom, Colorado’s freshman Spencer Nelson finished seventh while junior Gabriel Rivas finished ninth.
The final four events of the RMISA Championships will conclude tomorrow in Steamboat with men’s and women’s slalom and freestyle cross country skiing.
Contact CU Independent Sports Editor Ron Knabenbauer at Ronald.knabenbauer@colorado.edu.
