Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
New Mexico Invitational
SKIERS FINISH THIRD IN NEW MEXICO
February 07, 2004 | Skiing
TAOS/RED RIVER, N.M. ? The University of Colorado ski team completed the first half of its season here Saturday, as the Buffaloes had several solid individual performances but slipped from second to a third place finish in the New Mexico “Michelobo” Invitational.
New Mexico won for the second straight meet, as the Lobos captured their own invitational for the first time in several years with 590 points. Denver leapfrogged the Buffaloes to grab second with 569 points, while Colorado took third with 535 and defending NCAA champion Utah fourth with 461.
For the second time this season, Colorado won the overall nordic competition, as junior Jana Rehemaa posted her third straight runner-up finish (and fourth on the year) and the Buff men had four skiers place in the top 10 in Saturday's freestyle competition.
New Mexico's Martina Stursova won the women's 5-kilometer race in 16:44.3, edging past Rehemaa who closed the course in 16:48.4. CU's next best finisher was junior Muriele Huberli, who finished ninth in 17:59.1; the Buffs were without the services of senior Claire Critchley, however, as she skipped the race due to illness after she had battled it out to finish fourth in Friday's classical event.
In the men's 10k version, junior Tor Erik Schjellerud and sophomore Erling Christiansen logged a 4-5 finish for the Buffs. Denver's Erlend Hoff won in 27:12.8, while the CU duo skied in together just one second apart in 28:11.1 and 28:12.1, respectively. Sophomore Henrik Hoye and senior Josh Smullin bolstered the effort, as Hoye finished eighth (28:28.7) and Smullin 10th (29:00.5) to give the CU men four top 10 finishers for the first time in a race this winter.
In the women's slalom, New Mexico's Jennifer Delich won in a two-run time of 1:42.14, topping Boise State's Margit Walter by a half-second. Sophomore Erika Hogan posted CU's top finish, nabbing seventh in 1:23.55, while freshman Kristin Taylor was ninth in 1:44.64. Hogan had the fourth fastest run in the afternoon (50.81), but was only able to move up one spot from eighth. CU senior Mia Cullman, who was slightly injured in a tumble in Friday's giant slalom, finished 18th in the slalom, traditionally her best event. She is expected to be fine for the next competition.
Nevada's Michal Rajcan won the men's slalom in 1:36.64, with New Mexico's Lars Loeseth Sunde second in 1:37.08. CU's skiers struggled Saturday, with freshman Cody Jenick the top Buff finisher, as he was 17th in 1:41.90.
“We had some issues in slalom, as with four guys starting way back, it was tough to make up much difference with the kind of snow here,” said CU head coach Richard Rokos. “Jana and the guys had an outstanding day, so we are getting some good results. We're not clicking across the board yet, but our main goal is to qualify a full team for nationals right now since we're shy on numbers in a few places, and it's hard to go against teams with more depth than we have right now. So we're just taking small steps and building toward the NCAA's, which will be level ground for us.”
This meet marked the halfway point of the collegiate ski season; the next NCAA West action is in two weeks, as the Buffaloes will host the 13th annual CU Invitational/Laura Sharpe Flood Memorial Ski Meet at Eldora on February 20-21.
New Mexico Invitational Team Scores?1. New Mexico 590; 2. Denver 569; 3. Colorado 535; 4. Utah 461; 5. Nevada 382; 6. Western State 274; 7. Whitman 221; 8. Alaska-Anchorage 213; 9. Montana State 208; 10. Boise State 111.
Men's 10K Freestyle?1. Erlend Hoff, DU, 27:12.8; 2. Henning Dybendal, Utah, 27:22.3; 3. Daniel Sonntag, Utah, 27:22.6; 4. Tor Erik Schjellerud, CU, 28:11.1; 5. Erling Christiansen, CU, 28:12.1; 6. Geir-Endre Rogn, UNM, 28:15.5; 7. Martin Bartnes, DU, 28:22.4; 8. Henrik Hoye, CU, 28:28.7; 9. Amund Hansen, DU, 28:45.2; 10. Josh Smullin, CU, 29:00.5. Other CU Finishers: 15. Nick Sterling, 29:35.4.
Women's 5K Freestyle?1. Martina Stursova, UNM, 16:44.3; 2. Jana Rehemaa, CU, 16:48.4; 3, Sandra Gredig, Utah, 17:17.9; 4. Karen Camenisch, DU, 17:21.6; 5. Barbro Hatlevik, Utah, 17:41.0; 6. Trine Lundamo, UNM, 17:50.8; 7. Sarah Hansen, UAA, 17:58.9; 8. Muriele Huberli, CU, 17:59.1; 9. Jessica Gray, WSC, 18:04.1; 10. Andrea Roberts, UNM, 18:07.2. Other CU Finishers: 29. Brooke Rygg, 19:41.8.
Men's Slalom?
1. Michal Rajcan, UN, 1:36.64; 2. Lars Loeseth Sunde, UNM, 1:37.08; 3. Dominik Schweiger, DU, 1:37.34; 4. Lars Ola Kjos, DU, 1:38.23; 5. David Lamb, DU, 1:38.41; 6. Will McDonald, Utah, 1:38.68; 7. Petter Roering, UNM, 1:38.93; 8. Christian Jensen, UNM, 1:39.18; 9. Ben Brown, WSC, 1:39.38; 10. Ian Dunlop, DU, 1:39.49. CU Results: 17. Cody Jenick, 1:41.90; 19. Tahir Bisic, 1:42.79; 20. Michael Read, 1:43.45; 31. Fritz Ernemann, 1:59.89.
Women's Slalom?1. Jennifer Delich, UNM, 1:42.14; 2. Margit Walter, BSU, 1:42.64; 3. Pia Rivelsrud, DU, 1:42.95; 4. Kathrin Spendier, UNM, 1:43.33; 5. Gladys Weidt, UNM, 1:43.37; 6. Barbara Knor, DU, 1:43.64; 7. Erika Hogan, CU, 1:23.55; 8. Sophie Ormond, DU, 1:44.36; 9. Kristin Taylor, CU, 1:44.64; 10. Quincy Young, UN, 1:44.73. Other CU Results: 13. Erin McEachren, 1:45.20; 18. Mia Cullman, 1:46.65; 24. Sarah Fischer, 1:49.03; 26. Julie Czesnowski, 1:49.59.
Players Mentioned
