Skiers in Fifth After First Day Of NCAA's; Ketterer GS Champion

FRANCONIA, N.H. — Usually the slalom has wreaked havoc at virtually every one of the first 63 NCAA Skiing Championships, but in this 64th edition that kicked off Wednesday, a dozen skiers fell victim and posted DNF's (did not finish) in the less risker giant slalom.

Unfortunately, two of those DNFs were posted by University of Colorado skiers, the reason the Buffaloes sit in fifth place through two of the eight events to be held here. For the second straight year, Montana State owns the first day lead with 149 points, followed by Utah (136), defending champion Denver (133), Dartmouth ( 107) and then the Buffs (92).

Colorado did have some good news Wednesday, as freshman sensation David Ketterer claimed the men's giant slalom title, the first Buff to win in five years and the 10th overall to be an NCAA champion in the event. He also became the ninth Buffalo to earn a title in his first-ever NCAA Championship race (the sixth in an Alpine race, all giant slaloms). Adam Zika was the last to do both in the 2012 event when he opened with a GS victory. It also was CU's NCAA-best 91st individual title.

CU SKIERS / CHAMPIONS IN FIRST NCAA RACE
Kristen Petty, 1985 (Soph., Nordic)
Per Kare Jakobsen, 1988 (Soph., Nordic)
Ian Witter, 1989 (Fr., Alpine, giant slalom)
Toni Standteiner, 1991 (Fr., Alpine, giant slalom)
Sean Ramsden, 1993 (Soph, Alpine, giant slalom)
Line Selnes, 1998 (Sr., Nordic, classical)
Katka Hanusova, 2000 (Fr., Nordic, freestyle)
Adam Zika, 2012 (Fr., Alpine, giant slalom)
David Ketterer, 2017 (Fr., Alpine, giant slalom)

CU NCAA MEN'S GIANT SLALOM CHAMPIONS
1977 Stephan Hienzsch
1982 Seth Bayer
1987 John Skajem
1989 Ian Witter
1991 Toni Standteiner
1992 Eric Archer
1993 Sean Ramsden
1995 Bryan Sax
2012 Adam Zika
2017 David Ketterer

He got to the top of the podium with a terrific second run time of 1:05.33, which was the fastest in the field the second time down Cannon Mountain's Barons Run by almost seven-tenths of a second. He earned first-team All-America honors with the win in which he posted a two-run time of 2:13.51, overtaking the leader after the morning run, Utah's Sam DuPratt, by .11 of a second.

"The first run I was starting bib time, I was a little bit unlucky with the draw with the last number of my seed," Ketterer said. "I think I did a good job in the upper part of the course and the lower part was not my best skiing, so I was sitting in sixth position (after the first run), but only six-tenths of a second out so I thought, 'Okay, go for it.' I knew that the second run might be better for me, the snow was a little harder, so I just thought full attack and see how far I can get."

Ketterer had won four slalom races in the first four meets of the season and alpine qualifiers, but he has come on strong to end the year in the giant slalom. He repeated off his GS win at regionals out east on Wednesday.

"I think consistency in his runs and performance," head coach Richard Rokos said is the key to his improvement in the GS over the course of the winter. "Having two guys around like Max (Luukko) and Ola (Johansen), and actually Bobby Moyer too, coming to training it is almost guaranteed to help improvement because those guys are fighting back-and-forth for best time in the training runs and David benefited out of it, no question."

Sophomore Max Luukko earned second-team All-America honors with a ninth place finish in 2:15.22; he was 12th after the morning run but had a solid time (1:06.44) the second time down the hill.

"I'm very proud of him," Rokos said. "Moving up three places (from run one) up on a difficult field like this, it is a very solid accomplishment."

Those were CU's real highlights Wednesday, as the Buffaloes are looking to keep an "odd" streak going; Colorado has won the last three NCAA crowns in the east in odd years: 2011, 2013 and 2015. Otherwise, the day as a whole for the Buffaloes was a tough one, with CU's third male, Ola Johansen, and top-seeded (#2) female, Tonje Trulsrud not being able to finish their GS efforts. Johansen skied out on the first run and Trulsrud lost a ski going down on her second run, a tough break since she had the second-fastest time after run one and was in contention for an NCAA individual title.

"It is not exactly a perfect day to start NCAA Championships with two people out and actually two of our best," Rokos said. "Tonje was in second place after the first run and just paid for something that was there and actually almost unpredictable. A lot of girls actually came in the same, not a lot, but came out of the gate and had the same thing happening. She came there and lost her ski."

