SKIERS FINISH FOURTH IN DU'S INVITE AT WINTER PARK

Saturday, January 29

Winter Park, Colo.

All Day

Colorado

Denver Invitational (SL/Freestyle)

Photo by: CUBuffs.com

January 29, 2005 | Skiing

By: CUBuffs.com

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WINTER PARK - The University of Colorado ski team did about as well as the coaching staff expected here this weekend, as the Buffaloes battled absence, illness and some bad luck in finishing fourth here Saturday in the Denver Invitational.

Host Denver used strong showings in the men's classical and women's slalom races to overtake first-day leader Utah, as the Pioneers earned 565 points to best the Utes' total of 523. New Mexico held third in finishing with 493 points, and Colorado remained fourth with 461.

CU's strongest efforts Saturday also came in the men's classic and women's slalom, as the Buffaloes recorded four top six finishes between the two.

Freshman Lucie Zikova was third in the slalom in a two-run time of 1:31.65, as DU's Florence Roujas won in 1:30.52, edging Nevada's Tiina Salo, who came in at 1:30.60. Rachel Roosevelt, also a freshman, finished in sixth place with a time of 1:33.57.

In the men's 15-kilometer classical nordic race, Buff juniors Henrik Hoye and Erling Christiansen finished 4-5 in a race that saw the top seven finishers separated by just 17 seconds. Denver's Rene Reisshauer won in 43:15.9, with Hoye snaring fourth in 43:29.4 and Christiansen fifth in 43:30.1. CU senior Tor Erik Schjellerud was not here this weekend, as he is in his native Norway participating in his country's national championships. He had three top five efforts and one win in the first four races this year, so CU can look forward to recouping his points in the remaining meets this winter.

Senior Muriele Huberli had CU's other top five (and 10) finish on the day, as she captured fourth in the women's 10K classical with a 33:25.7 time. New Mexico's Martina Stursova won in 31:48.0, ending Alaska's Mandy Kaempf's winning streak at five; she came in the winner of all previous races in the west this winter.

"Team scoring wasn't really our goal this weekend," CU head coach Richard Rokos said. "With Tor not here, and with so many kids sick, some who still went ahead and raced, our goal this weekend was to try and qualify some of the alpine guys. But with them starting back in the pack, that didn't really happen either, so we're a bit disappointed there. We have two more chances to get them qualified, but there's no room for error from this point on. I just won't sleep the entire month of February."

"Lucie is skiing very well, and very consistent, despite recovering from some respiratory issues that kept her out of one of the races in Austria last week," he added. "So she's still fighting it, but to put up two results like she did this weekend (she was sixth in Friday's giant slalom) is a very good sign."

CU's top finish in the men's slalom was a 13th place effort by senior Tahir Bisic, as he had a two-run time of 1:25.66; DU's Dominick Schweiger won in 1:23.61.

Two CU alpine skiers were disqualified, Brad Hogan, who straddled a gate and skied out of the course, and Kristin Taylor, who "skied super fast at the top of the course, but as to exactly why she was DQ'd, it's not obvious to us," Rokos said. "Hopefully I can find out what happened, but it's a little disconcerting finding out hours after the meet ended after we had left. But I don't think it would have affected the standings."

For Hogan, it was the fifth time in six races this year he didn't post a time, as he had four "did not finishes" to open the year. CU was also without the services of his younger sister Erika Saturday, as she was held out while battling the same illness Zikova has.

The western schools have next weekend off and resume competition Feb. 11-12 at the New Mexico Invitational.

Denver Invitational Team Scores-1. Denver 565; 2. Utah 523; 3. New Mexico 493; 4. Colorado 461; 5. Alaska-Anchorage 394; 6 (tie). Montana State and Nevada 374; 8. Western State 221; 9. Whitman 167; 10. Boise State 67.

Men's 15K Classical-1. Rene Reisshauer, DU, 43:15.9; 2. Haavard Selseng, DU, 43:19.7; 3. Zach Violett, UAA, 43:27.9; 4. Henrik Hoye, CU, 43:29.4; 5. Erling Christiansen, CU, 43:30.1; 6. John Stene, DU, 43:31.8; 7. Magnus Carlsson, Utah, 43:32.6; 8. Geir Endre Rogn, UNM, 43:58.2; 9. Andre Haugsboe, DU, 44:22.8; 10. Dirk Grimm, UNM, 44:57.4. Other CU Finishers: 17. Nick Sterling, 45:57.6, 25. Tim Damrow, 47:20.3.

Women's 10K Classical-1. Martina Stursova, UNM, 31:48.0; 2. Mandy Kaempf, UAA, 31:57.5; 3. Trine Lundamo, UNM, 32.54.7; 4. Muriele Huberli, CU, 33:25.7; 5. Sandra Gredig, Utah, 33:50.9; 6. Emily Robbins, MSU, 33:56.4; 7. Julia Swieder, DU, 34:33.9; 8. Nicole Naef, Utah, 34:34.2; 9. Amanda Bowden, MSU, 34:37.7; 10. Nicole DeYong, UAA, 34:39.9. Other CU Finishers: 18. Jessica Gray, 34:57.9; 20. Brooke Rygg, 35:26.7; 29. Maria Malmin, 36:56.1.

Men's Slalom-1. Dominik Schweiger, DU, 1:23.61; 2. Cameron Barnes, UNR, 1:23.70; 3. Timothee Theaux, WSC. 1:23.88; 4. Luke Patterson, UNR, 1:23.96; 5. Lars Loeseth Sunde, UNM, 1:24.03; 6. Mark Heinrich-Wallace, Utah, 1:24.32; 7. Will McDonald, Utah, 1:24.58; 8. Gregory Besse, WSC, 1:24.59; 9. David Lamb, DU, 1:24.85; 10. Ian Dunlop, DU, 1:25.19. CU Finishers: 13. Tahir Bisic, 1:25.66; 18. Joel Adams, 1:26.96; 22. Fritz Ernemann, 1:29.45; 25. Miles Cooke, 1:32.49. DQ?Brad Hogan (2nd run, Gate 46).

Women's Slalom-1. Florence Roujas, DU, 1:30.52; 2. Tiina Salo, UNR, UNR, 1:30.80; 3. Lucie Zikova, CU, 1:30.86; 4. Karine Falck-Pedersen, DU, 1:32.47; 5. Pia Rivelsrud, DU, 1:33.24; 6. Rachel Roosevelt, CU, 1:33.57; 7. Kimberly Stephens, Utah, 1:34.21; 8. Lindsay McClure, DU, 1:34.50; 9. Elisha Stephens, Utah, 1:34.52; 10. Rowena Bright, Utah, 1:34.63. Other CU Finishers: 24. Ashley Woodworth, 1:39.38; 27. Catherine Brown, 1:40.28. 2:12.4320. DNF? Janicke Brusletto (2nd run); DQ?Kristin Taylor (2nd run, gate 34).