Colorado University Athletics
Photo by: Kelly Gorham, Montana State University
Skiing Notebook: Buffs Collect RMISA Honors
January 19, 2017 | Skiing
News and notes surrounding the CU ski program
BOULDER – This edition of the University of Colorado skiing notebook highlights the Buffs impressive start to the season, the awards received and a deeper look at some of the standout performances to start the season.
• Colorado recently concluded its first two meets of the season, the Utah Invitational and the Montana State Invitational, that split the Nordic and alpine teams up between the two locations and meets over the last two weeks. CU was able to win both meets, winning the Utah Invitational by nine points over Denver and the MSU Invite by 66½ points over Utah.
This has marked the fifth time in head coach Richard Rokos' 27-year career that CU won its first two meets of the season, which led to an encouraging history lesson. In the previous four seasons it occurred, Colorado won the National Championship.
Here is a look at the previous four seasons that CU opened up a year winning its first two meets, and how this year's team compares:
• Skier of the Week Sweep: CU swept the Skier of the Week Awards handed out for the Montana State Invitational, four in all, and gathered a fifth in men's alpine in the RMISA Qualifier. How you win a RMISA Skier of the Week Award is based on the following criteria:
For the Montana State Invitational, CU's award winners were: David Ketterer (men's alpine- 1st SL, 4th GS), Tonje Trulsrud (women's alpine- 2nd GS, 3rd SL), Petra Hyncicova (women's Nordic- 1st CL, 1st FS) and Petter Reistad (men's Nordic- 1st CL, 2nd FS). Sophomore Max Luukko received the award for the RMISA Qualifier (2nd GS, 4th SL).
The five Skiers of the Week this year already matches the total number CU had last season in 2016. The most by Colorado in the last five seasons was six in 2015 and the most honorees CU has earned since the RMISA started announcing skiers of the week in 2005 is eight, which came during the 2011 season.
• Freshman Eying School Record: Colorado freshman alpine skier David Ketterer has made quite the impression in his first winter with the Buffs. He has opened his career winning the first three slalom races he has competed in and in two of those, he won by well over a full second, which is a very large margin of victory. Now Ketterer will chase the school record for the most slalom victories in a season. John Skajem, who won four slalom races in both the 1986 and 1987 seasons, holds the men's record. The overall school record is held by Lucie Zikova, who won five slalom races in 2006.
• Hyncicova Wins Three of First Four: Junior Petra Hyncicova has won three of her four races, becoming just the sixth women's Nordic skier since 1990 to notch three or more victories in the first four races of the season. By doing so, Hyncicova joined an elite group. Of the four other girls that have won 3-of-4 races to start a season (Maria Grevsgaard did it twice in 2007 and 2008), all four of them rank in the top 10 at CU for most individual victories in a career.
* school record for individual races won in a single-season
^ school record for individual races won in a career
• Next Up: Colorado is off this weekend and returns to competition on Jan. 25 when the Buffs will be competing in Alaska. The Seawolf and Alaska Anchorage Invites, hosted by UAA, run simultaneously. Alpine races in the Seawolf Invitation are on Jan. 25 and 27 at Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska while the Nordic events take place Feb. 11-12 from Kincaid Parkin Anchorage. The UAA Invitational will have the alpine events on Jan. 26 and 28, also from Alyeska Resort, while the Nordic races Feb. 7-8; the freestyle sprints on the seventh at Kincaid park and then a classical mixed gender relay (4x5K) on the eight at the Girdwood Nordic Trails.
• Colorado recently concluded its first two meets of the season, the Utah Invitational and the Montana State Invitational, that split the Nordic and alpine teams up between the two locations and meets over the last two weeks. CU was able to win both meets, winning the Utah Invitational by nine points over Denver and the MSU Invite by 66½ points over Utah.
This has marked the fifth time in head coach Richard Rokos' 27-year career that CU won its first two meets of the season, which led to an encouraging history lesson. In the previous four seasons it occurred, Colorado won the National Championship.