Sophomore Nora Christensen would led the CU women's effort Wednesday; placing 21st last winter in the giant slalom, she improved six spots off of that effort with a 15th place showing with a two-run time of 2:20.39.

Skiing in her first NCAA Championship and just her third collegiate race overall, freshman Isabella Fidjeland worked through some first-time nerves to post an impressive finish. Coming in as the 29th seed in the GS, she finished 17th in 2:21.49, earning an important 14 points for the Buffaloes, but most impressive was her second run time of 1:07.85 – the fastest run in the women's field.

"I was really disappointed after the first run, so I just wanted to attack in the second run and get in a good run for the team," Fidjeland said. "I felt like I managed to do that so I am happy with that, I just wish I could have done it on the first run, too."

Fidjeland's second run was one that Rokos saw coming.

"I told her she will win (the second run) and I was halfway joking, but she made it," Rokos said. "It is there in her ability, she is a good skier and she does very well technically. She is coming off an injury, so there is always that little element of hesitance and I think this is a confidence builder for her."

The injury was sustained in an accident – she was hit by a car while riding her bike in the fall – that sidelined her until the regionals late last month, adding to excitement of her effort on Wednesday.

After a challenging first day, not just for the Buffs, but the entire field, Rokos will have a simple message for his alpine teams before they race again in the slalom on Friday.

"Again to just relax, take it easy," Rokos said will be the message. "Slalom was our better race, over a period of time, so I am just hoping for consistency finishing and it is kind of the nature of the beast. I know that someone will go out and things will even up a little bit, but right now we are loading the Nordic's with about a 60-point deficit, so it's uphill."

The NCAA Championships continue on Thursday when the Nordic teams race for the first time with the running of the women's and men's 5/10K classic events. The women race at 8 a.m. MST, with the men's start set for 9:30 a.m.

LINER NOTES: Another big surprise is Vermont in seventh place, as the dominant eastern power has just 49 points, as the Catamounts had just one finisher in the top 20 while enduring one DNF and a disqualification ... Montana State led by 10 points after the GS a year ago (13 this year), and actually extended their lead to 19 points at the halfway mark before Denver used a strong slalom to move into the lead ... The host school last won in 2006 (CU at Steamboat Springs); the University of New Hampshire is this year's host but is anchored in 11th place after scoring just 36 points in the slalom.

ADDITIONAL CU QUOTES

CU HEAD COACH RICHARD ROKOS

On David Ketterer Winning The 91st NCAA Individual Title in School History
"It was sort of expected or we were hoping for it and actually the day started terrible for us, but David's victory brought a parch on it and I think we are in the hunt."

On Ketterer's Improvement Over The Season In the Giant Slalom
"I think consistency in his runs and performance. Having two guys around like Max (Luukko) and Ola (Johansen) and actually and coming to training, it is almost guaranteed to help improvement because those guys are fighting back-and-forth for best time in the training runs and David benefited out of it, no questions."

On Max Luukko Earning Second-Team All-America Honors
"I'm very proud of him. Moving up three places on a difficult field like this it is a very solid accomplishment."

On Isabella Fidjeland's Performance At Her First NCAA Championships
"I told her she will win (the second run) and I was halfway joking, but she made it. It is there in her ability, she is a good skier, she does very well technically. She is coming off an injury so there is always that little element of hesitance and I think this is a confidence builder for her."

On The Team's Standing After Day 1 of NCAA Championships
"It is not exactly a perfect day to start NCAA Championship with two people out and actually two sort of our best, Tonje was in second place after the first run and just paid for something that was there and actually almost unpredictable. A lot of girls actually came in the same, not a lot, but came out of the gate and had the same thing happening. She came there and lost her ski."

On the Mindset Heading Into Friday's Slalom Races
"Again to just relax, take it easy. Slalom was out better, over a period of time, so I am just hoping for consistency finishing and it is kind of the nature of the beast. I know that someone will go out and things will even up a little bit, but right now we are loading Nordic's with about a 60-point deficit, so uphill."

CU FRESHMAN DAVID KETTERER

On His Two Giant Slalom Runs And What Worked For Him
"The first run I was starting bib time, I was a little bit unlucky with the bid draw with the last number of my seed. I think I did a good job in the upper part of the course and the lower part was not my best skiing, so I was sitting in sixth position, but only six-tenths of a second out so I thought, 'okay, go for it.' I knew that the second run might be better for me, the snow was a little harder so I just thought full attack and see how far I can get."

