University of Colorado Athletics
Skiers In Lead At RMISA Championships
February 23, 2006 | Skiing
DONNER SUMMIT, Calif. - The University of Colorado ski team, behind a strong Nordic performance, owns the lead at the midway point of the 2006 RMISA Championships/NCAA West Regional, as four events were completed here Thursday.
No. 2 Colorado used individual wins in both the men's and women's classical cross country races, as well as six top 10 finishes, to take the lead into the final four events with 284 points. That's good for a 10-point lead over top-ranked Denver, as the Pioneers stand in second with 274. New Mexico (265?), Alaska-Anchorage (225?) and Utah (213) round out the top five in the meet, which is being hosted in the Lake Tahoe area by the University of Nevada.
"This is pretty tight, the Nordics did well and pretty much carried the load for us," CU head coach Richard Rokos said. "On the alpine side, this was the only race all year we had to use college seedings, and things are a little different because teams are trying to qualify skiers for nationals and it's set up a bit differently. The strategy changes a bit, you give your lower seeded skiers the superior positions, hoping they can improve their seeds while the others aren't affected."
In the women's 5-kilometer classical race, senior Jana Rehemaa won for the third straight outing, as she cruised to an 18-second win in a time of 16:46.54. She captured both events in the Western State Invitational two weeks ago, with Thursday's victory not only being her third consecutive, but also the third of her career.
CU sophomore Maria Grevsgaard finished second in 15:04.67, with freshman Lenka Palanova posting a 10th place effort in 15:55.80 and soph Kristin Soenstegaard 12th in 15:57.48. The Buffaloes were the only school with three finishers in the top 10, and had their fourth finisher before another school (New Mexico) had their three scorers complete the course.
"It was nice to see every one ski well here as we approach the end of the year, and to have Henrik finally break through and win a race," CU Nordic coordinator Bruce Cranmer said. "Jana is skiing in fine form, she's still in good shape as is Maria. Everyone is in pretty good shape and in good health. We were hoping Erling would finish a little higher and hasn't had quite the results yet this year, but the big ones are still a couple of weeks away and he's certainly capable of ending his career with a win.
It was also great for all those skiers who aren't going to go to the NCAA's to have some of their best races at the end of the year, as it's nice note for them to finish that way."
In the men's 10-kiliometer version, senior Henrik Hoye earned the first win of his career, skiing around the course in a 26:24.96 time. That was good for a five-plus second win over Denver's John Stene, who was timed in 26:30.38. Hoye had come close before, as he previously has had five runner-up efforts, to go with four third place and seven fourth place finishes.
Sophomore Kit Richmond finished third in 26:39.65, while senior Erling Christiansen bagged eighth in 27:49.03. The Buffs and Pioneers both had three finishers in the top 10 (actually the top eight); Alaska-Anchorage was the only other school to land three in the top 20. Colorado, on the other hand, had six in the top 17, as senior Nick Sterling (11th, 28:21.66) and freshmen Joaquin Goodpaster (12th, 28:24.49) and Garrett Reid (17th, 28:43.64) combined with the aforementioned trio to give CU its best overall team race of the season.
The wins by Rehemaa and Hoye were the 14th and 15th of the year for the Buffaloes, easily the most in the west and a team best since members of the 2000 team combined for 15 wins. The total matches the third most individual race victories for CU since the sport went coed in 1983; only the 1998 (20) and 1991 (19) national champion teams boast more.
In the giant slalom, the strategy Rokos spoke to led to some different results. Though star sophomore Lucie Zikova finished outside of the top two for the first time all season (17th, after starting in the 41st position), junior Kristin Taylor led the way for the women with a sixth place finish in a two-run rime of 2:03.59. Denver's Jennifer Tank won in 2:01.75.
"Kristin took advantage of skiing in the first group," Rokos said. "She went out and skied one of her better races of the year and improved her seeding for nationals. So we're established well on the women's side." The Buffs have qualified four skiers with high seeds, so Rokos and alpine assistant Jed Schuetze will unfortunately have to leave one at home as only three can advance to the NCAA's.
Freshman Lisa Perricone finished eighth in 2:03.75, with junior Sabrina Mocellin 10th in 2:03.86. Soph Rachel Roosevelt had a nasty crash and did not finish her second run; she sprained her left knee, but Rokos did not think it was serious. She might not ski in Friday's slalom.
In the men's giant slalom, the pressure was on for several Buffs to ski well to be in better position to lock down spots among the top 17 seeds in the west, the number of alpine skiers that will qualify for the NCAA's. Freshman Patrick Duran responded with a collegiate best third place showing in a two-run time of 1:53.25. New Mexico's Tor Fodnesbergene won in 1:52.80.
