Colorado University Athletics
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Utah Invitational (SL/FS-5/10K-I)
Stroem, Grosvold Win As Buffs Regain Lead At Utah Invite
January 11, 2015 | Skiing
PARK CITY & MIDWAY, Utah—The men's Nordic duo of Mads Stroem and Rune Oedegaard went 1-2 in the men's freestyle and Thea Grosvold won the women's slalom race Sunday as the University of Colorado ski team regained its lead here with six of eight events now complete in the 2015 Utah Invitational.
In all, the Buffs compiled 11 top 10 performances in the four races and now lead the invitational with 501.5 points, 22.5 points ahead of Denver (479) and 34.5 ahead of the host Utah Utes (467) with all three teams still in the hunt to win the first meet of the season. New Mexico is fourth with 350.5 points, Alaska Anchorage is fifth with 306 and Montana State sixth with 289 points. Associate RMISA members Westminster (249), Wyoming (82) and Colorado Mountain College (52) round out the team scoring.
Stroem, a sophomore, won the race in a time of 19:28.6, 18.7 seconds ahead of Oedegaard, a senior (19:47.3). The duo essentially picked up where they left off last season, both earning an individual NCAA Championship on this same course last March. For Stroem, it's his third career victory in his ninth career race. It's also the fourth time the two have finished 1-2 in those nine career races together. For Oedegaard, it's his 26th career podium appearance in 33 career races.
“They were both happy with their performance,” Nordic coach Bruce Cranmer said. “Rune didn't have great expectations, coming in from sea level with some travel issues. He was hopeful he'd do well, I think he was happy with it. Mads skied well over break, so we did have higher expectations for him.”
“We know they can do it, it's in them,” coach Richard Rokos said of Stroem and Oedegaard. “But right now to do it right away in the first race, I know Rune traveled for two straight days from Norway, slept somewhere in an airport along the way, and practically went to the race from the airport, it's good to see. They're the cornerstone of our program right now.”
Sophomore Jackson Hill finished 11th in a time of 20:44.6, just a couple of days after he had a 30K race as part of U.S. National's in Houghton, Mich. Senior Emil Johansson finished 19th in 21:19.0, freshman Ian Boucher was 26th in 22:18.4 and Max Scrimgeour was 30th in 22:35.3.
“Jackson had a solid day,” Cranmer said. “I didn't know what to expect from him, he skied a 30K on Thursday, then we had a lot of travel issues getting here from Michigan. It was also brutally cold back there, all of that takes a toll. We didn't really have any expectations to be in top form and given all that, it was an especially good race.”
In the 5K women's freestyle race, sophomore Maja Solbakken led the way for the Buffs, finishing fourth in a time of 11:36.2, just 21.8 seconds behind the race winner. Freshmen Ane Johnson finished seventh in her first collegiate race in a time of 11:39.5 and freshman Petra Hyncicova was eighth in 11:50.1.
“It was a solid day for the women's team,” Cranmer said. “Maja had a good race. Petra and Ana both were right near the lead at the first split, so maybe they started a little hard and gave up some time near the end. But three in the top 10 is a great start to the season. We're not close to top form, everybody is still adjusting back to altitude and had a lot of travel issues getting here. Given all that, it was a great day.”
Sophomore Camilla Brautaset finished 18th in a time of 12:26.6, freshman Jessi Knori was 21st in 12:38.9 and sophomore Lucy Newman was 25th in 12:57.9.
“They are obviously making a big leap compared to last year,” Rokos said. “Seeing Maja in the top five is great and Ana and Petra just need a little more experience in college skiing and they'll be great.”
Meanwhile over in Park City, Grosvold, the junior captain of the women's alpine team, dominated the women's slalom race, winning both runs and won by more than six-tenths of a second in a time of 1:29.64, her first collegiate victory.
“Thea is solid and invincible,” Rokos said. “She didn't even look like she was taking chances, it was clean, efficient and fast skiing. There was no sign of mass effort, which is her style, she's very solid, not making many mistakes.”
It was, in fact, Grosvold's first career top five finish, topping her previous career best of sixth place here at the Utah Invitational two years ago. It perhaps wasn't unexpected, however, as Grosvold had a great pre-college racing season, winning two slalom races and hitting the podium four times against many of the same skiers.
Senior Brooke Wales Granstrom made the biggest move in the field in the second run, after a mistake sent her to the 15th fastest first run, she had the second-fastest second run to move all the way up to fourth in a time of 1:30.60.
“Brooke proved she can come from behind,” Rokos said. “She made a pretty big mistake on the first run and she fought her way back to fourth place. She came to CU as a GS skier and she's just kept improving in slalom and she's now to the point where she is capable of winning a slalom race, as well, a universal threat.”
Senior Shane McLean finished sixth in a time of 1:30.83 and junior Jessica Honkonen finished 10th in a time of 1:31.30, giving the Buffs four in the top 10 for the second time in three races this season. This quartet of skiers has now accomplished that feat four times, now twice each in giant slalom and slalom action. The other time they accomplished the feat in a slalom race at the Montana State Invitational last season.