Here is a look at the previous four seasons that CU opened up a year winning its first two meets, and how this year's team compares:
| Year | Meet 1 Margin of Victory | Meet 2 Margin of Victory | Combined Margin of Victory | Individual # of Event Winners in First Two Meets | Total # of Meets Won That Year |
| 1995 | +81 | +5 | +86 | 3 (2 Nordic, 1 Alpine) | 6 |
| 1999 | +28 | +27½ | 55½ | 7 (4 Nordic, 3 Alpine) | 4 |
| 2011 | +9 | +25 | +34 | 3 (2 Nordic, 1 Alpine) | 5 |
| 2013 | +69½ | +19 | +88½ | 6 (all Nordic) | 6 |
| 2015 | +81½ | +37 | +118½ | 4 (all Nordic) | 4 |
| 2017 | +9 | +66½ | 75½ | 6 (4 Nordic, 2 Alpine) | TBD |
• Skier of the Week Sweep: CU swept the Skier of the Week Awards handed out for the Montana State Invitational, four in all, and gathered a fifth in men's alpine in the RMISA Qualifier. How you win a RMISA Skier of the Week Award is based on the following criteria:
- Chosen for each meet based on NCAA qualification points. Associate/non-NCAA members are not eligible.
- If there is a tie in points, it goes to lowest time differential for both races.
- You can only win it once a season.
For the Montana State Invitational, CU's award winners were: David Ketterer (men's alpine- 1st SL, 4th GS), Tonje Trulsrud (women's alpine- 2nd GS, 3rd SL), Petra Hyncicova (women's Nordic- 1st CL, 1st FS) and Petter Reistad (men's Nordic- 1st CL, 2nd FS). Sophomore Max Luukko received the award for the RMISA Qualifier (2nd GS, 4th SL).
The five Skiers of the Week this year already matches the total number CU had last season in 2016. The most by Colorado in the last five seasons was six in 2015 and the most honorees CU has earned since the RMISA started announcing skiers of the week in 2005 is eight, which came during the 2011 season.
• Freshman Eying School Record: Colorado freshman alpine skier David Ketterer has made quite the impression in his first winter with the Buffs. He has opened his career winning the first three slalom races he has competed in and in two of those, he won by well over a full second, which is a very large margin of victory. Now Ketterer will chase the school record for the most slalom victories in a season. John Skajem, who won four slalom races in both the 1986 and 1987 seasons, holds the men's record. The overall school record is held by Lucie Zikova, who won five slalom races in 2006.
• Hyncicova Wins Three of First Four: Junior Petra Hyncicova has won three of her four races, becoming just the sixth women's Nordic skier since 1990 to notch three or more victories in the first four races of the season. By doing so, Hyncicova joined an elite group. Of the four other girls that have won 3-of-4 races to start a season (Maria Grevsgaard did it twice in 2007 and 2008), all four of them rank in the top 10 at CU for most individual victories in a career.
| Skier | First 4 Races | Total Victories During Season | Total Career in Victories |
| Petra Hyncicova, 2017 | Won 3-of-4 | 3 (2 FS, 1 CL) | 3 (2 FS, 1 CL from 2015-Pres.) |
| Joanne Reid, 2013 | Won 3-of-4 | 9 (5 FS, 4 CL) | 11 (6 FS, 5 CL from 2010-13) |
| Maria Grevsgaard, 2008 | Won 4-of-4 | *11 (6 CL, 5 FS) | ^24 (15 CL, 9 FS from 2006-09) |
| Maria Grevsgaard, 2007 | Won 3-of-4 | 7 (5 CL, 2 FS) | see above |
| Line Selnes, 1998 | Won 4-of-4 | *11 (6 FS, 5 CL) | 11 (6 FS, 5 CL – all in 1998) |
| Anette Skjolden, 1991 | Won 3-of-4 | 5 (3 FS, 2 CL) | 11 (7 CL, 4 FS from 1991-93) |
* school record for individual races won in a single-season
^ school record for individual races won in a career
• Next Up: Colorado is off this weekend and returns to competition on Jan. 25 when the Buffs will be competing in Alaska. The Seawolf and Alaska Anchorage Invites, hosted by UAA, run simultaneously. Alpine races in the Seawolf Invitation are on Jan. 25 and 27 at Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska while the Nordic events take place Feb. 11-12 from Kincaid Parkin Anchorage. The UAA Invitational will have the alpine events on Jan. 26 and 28, also from Alyeska Resort, while the Nordic races Feb. 7-8; the freestyle sprints on the seventh at Kincaid park and then a classical mixed gender relay (4x5K) on the eight at the Girdwood Nordic Trails.
Players Mentioned
NORDIC
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ALPINE
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ALPINE
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NORDIC
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ALPINE
/ SkiingTuesday, April 21
Friday, June 27
Tuesday, June 10
Tuesday, April 22