Colorado University Athletics
Saturday, January 6
Big Sky, Mont.
All Day
Colorado
vs
RMISA Alpine Qualifier (Giant Slalom)
Photo by: Roger Carry
Johansen Stays Hot, Hits The Podium in GS Qualifier
January 06, 2018 | Skiing
After a big month of December in FIS races, CU junior carries over the momentum into the start of the NCAA season
BIG SKY, Mont. — The Colorado Buffalo alpine team opened up its 2018 season Saturday with the running of the giant slalom, one of two RMISA alpine qualifiers on the season, held at Big Sky Resort.
Junior Ola Johansen highlighted CU's opening day on the slopes with a second place finish in the men's race. It is the sixth podium finish in the giant slalom in his career and 10th overall on the NCAA circuit.
"First day of college racing this season and for me it was a very good start," Johansen said. "I got second in the GS, so I was very happy with this. Some of the teammates had a little rough start, but we are all good in training so I think it we will be good for the next day."
For Johansen, his racing backs up the quality month of December where in a six FIS races, he finished fourth or better in every single one with two victories and four podium finishes. The FIS races are not a part of the NCAA circuit.
THE WOMEN'S RACE: It was a real tight race on the women's side among the top seven. The top three in the race all finished within one one-hundredth of a second of each other while the top seven was separated by a total of just 0.79 of a second. Tonje Trulsrud, a 2016 first-team All-American in the event, led the Buffs in the giant slalom qualifier with her seventh place finish. She has now finished eighth or better in 13 of her 15 career races in the event.
"I could have had a better day, but it was still pretty okay so I should be happy about that," Trulsrud said. "I'm super happy about my teammate Ola who was on the podium. He's off to a good start and I hope our team effort can be better tomorrow, but I think we can do good this year."
Nora Christensen, who is a two-time All-American in the slalom, placed 14th in the giant slalom on Saturday and rounding out the Buffs was sophomore Andrea Arnold in 25th. Isabella Fidjeland competed, but did not finish the first of her two runs to qualify for a second.
THE MEN"S RACE: Johansen came out in his first run with a time of 1:04.27, the second fastest among the field, and then backed it up with a second run time of 1:08.54 that was the seventh fastest the second time down the hill. Being able to stack the strong second run on the back side of the flip allowed Johansen to find the podium.
Junior Max Luukko, who earned second-team All-America honors in the event last season, finished in 16th place with a two-run time of 2:15.24. Freshman Joey Young finished 26th in the first race of his career while sophomore Bobby Moyer did not start his second run after recording a time of 1:07.52 on his first time down the hill.
2017 NCAA slalom and giant slalom champion, David Ketterer, is back in Europe competing with the German National Team in World Cup events and will rejoin the Buffs for the New Mexico Invitational to open the month of February. Ketterer is on the start list (bib 33) for the men's slalom World Cup race being held in Adelboden, Switzerland Sunday.
NOTEWORTHY: Johansen has had a knack of opening up the season with a big result. As a freshman in 2016 at the Utah Invitational, he finished second in the slalom in his very first race and then won the giant slalom the very next day. In last season's opener, also the RMISA Qualifier at the Big Sky Resort, he won the giant slalom race that day. With Saturday's second place finish, he is now a perfect 3-for-3 on hitting the podium in his first race of the season.
WHAT IT MEANS: One of two alpine qualifiers on the year, the other being Feb. 22 in Steamboat Springs, these races are used only for NCAA qualification and no team scoring is kept.
NEXT UP: The Buffs stay in Big Sky, Mont. and will open the two alpine events of the Montana State Invitational on Sunday. The skiers will race giant slalom Sunday with the slalom event scheduled for Monday. The Nordic portion of the MSU Invite will take place on Jan. 13-14 at the Rendezvous Ski Trails in West Yellowstone.
"We are looking forward to the Montana (State) meet races and that is one that counts for the team, so we got to step it up even more there and hopefully get a win," Johansen said.
RESULTS
RMISA Alpine Qualifier
Big Sky, Mont. (Big Sky Resort)
Women's Giant Slalom (finishers):
1. Charley Field, UAA, 2:15.11; 2. Ann-Kathrin Breuning, Utah, 2:15.12; 3. Kari Hole, MSU, 2:15.13; 4. Katharine Irwin, UNM, 2:15.44; 5. Kristine Aasberg, DU, 2:15.59; 6. Benedicte Lyche, MSU, 2:15.75; 7. Tonje Trulsrud, CU, 2:15.90; 8. Tuva Norbye, DU, 2:16.48; 9. Amelia Smart, DU, 2:16.86; 10. Stephanie Gartner, MSU, 2:17.18. Other CU Finishers: 14. Nora Christensen, 2:18.97; 25. Andrea Arnold, 2:22.55; Isabella Fidjeland, DNF.
Men's Giant Slalom (finishers):
1. Garret Driller, MSU, 2:12.38; 2. Ola Johansen, CU, 2:12.81; 3. Jeffrey Bell, MSU, 2:13.15; 4. Addison Dvoracek, MSU, 2:13.19; 5. Tyler Theis, UNM, 2:13.45; 6. Nick Santaniello, DU, 2:13.48; 7. Samuel Dupratt, Utah, 2:13.49; 8. Morten Bakke, MSU, 2:13.60; 9. Patrick Carry, MSU, 2:13.77; 10. Tanner Farrow, DU, 2:14.29. Other CU Finishers: 16. Max Luukko, 2:15.24; 26. Joey Young, 2:17.87, Bobby Moyer, DNS2
Junior Ola Johansen highlighted CU's opening day on the slopes with a second place finish in the men's race. It is the sixth podium finish in the giant slalom in his career and 10th overall on the NCAA circuit.
