Colorado University Athletics
SKIING TO HOST CU INVITE
February 18, 2004 | Skiing
 BOULDER - The preseason second ranked ski team will host the 12th annual CU/Laura Sharpe Flood Memorial Ski Invitational this Friday and Saturday (Feb. 20-21) at the Eldora Mountain Resort. The two-day Invitational will open Friday with the men's and women's alpine at 8:15 a.m., and followed by the classical races at 9:30. The slalom and freestyle races will be decided Saturday.
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The Invitational serves to honor the late Laura Flood, as it is named in her memory. She died instantly at Eldora when she fell and hit a tree while on a training run on April 3, 1990. Sharpe was a sophomore on the CU ski team at the time of her death.
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"This our only home meet, in front of our own fans. It is also dedicated to Laura Flood, so we put more emphasis on this meet. It's a matter of pride and holds a lot of different meanings for a lot of different people," said head coach Richard Rokos.
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The Buffs will be hosting the entire west region, including defending national champion Utah, 2000-02 NCAA champs Denver, Alaska-Anchorage, Boise State, Montana State, Nevada, New Mexico, Western State and Whitman (Calif.). It is also an FIS race, so there will also be unattached skiers.
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A year ago, CU scored an NCAA West record 618 team points in winning their seventh CU Invite by 53 points, the largest winning margin in the west since 1998. Brad Hogan (slalom) and Mia Cullman (GS) posted wins and Tyler Shepherd (GS & SL) and Henrik Hoye (FS/CL) posed a pair of runner-up finishes to lead the Buff attack while Ernemann took the second GS run to go from 21st to ninth in the discipline. Colorado had 25 top-10 finishes in the eight races, including 15 top-five efforts as it scored 72 or more points in seven out of eight disciplines in cruising to the win.
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"I didn't expect that at all last, year. I never would have dreamt of it, so I guess we can expect it this year," said Rokos when asked of the possibility of a repeat performance. "But we'll be a little more focused being at home."
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When asked which team would pose the greatest threat this weekend, Rokos replied, "They all do. Things change during the season, from meet to meet. There is constantly a new team coming out on top. Hopefully this weekend it's our turn."Â
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The Buffs enter the weekend looking for their first win of the season, as they are coming off a third place effort at New Mexico's "Michelobo" Invitational earlier this month and finished second at Nevada and fourth at Utah.
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The meet will also mark one of two last chances for Rokos to qualify a full team for next month's NCAA Championships. While his men's and women's cross country teams and women's alpine skiers have all taken care of business, only Tahir Bisic on the men's downhill squad has qualified, leaving room for two more skiers. That means that Fritz Ernemann, Cody Jenick and Mike Read, who Rokos says are on the bubble, will have to battle it out for the remaining two positions. The next chance is next weekend's NCAA West Regional in Crested Butte.
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The meet will mark the final home race in the careers of senior Mia Cullman, Erin McEachren, Mike Read, Claire Critchley and Josh Smullin and the unofficial swan song for Tyler Shepherd, who was denied a third year of eligibility.
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"These kids have spent four years representing the University, have put in long, hard hours both on the snow and in the classroom. Â They're all extremely strong skiers and students."
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2004 CU/LAURA SHARPE FLOOD MEMORIAL INVITATIONAL
February 20-21, Eldora Mountain Resort (Eldora, Colo.)
Friday             Men's Giant Slalom (8:15 first run, 10:00 second run)
                       Women's 5k Classical (9:30 a.m.)
                       Men's 10k Classical (11:00 a.m.)
                       Women's Giant Slalom (12:45 first run, 2:30 second run)
Saturday         Women's Slalom (8:15 first run, 10:00 second run)
                       Men's 15k Freestyle (9:30 a.m.)
                       Women's 10k Freestyle (11:00 a.m.)
                       Men's Slalom (11:15 first run, 1:00 second run)
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