Wahlqvist, Dingsleder Lead Buffs In Westminster GS

Friday, January 19

Park City, Utah

M-9:15 AM/W-10:30 AM

Colorado

Giant Slalom

January 19, 2024 | Skiing

Results

By: Curtis Snyder, Associate AD/Athletic Communications

PARK CITY, Utah – The Colorado Buffaloes Ski Team had strong performances from Filip Wahlqvist and Denise Dingsleder, using a total of five top 10 performances to end the Westminster Invitational on a strong note, finishing fourth in the closest top five team scores in an RMISA meet under the current scoring system.

Just 58 points separated first through fifth places, the closest RMISA meet in 15 years, and the Buffs did pass Alaska Anchorage on the final day of racing while the top five dramatically tightened. Utah won the invitational with 579 points followed by Denver (557), Montana State (536), the Buffs (525) and Seawolves (511). Further, if you added the top alpine only team (Westminster, 254 points) and top Nordic only team (Alaska Fairbanks, 260), they would put a sixth team in that range with 514 combined points.

The men began the day and Wahlqvist again had an astonishing day, moving up from a starting position of 33rd to finish on the podium in third place. He moved all the way from 33rd to 11th after the first run and then had the seventh-fastest second run to move up eight more spots. He picked up his third podium appearance in as many races to continue the hot start to his collegiate career.

As a team, the Buffs definitely had the best moving day of any team in the field, as Ryder Sarchett started in 36th, moved up to 18th after the first run and then had the third-fastest second run to move into the top 10 in seventh place. Similarly, Jack Reich started 26th, moved up to 15th and had the fourth-fastest second run to come in just behind Sarchett in eighth.

On the women's side, the Buffs had five skiers with a top six run time in either the first or second run, again showing the team's depth. Denise Dingsleder was able to take advantage of her starting position of third and maintained that position on the first run, then had the 10th fastest second run to finish in fifth place. Julia Toiviainen had the sixth-fastest first run and then slipped one spot to seventh in the final standings. Emma Hammergaard had the fifth-fastest first run but was unable to finish her second run.

Ashley Campbell and Caroline Jones had similar results to the men's team, as Campbell started the race in 39th, moved up to 23rd and then on the strength of the second-fastest second run, ended up in 15th position while Jones started 37th, sat in 26th after the first run and then had the third-fastest second run to move up to 18th.

UP NEXT: The final day of the Utah alpine series will take place Saturday with the second set of giant slalom races, this time closing out the Utah Invitational. Teams will then have just over two weeks off before CU's Spencer James Nelson Memorial Invitational takes place in Steamboat Springs Feb. 1-3 with both alpine and Nordic teams in action.

WHAT IT MEANS: The Buffs alpine depth is showing, and despite the fourth place finish in the meet, what the newcomers are accomplishing will set them up for better staring positions the remainder of the season as each skier competes to put their best NCAA Qualification points on the books. Wahlqvist, Sarchett, Reich, Campbell and Jones each had solid races even if they hadn't had lower staring positions, but factoring that in, their performances are the much more impressive. To win a national championship, the goals can't be short sighted early in the season, and the Buffs are accomplishing the necessary steps now to be in position come March.

TEAM STANDINGS (Final): 1. Utah 579; 2. Denver 557; 3. Montana State 536; 4. Colorado 525; 5. Alaska Anchorage 511; 6. Alaska Fairbanks 260; 7. Westminster 254; 8. Wyoming 134; 9. Colorado Mountain 108; 10. Nevada 101.

MEN'S GIANT SLALOM (34 Collegiate Finishers): 1. Gianluca Boehm, MSU, 2:10.59; 2. Leon Nikic, UAA, 2:11.69; 3. Filip Wahlqvist, 2:11.91; 4. Isak Staurset, MSU, 2:11.95; 5. Jeremie Lagier, WMC, 2:12.02. Other CU Finishers: 7. Ryder Sarchett, 2:12.32; 8. Jack Reich, 2:12.40. Did Not Finish First Run: Louis Fausa. Did Not Finish Second Run: Etienne Mazellier, Chase Seymour.

WOMEN'S GIANT SLALOM (27 Collegiate Finishers): 1. Hannah Sethereng, WMC, 2:16.97; 2. Liv Moritz, DU, 2:17.17; 3. Evelina Fredricsson, WMC, 2:17.41; 4. Justine Lamontagne, MSU, 2:17.55; 5. Denise Dingsleder, CU, 2:17.57. Other CU Finishers: 7. Julia Toiviainen, 2:18.35; 15. Ashley Campbell, 2:19.71; 18. Caroline Jones, 2:21.13; 25. Elena Exenberger, 2:23.21. Did Not Finish Second Run: Emma Hammergaard.