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Utah Invitational (CL-10/15K-M)
Stroem Wins As Buffs Finish Second At Utah Invitational
January 11, 2016 | Skiing
MIDWAY, Utah – Junior Mads Stroem won his seventh career race despite crashing as the University of Colorado ski team finished second at the Utah Invitational here Monday at Soldier Hollow Resort.
Stroem and the men's racers got the day underway with the 15K classic mass start race and the Buffaloes, who were tied with Denver and just six points ahead of Utah, moved into sole possession of the lead by 14 points after the Buffs won the men's race with 90 points.
Despite a third place finish from sophomore Petra Hyncicova in the 10K women's classic race, the Utah women were not going to be denied, finishing first and second to surge ahead of the Buffaloes and win the meet.
When the dust settled, Utah scored 102 points in the women's race and turned the Buffs 14 point lead into a 13 point deficit, winning the meet with 632 points to the Buffs 619. Denver was tied with Utah entering the final race and finished 40 points behind the Buffs with 579 points. Montana State was fourth with 492, followed by New Mexico (479), Alaska Anchorage (384), Westminster (258) and Colorado Mountain College (73).
For Stroem, the win is the seventh in his career and first since he swept the RMISA Championship races at the end of last season in Alaska. And it didn't come easy. He He has now hit the podium in 18 of 22 career races and along with his second place finish in Sunday's freestyle race, he has finished first or second 15 times in his career.
“It was a nice win for Mads, especially since he crashed early in the race,” CU Nordic coach Bruce Cranmer said. “They were skiing the World Cup loop and the first major uphill is about 3 or 3-and-a-half kilometers in. At the top of that hill he was in 12th place, double polling. I didn't know what had happened, but he said he got off course, he was up to his knees in the powder, there was snow all over his face.
“By the end of the first lap, he was back in the lead, but that took a lot out of him,” Cranmer continued. “He also wasn't feeling very well last night, so we were a little nervous, so that's a great win, it makes him happy and takes some pressure off moving forward.”
Stroem's winning time was 38:23.1 as after 15K and a crash, he had to outsprint Utah's Niklas Persson and Denver's Mortiz Madlener, who both were with 1.7 seconds of him at the finish line. Behind that trio was CU freshman Petter Reistad in a time of 38:40.3, 17.2 seconds behind Stroem but 8.1 seconds ahead of fifth place.
“Petter was pretty happy, he's just going to get better and better,” Cranmer said. “The start of a season is always hectic, and the start of a career more so, traveling, getting back from Europe, he will get it all figured out, he's mostly there, just a little off those lead guys, and those are all really strong guys. He's basically in the hunt now, getting close to the podium, I think he will be pretty motivated to continue in the right direction.”
Senior Arnaud Du Pasquier was 12th in a time of 40:11.7, just ahead of junior Jackson Hill and his time of 40:17.4 in 13th place. Max Scrimgeour picked up a top 20 finish with a time of 40:41.2, good for 18th, and Ian Boucher finished 25th in 41:56.9.
In the women's race, Hyncicova's podium is the third of her career and she has now finished in the top 10 in 12 of her 14 career races now with seven top five finishes. She was 16.0 seconds behind the Utah duo that finished 1-2 and she was 5.9 seconds ahead of fourth place.
“Petra was pretty happy about getting on the podium,” Cranmer said. “She was between third and fifth most of the race, but I think she was happy especially after not having a great race the day before.”
Sophomore Jesse Knori finished 10th in a time of 30:58.4, her third career top 10, all of which have come in classic races. Junior Camilla Brautaset finished 14th in 32:06.5, further proof that she continues to get healthier. She had two races higher than that early last year but two years ago as a freshman, she bettered 14th a total of eight times.
“Any time you're in the top 10, especially in this women's field, which is tough, it's a good thing,” Cranmer said. “We're always hoping for a little better, but the first step is to get in the top 10, then get there consistently. Camilla had a good race, it looked like she still had something to give, things are moving in a positive direction for her and hopefully she can continue to get better each race and find her way back into the top 10.”
Junior Lucy Newman finished 20th in a time of 32:32.5. Sophomore Ane Johnsen and freshman Christina Rolandsen each sat out the race due to illness. Both will look to return soon, if not next week at Montana State, then the week after at CU's meet in Steamboat Springs.
While the Nordic teams put a wrap on the Utah Invitational, their alpine counterparts concluded that portion of the Montana State Invitational. The Buffs will head to Bozeman next weekend in second place, 33 points behind Denver and 28 ahead of Utah.
“We will get into classes this week and then leave Friday for Montana,” Cranmer said. “Hopefully we can get this first week of class under our belts, settle down a little bit, we can relax, get some time at home, get up to Eldora to train, and then have a good week at Montana.”
Team Results (Final)—1. Utah 632; 2. Colorado 619; 3. Denver 579; 4. Montana State 492; 5. New Mexico 479; 6. Alaska Anchorage 384; 7. Westminster 258; 8. Colorado Mountain College 73.
Men's 15K Classic (29 college finishers)—1. Mads Stroem, CU, 38:23.1; 2. Niklas Persson, UU, 38:24.4; 3. Moritz Madlener, DU, 38:24.8; 4. Petter Reistad, CU, 38:40.3; 5. Dag Frode Trolleboe, DU, 38:48.4; 6. Sawyer Kesselheim, MSU, 38:53.1; 7. Karsten Hokanson, MSU, 39:40.9; 8. Kevin Bolger, UU, 39:52.8; 9. Noe Bellet, UU, 39:53.3; 10. Erik Axelsson, MSU, 39:54.0. Other CU Finishers: 12. Arnaud Du Pasquier, 40:11.7; 13. Jackson Hill, 40:17.4; 18. Max Scrimgeour, 40:41.2; 25. Ian Boucher, 41:56.9.
Women's 10K Classic (25 college finishers)—1. Sloan Storey, UU, 29:36.6; 2. Veronika Mayerhofer, UU, 29:36.8; 3. Petra Hyncicova, CU, 29:52.6; 4. Cambria McDermott, MSU, 29:58.5; 5. Emilie Cedervarn, UNM, 30:12.6; 6. Eva Severrus, UNM, 30:18.9; 7. Natalie Mueller, UU, 30:24.4; 8. Kati Roivas, UNM, 30:38.3; 9. Josefin Nilsson, UU, 30:51.7; 10. Jesse Knori, CU, 30:58.4. Other CU Finishers: 14. Camilla Brautaset, CU, 32:06.5; 20. Lucy Newman, 32:32.5. Did Not Start: Ane Johnsen. Did Not Race: Christina Rolandsen.
