Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Set To Host Spencer J. Nelson Memorial Invitational
January 20, 2016 | Skiing
BOULDER — The University of Colorado ski team is set to host the Fifth Annual Spencer James Nelson Memorial Invitational, which will take place along with an additional RMISA Alpine Qualifier Friday through Sunday, January 22-24, in Steamboat Springs, Colo., the same location the Buffs will host NCAA Championships in March.
The Invitational will get underway Friday with slalom races at Howelsen Hill. Though still tentative, the first run will begin around 3 p.m. and second run at 4:30 p.m. The second runs will take place under the lights beginning at approximately 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.
On the alpine side, action will shift to Steamboat Springs Resort and Mt. Werner for giant slalom races. The schedule for both Saturday and Sunday will be one gender beginning about 9 a.m. and the other at 10:30 a.m. for first runs with second runs happening at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday's race will be part of the Spencer J. Nelson Memorial and Sunday's will be an extra RMISA Qualifier, the final extra qualifier of the season.
Nordic action will begin Saturday at Howelsen Hill and the meet will be part of the Rocky Mountain Nordic Junior National Qualifier race, co-hosted by the Buffs, the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, Rocky Mountain Nordic and the City of Steamboat Springs.
Interval start freestyle races will take place Saturday with the 5K women's race starting at 9 a.m. and the 10K men's race starting at 9:40 a.m. Sunday's races will be mass start classic races with the men's 20K race starting at 9 a.m. and the women's 15K race starting at 10:15 a.m.
All nine members of Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association are expected to be in attendance. There are six members that are part of the NCAA, including Alaska Anchorage, Denver, Montana State, New Mexico and Utah along with host Colorado. Associate members Colorado Mountain College and Westminster College participate in alpine events only while another associate member, Wyoming, competes in Nordic action.
The meet is the fifth in memory of the late Spencer Nelson, who died in a hiking accident in Aspen on August 16, 2010, just days before the start of his sophomore year at the University of Colorado. The Buffs won the 2011 NCAA Championship in his honor that season but did not host a meet. Since the 2012 season, the meet has been named in his honor and the podium winners are awarded with spectacular belt buckles that are awarded by his parents, Peter Nelson and Peggy Smith.
Since 1983 when skiing became a coed sport by the NCAA, the Buffs have hosted 28 meets and won 16 of them. Prior to the meet being honored by the Nelson family, the previous 16 meets where in honor of the late Laura Sharpe Flood, who tragically lost her life on April 3, 1989, in a training accident at Eldora. Behind Colorado's 16 meet titles, Utah has won nine, Denver two and Wyoming one since 1983. Since 2000, the Buffs have won eight of the 11 CU Invitationals.
This is the third meet of the 2016 season with Utah winning its meet to kick off the college season and Denver taking the title at the Montana State Invitational. The Buffs took second in both meets, by just 13 points to the Utes and four points to the Pioneers. The Buffs are leading the point standings for the RMISA Regular Season Championship, which takes into account points for the four regular season meets.
Colorado is also host to the 2016 NCAA Championships on these same courses and trails at Steamboat Springs on March 9-12, 2016.
2016 Spencer James Nelson Memorial Invitational Schedule
All Times Tentative
Friday, January 22
• Slalom (men and women, order TBA) – first runs at 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.; second runs at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 23
• Freestyle (interval start) – women's 5K 9 a.m.; men's 10K 9:40 a.m.
• Giant Slalom (men & women, order TBA) – first runs at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.; second runs at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Sunday, January 24
• Classic (mass start) – men's 20K 9 a.m.; women's 15K at 10:15 a.m.
• Giant Slalom (RMISA Qualifier, men & women, order TBA) first runs at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.; second runs at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Live Timing
Alpine live timing will be available at www.ussalivetiming.com. No live timing will be available for Nordic racing and race results will be posted at www.fourcornerstiming.com.
Social Media
Follow the Buffaloes at @CUBuffsSkiing on twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The RMISA can be found at @rmisa on twitter. Use CUSJNInvite or RMISA to join the conversation.
Past Champions
1983* Wyoming; 1984* Utah; 1985* Utah; 1986* Colorado; 1987* Utah; 1988 Colorado; 1989 Utah; 1990 Colorado; 1991 Colorado; 1992 Colorado; 1993 Utah; 1994 Utah; 1995 Colorado; 1996 Colorado; 1997 Utah; 1998* Utah; 2000 Colorado; 2001 Colorado; 2003 Colorado; 2004 Denver; 2006 Colorado; 2008 Colorado; 2009 Colorado; 2010* Colorado; 2012 Utah; 2013 Colorado; 2014 Denver; 2015 Colorado.
*-The CU meet doubled as the RMISA Championships and NCAA Western Regional.
Total Championships: Colorado 16, Utah 9, Denver 2, Wyoming 1.