Was It Very Tense After You Finished Waiting On The Final Six Skiers To Come Down After You?
"Yeah, it was obviously. I was seeing one guy after another coming in being slower than me and that's a pretty good felling. It was actually my plan, I knew that I'm in good shape also in GS and I thought, 'put it down, give all you got,' and then hopefully see everyone drop behind you and it worked."

On The Second Run, The Sun Went Away, Did The Course Get Faster And Did You Get Any Feedback Right Before Your Start
"Max (Luukko) radioed me and he got me some pretty good info. It was crazy weather today, (the snow) got harder and I think it was actually a fair race. Crazy weather, but fair race for everyone so that is good."

What Does It Mean To You To Be A National Champion?
"I was kind of nervous after my good season, so I knew I had to deliver at NCAA's. I thought that if you win so many races at all the invitationals, you got to deliver here. I'm very happy to be putting down my best skiing on this day and taking the individual title is a very good feeling, but also getting so many points for the team."

On His Mindset Going Into Friday
"WE have some work to do, we got two that skied out today, but I think that it is over when it's over. We're just going to go full attack and see what is the result."

CU FRESHMAN ISABELLA FIDJELAND

Thoughts On Her First Day At The NCAA Championships
"The first run was really bad, I messed up totally, but then the second run was pretty good though. I had the best time, so I was satisfied with that."

On Her Second Giant Slalom Run
"I was really disappointed after the first run so I just wanted to attack in the second run and get in a good run for the team. I felt like I managed to do that so I am happy with that, I just wish I could have done it on the first run, too."

Did You Have Any Nervousness Coming Into Today?
"A little bit. It was exciting, it's NCAA's and it is what we train for all season, so I was really excited and a little bit nervous maybe."

On Her Season Overcoming Injury To Get Back Competing
"I've been rehabbing for three months. This injury I felt like has been a really long road back because I have been injured before this injury as well, so it was kind of hard. I felt like I managed through it and I was skiing pretty good in training and I am happy with my skiing now."

On Gaining Confidence From Her 10th Place Finishes At Regionals
"I had two 10th place finishes in Beaver Creek and before that I hadn't raced any college races this season, so that was pretty good. I'm happy."

NCAA Skiing Championship Team Scores (2 of 8 events)— 1. Montana State 149; 2. Utah 136; 3. Denver 133; 4. Dartmouth 107; 5. Colorado 92; 6. New Mexico 74½; 7. Vermont 49; 8. Alaska-Anchorage 45; 9. Middlebury; 10. Colby 37½; 11. New Hampshire 36; 12. Williams 27; 13. Bates 16; 14. St. Michaels 15; 15. Plymouth State 13; 16. Colby Sawyer 10.

Women's Giant Slalom (25 finishers)— 1. Benedictine Lyche, MSU, 2:17.58; 2. Stephanie Gartner, MSU, 2:17.71; 3. Roni Remme, Utah, 2:18.07; 4. Tuva Norbye, DU, 2:18.56; 5. Andrea Komsic, DU, 2:18.64; 6. Hannah Hunsaker, Williams, 2:18.88; 7. Monica Huebner, DU, 2:19.22; 8. Chloe Fausa, Utah, 2:19.61; 9. Karoline Myklebust, UNM, 2:19.76; 10 (tie). Mardene Haskell, Colby, and Katharine Irwin, UNM, 2:20.08. CU Finishers: 15. Nora Christensen, 2:20.39; 17. Isabella Fidjeland, 2:21.49 (CU DNF: Tonje Trulsrud, second run).

Men's Giant Slalom (30 finishers)— 1. David Ketterer, CU, 2:13.51; 2. Sam DuPratt, Utah, 2:13.62; 3. Brian McLaughlin, Dart., 2:13.65; 4. Max Roeisland, UVM, 2:13.94; 5. Erik Read, DU, 2:14.01; 6. Rob Cone, 2:14.10; 7. Addison Dvoracek, MSU, 2:14.73; 8. Joergen Brath, Utah, 2:15.14; 9. Max Luukko, CU, 2:15.22; 10. Garret Driller, MSU, 2:15.50. Other CU Skier: Ola Johansen (DNF, first run).

(Associate SID Jason Clay contributed to this report.)

Skiers in Fifth After First Day Of NCAA's; Ketterer GS Champion

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Nora Christensen

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Ola Johansen

David Ketterer

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Tonje Trulsrud

Skiers in Fifth After First Day Of NCAA's; Ketterer GS Champion

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Nora Christensen

Isabelle Fidjeland

Ola Johansen

David Ketterer

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Bobby Moyer

Tonje Trulsrud

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