"It was a badly needed result for Patrick, and it secured his qualification for the NCAA's," Rokos said. "He pointed his skis down hill and just let ?em run, and it paid off for him." Duran hadthe fasest second run down the mountain in a 56.84 time, which propelled him from ninth into third.
Freshman Josh Bryan, also vying for a berth, finished 17th in 1:55.06; he came in ranked No. 14 and is likely secure. The third spot is up for grabs, and someone will need to have a good performance in the slalom Friday to hold on, as CU skiers occupied the 14th through 17 spots entering the regional. Sophomores Miles Cooke (24th, 1:55.58) and Joel Adams (25th, 1:55.59) and freshman Jean-Francois Ferreira (26th, 1:56.44) need to have one top 10 finish Friday to make the coaching staff breathe a little easier before looking at the final rankings Monday.
The regional concludes Friday with the slalom at the Sugar Bowl Ski Resort and the Nordic freestyle races at the Auburn Ski Club. It is the final chance for schools to full 12-skier teams and for individuals to improve their seed positions for the NCAA Championships, set for Steamboat Springs March 8-11.
RMISA CHAMPIONSHIPS/NCAA WEST REGIONAL TEAM SCORES-1. Colorado 284; 2. Denver 275; 3. New Mexico 266; 4. Alaska-Anchorage 226; 5. Utah 213; 6. Montana State 188; 7. Nevada 148; 8. Western State 124; 9. Whitman 95; 10. Boise State 5.
Women's 5K Classical-1. Jana Rehemaa, CU, 14:46.54; 2. Maria Grevsgaard, CU, 15:04.67; 3. Kasandra Rice, UAA, 15:18.12; 4. Anna-Karin Maeki, DU, 15:22.47; 5. Marit Rognmo, UNM, 15:27.39; 6. Crystin Jaques, UNM, 15:37.11; 7. Ingvild Engesland, DU, 15:38.14; 8. Laura Valaas, WC, 15:41.53; 9. Mandy Bowden, MSU, 15:53.85; 10. Lenka Palanova, CU, 15:55.80. Other CU Results: 12. Kristin Soenstegaard, 15:57.48; 27. Mia Gaw, 16:41.75.
Men's 10K Classical-1. Henrik Hoye, CU, 26:24.96; 2. John Stene, DU, 26:30.38; 3. Kit Richmond, CU, 26:39.65; 4. Geir-Endre Rogn, UNM, 26:43.40; 5. Dirk Grimm, UNM, 27:13.20; 6. Rene Reisshauer, DU, 27:16.90; 7. Haavard Selseng, DU, 27:34.69; 8. Erling Christiansen, CU, 27:49.03; 9. Kjetil Dammen, UAA, 28:16.01; 10. Benjamin Sonntag, UAA, 28:16.11. Other CU Results: 11. Nick Sterling, 28:21.66; 12. Joaquin Goodpaster, 28:24.49; 17. Garrett Reid, 28:43.64.
Women's Giant Slalom-1. Jennifer Tank, DU, 2:01.75; 2. Kristina Repcinova, UAA, 2:02.43; 3. Florence Roujas, DU, 2:02.67; 4. Karine Falck-Pedersen, DU, 2:03.07; 5. Amy Beresford, UNM, 2:03.19; 6. Kristin Taylor, CU, 2:03.59; 7. Erika Hogan, Utah, 2:03.64; 8. Lisa Perricone, CU, 2:03.75; 9. Spela Bertoncelj, MSU, 2:03.84; 10. Sabrina Mocellin, CU, 2:03.86. Other CU Results: 17. Lucie Zikova, CU, 2:05.12; Did Not Finish (second run)?Rachel Roosevelt.
Men's Giant Slalom-1. Tor Fodnesbergene, UNM, 1:52.80; Scott Veenis, Utah, 1:53.25; 3. Patrick Duran, CU, 1:53.35; 4. Lars Loeseth, UNM, 1:53.40; 5. Will McDonald, Utah, 1:53.63; 6. Timothee Theaux, UAA, 1:53.89; 7. Francesco Ghedina, DU, 1:53.91; 8. Andre Hokholt, WSC, 1:54.03; 9. Christian Ringvold, UAA, 1:54.12; 10. Cory Harris, MSU, 1:54.26. Other CU Results: 17. Josh Bryan, 1:55.06; 20. Tony Cesolini, 1:55.30; 24. Miles Cooke, 1:55.58; 25. Joel Adams, 1:55.59; 26. Jean-Francois Ferreira, 1:56.44; Did Not Finish (second run)?Jonas Kryzl.