"First day of college racing this season and for me it was a very good start," Johansen said. "I got second in the GS, so I was very happy with this. Some of the teammates had a little rough start, but we are all good in training so I think it we will be good for the next day."
For Johansen, his racing backs up the quality month of December where in a six FIS races, he finished fourth or better in every single one with two victories and four podium finishes. The FIS races are not a part of the NCAA circuit.
THE WOMEN'S RACE: It was a real tight race on the women's side among the top seven. The top three in the race all finished within one one-hundredth of a second of each other while the top seven was separated by a total of just 0.79 of a second. Tonje Trulsrud, a 2016 first-team All-American in the event, led the Buffs in the giant slalom qualifier with her seventh place finish. She has now finished eighth or better in 13 of her 15 career races in the event.
"I could have had a better day, but it was still pretty okay so I should be happy about that," Trulsrud said. "I'm super happy about my teammate Ola who was on the podium. He's off to a good start and I hope our team effort can be better tomorrow, but I think we can do good this year."
Nora Christensen, who is a two-time All-American in the slalom, placed 14th in the giant slalom on Saturday and rounding out the Buffs was sophomore Andrea Arnold in 25th. Isabella Fidjeland competed, but did not finish the first of her two runs to qualify for a second.
THE MEN"S RACE: Johansen came out in his first run with a time of 1:04.27, the second fastest among the field, and then backed it up with a second run time of 1:08.54 that was the seventh fastest the second time down the hill. Being able to stack the strong second run on the back side of the flip allowed Johansen to find the podium.
Junior Max Luukko, who earned second-team All-America honors in the event last season, finished in 16th place with a two-run time of 2:15.24. Freshman Joey Young finished 26th in the first race of his career while sophomore Bobby Moyer did not start his second run after recording a time of 1:07.52 on his first time down the hill.
2017 NCAA slalom and giant slalom champion, David Ketterer, is back in Europe competing with the German National Team in World Cup events and will rejoin the Buffs for the New Mexico Invitational to open the month of February. Ketterer is on the start list (bib 33) for the men's slalom World Cup race being held in Adelboden, Switzerland Sunday.
NOTEWORTHY: Johansen has had a knack of opening up the season with a big result. As a freshman in 2016 at the Utah Invitational, he finished second in the slalom in his very first race and then won the giant slalom the very next day. In last season's opener, also the RMISA Qualifier at the Big Sky Resort, he won the giant slalom race that day. With Saturday's second place finish, he is now a perfect 3-for-3 on hitting the podium in his first race of the season.
WHAT IT MEANS: One of two alpine qualifiers on the year, the other being Feb. 22 in Steamboat Springs, these races are used only for NCAA qualification and no team scoring is kept.
NEXT UP: The Buffs stay in Big Sky, Mont. and will open the two alpine events of the Montana State Invitational on Sunday. The skiers will race giant slalom Sunday with the slalom event scheduled for Monday. The Nordic portion of the MSU Invite will take place on Jan. 13-14 at the Rendezvous Ski Trails in West Yellowstone.
"We are looking forward to the Montana (State) meet races and that is one that counts for the team, so we got to step it up even more there and hopefully get a win," Johansen said.
RESULTS
RMISA Alpine Qualifier
Big Sky, Mont. (Big Sky Resort)
Women's Giant Slalom (finishers):
1. Charley Field, UAA, 2:15.11; 2. Ann-Kathrin Breuning, Utah, 2:15.12; 3. Kari Hole, MSU, 2:15.13; 4. Katharine Irwin, UNM, 2:15.44; 5. Kristine Aasberg, DU, 2:15.59; 6. Benedicte Lyche, MSU, 2:15.75; 7. Tonje Trulsrud, CU, 2:15.90; 8. Tuva Norbye, DU, 2:16.48; 9. Amelia Smart, DU, 2:16.86; 10. Stephanie Gartner, MSU, 2:17.18. Other CU Finishers: 14. Nora Christensen, 2:18.97; 25. Andrea Arnold, 2:22.55; Isabella Fidjeland, DNF.
Men's Giant Slalom (finishers):
1. Garret Driller, MSU, 2:12.38; 2. Ola Johansen, CU, 2:12.81; 3. Jeffrey Bell, MSU, 2:13.15; 4. Addison Dvoracek, MSU, 2:13.19; 5. Tyler Theis, UNM, 2:13.45; 6. Nick Santaniello, DU, 2:13.48; 7. Samuel Dupratt, Utah, 2:13.49; 8. Morten Bakke, MSU, 2:13.60; 9. Patrick Carry, MSU, 2:13.77; 10. Tanner Farrow, DU, 2:14.29. Other CU Finishers: 16. Max Luukko, 2:15.24; 26. Joey Young, 2:17.87, Bobby Moyer, DNS2
Players Mentioned
ALPINE
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ALPINE
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ALPINE
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ALPINE
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ALPINE
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ALPINE
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ALPINE
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ALPINE
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