Skiers In Second At New Mexico Invitational

Saturday, February 12

Taos/Red River, N.M.

All Day

Colorado

New Mexico Invitational (SL/FS)

Photo by: CUBuffs.com

February 12, 2005 | Skiing

By: CUBuffs.com

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RED RIVER/TAOS SKI VALLEY, N.M. - The University of Colorado ski team holds second place through six events of the Michelobo New Mexico Invitational, but with the postponement of two events here due to bad weather, the Buffs will have to wait 12 days to see if they can win their first meet this winter.

Denver assumed the lead with 435 points, while the Buffaloes slipped from first into second with 409; host New Mexico is in third with 405 and Utah fourth with 387.5. The Pioneers have won the last two races in the west this season, while Colorado is searching for its first win since claiming its own invite two years ago.

The final standing of the invitational won't be determined until Friday's men's giant slalom race and Saturday's women's slalom, both cancelled due to poor visibility due to fog and heavy soft snow, are made up on February 24 in Bozeman, Mont, one day prior to the start of the NCAA West Regional. The conditions were too dangerous with the snow rutting fast and the real chance of serious injury existing if the competition had continued both days.

Colorado had five top five and six top 10 efforts Friday that was the impetus for leading a meet for the first time this winter; but with no women's alpine race, one of CU's strongest disciplines, and two men's Nordic skiers out due to illness, the Buffs countered Saturday with just a pair of top five efforts, also the only two in the top 10.

In the men's 10-kilometer freestyle nordic race, junior Erling Christiansen had CU's best result of the day as he finished second in 28:51.2; Utah's Daniel Sonntag won in 28:34.1. The Buffs were minus two of its cross country stars: junior Henrik Hoye, who skied to a fourth place effort Friday, sat this one out as he's fighting sickness, while senior Tor Erik Schjellerud was back in Boulder, too sick to even make the 7-hour trip south. Sophomore Tim Damrow posted the best finish in his college career by placing 12th in 30:59.6, while junior Nick Sterling was right behind him in 13th in 31:03.5.

Senior Muriele Huberli posted her second straight third place finish here, as she overcame illness to finish the women's 5K version in 17:55.3. New Mexico's Martina Stursova won for the third straight race, as her 17:09.7 time topped teammate Trine Lundamo by just under 14 seconds. Junior Brooke Rygg had CU's next best result, grabbing 11th in 18:42.5, while senior Jessica Gray was 13th in 18:45.9.

In the men's slalom, won by New Mexico's Lars Loeseth Sunde in 1:39.21, Colorado's best finish came from senior Tahir Bisic, who clocked a two-run time of 1:41.65 to place 12th, just ahead of fellow senior Fritz Ernemann, who claimed 13th in 1:42.11. It was Bisic's second best effort and Ernemann's best of the winter. Sophomore Brad Hogan continued to have bad luck, as he did not finish his second run; he now has five "DNF's" and one disqualification in seven races on the season.

The final seedings for the regional will be determined this week for all disciplines except the men's GS and women's slalom, which will be calculated following the makeup races on the 24th. The regional will then commence Feb. 25-26, also in Bozeman.

New Mexico Invitational Team Scores-1. Denver 435; 2. Colorado 409; 3. New Mexico 405; 4. Utah 387.5; 5. Montana State 299; 6. Nevada 286.5; 7. Western State 178; 8. Whitman 165; 9. Alaska-Anchorage 83; 10. Boise State 73.

Men's 10K Freestyle-1. Daniel Sonntag, Utah, 28:34.1; 2. Erling Christiansen, CU, 28:51.2; 3. Rene Reisshauer, DU, 29:31.5; 4. Andre Haugsboe, DU, 29:53.9; 5. Jesse Carlstrom, UNR, 30:00.9; 6. Dirk Grimm, UNM, 30:13.7; 7. Geir Endre Rogn, UNM, 30:15.6; 8. Jedd Young, UNM, 30:38.3; 9. Casey Simons, Utah, 30:42.1; 10. Mark Iverson, MSU, 30:45.0. Other CU Finishers: 12. Tim Damrow, 30:59.6; 13. Nick Sterling, 31:03.5.

Women's 5K Freestyle-1. Martina Stursova, UNM, 17:09.7; 2. Trine Lundamo, UNM, 17:23.4; 3. Muriele Huberli, CU, 17:55.3; 4. Mandy Bowden, MSU, 18:08.6; 5. Bodil Ryste, DU, 18:09.8; 6. Sandra Gredig, Utah, 18:15.0; 7. Kara Lapoint, DU, 18:30.9; 8. Pirkko Pulkkanen, UNM, 18:35.0; 9. Tara Hamilton, DU, 18:38.3; 10. Julia Swieder, DU, 18:38.6. Other CU Finishers: 11. Brooke Rygg, 18:42.5; 13. Jessica Gray, 18:45.9; 27. Maria Malmin, 20:48.6.

Men's Slalom-.1. Lars Loeseth Sunde, UNM, 1:39.21; 2. Mark Heinrich-Wallace, Utah, 1:39.69; 2. Benjamin Thornhill, Utah, 1:40.16; 4. David Lamb, DU, 1:40.41; 5. Christian Ringvold, UAA, 1:40.44; 6. Cameron Barnes, INR, 1:40.74; 7. Timothee Theaux, WSC, 1:41.00; 8. Gaspar Perricone, Utah, 1:41.21; 9. Todd Ligare, DU, 1:41.43; 10 Petter Roering, UNM, 1:41.49. CU Finishers: 12. Tahir Bisic, 1:41.65; 13. Fritz Ernemann, 1:42.11; 17. Miles Cooke, 1:43.85. DNF?Joel Adams (second run). DQ?Brad Hogan (2nd run).