“Shane is skiing solid, Jessica is skiing solid,” Rokos said. “Shane is skiing the runs of her life. She made a huge improvement in her technique, she was always fast but sometimes making too many technical mistakes, even to the point of crashing and getting concussions, it's good to see there's no sign of that anymore.”
In the men's slalom race, the Buffs were led by junior Adam Zika, who finished eighth in a time of 1:30.64, and junior Kasper Hietanan, who was just four-hundredths behind Zika in ninth in 1:30.68.
“To see Kasper, despite his injury that almost cost him this season, and he's right up there,” Rokos said. “Adam is still regaining his confidence. Last year he was very limited recovering from his injury. He's still not 100 percent but he's close enough that he can put full weight and pressure on his knee without being afraid. It's all about confidence in his own action and it's coming together.”
Junior Henrik Gunnarsson finished tied for 14th in a time of 1:30.89, sophomore Roger Carry was 25th in 1:32.86 and Camron Smith was 29th in 1:36.03.
“There is still potential for improvement on the men's side,” Rokos said. “It's just a matter of consistency. Kasper, Henrik and Adam are all solid. Roger and Cam are both capable of super skiing but just need to be more consistent. But, I like this group, I'm very optimistic about them.”
The Utah Invitational will conclude Monday with the running of the 10K women's and 15 K men's classical races. Both mass starts, the men will hit the trails first at 9:30 a.m. followed by the women at 11 a.m. The Buffs will then host their own Spencer James Nelson Memorial Invitational January 23-26 in Steamboat Springs (Nordic) and Eldora (alpine).
Team Scores—1. Colorado 501.5; 2. Denver 479; 3. Utah 467; 4. New Mexico 350.5; 5. Alaska Anchorage 306; 6. Montana State 289; 7. Westminster 249; 8. Wyoming 72; 9. Colorado Mountain College 52.
Men's 10K Freestyle (40 Collegiate Finishers)—1. Mads Stroem, CU, 19:28.6; 2. Rune Oedegaard, CU, 19:47.3; 3. Moritz Madlener, DU, 19:53.9; 4. Nick Hendrickson, UU, 20:22.9; 5. Alex Mahoney, UAA, 20:23.9; 6. Clement Molliet, UAA, 20:26.7; 7. Kevin Bolger, UU, 20:28.3; 8. Niklas Persson, UU, 20:35.3; 9. Noe Bellet, UU, 20:38.9; 10. Mario Roncador, UAA, 20:42.7. Other Colorado Finishers: 11. Jackson Hill, 20:44.6; 19. Emil Johansson, 21:19.0; 25. Ian Boucher, 22:18.4; 29. Max Scrimgeour, 22:35.3.
Women's 5K Freestyle (29 Collegiate Finishers)—1. Sylvia Nordskar, DU, 11:14.4; Mackenzie Kanady, UAA, 11:27.7; 3. Cambria McDermott, MSU, 11:30.6; 4. Veronika Mayerhofer, UU, 11:33.7; 5. Maja Solbakken, CU, 11:36.2; 6. Sloan Storey, UU, 11:37.4; 7. Ane Johnsen, CU, 11:39.5; 8. Petra Hyncicova, CU, 11:50.1; 9. Natalia Mueller, UU, 12:06.0; 10. Anna-Lena Heynen, UU, 12:09.2. Other Colorado Finishers: 18. Camilla Brautaset, 12:26.6; 20. Jesse Knori, 12:38.9; 24. Lucy Newman, 12:57.9.
Men's Slalom (34 Collegiate Finishes)—1. Sebastian Brigovic, DU, 1:29.87; 2. Tim Lindgren, WMC, 1:29.88; 3. Taylor Shirffin, DU, 1:30.02; 4. Endre Bjertness, UU, 1:30.27; 5. Alex Leever, DU, 1:30.37; 6. Juho-Pekka Penttinen, UNM, 1:30.40; 7. David Herzog, WMC, 1:30.63; 8. Adam Zika, CU, 1:30.64; 9. Kasper Hietanaen, CU, 1:30.68; 10. Dominic Demschar, UU and Andy Trow, UU, 1:30.76. Other Colorado Finishers: 14. Henrik Gunnarsson, 1:30.86; 25. Roger Carry, 1:32.86; 29. Cameron Smith, 1:36.03.
Women's Slalom (42 Collegiate Finishers)—1. Thea Grosvold, CU, 1:29.64; 2. Monica Heubner, DU, 1:30.25; 3. Kristiina Rove, UU, 1:30.29; 4. Brooke Wales, CU, 1:30.60; 5. Kristine Haugen, DU, 1:30.61; 6. Shane McLean, CU, 1:30.83; 7. Karoline Myklebust, UNM, 1:30.92; 8. Sara Ottosson, UNM, 1:30.95; 9. Chloe Fausa, UU, 1:31.29; 10. Jessica Honkonen, CU, 1:31.30. Other Colorado Finishers: 20. Clare Wise, 1:32.98; 28. Dani Brownell-Patty, 1:35.48; 30. Katie Hostetler, 1:36.26.
