Luczak Podium Highlights GS Qualifier At Steamboat

Thursday, February 1

Steamboat Springs, Colo.

M-8:30 AM / W-12:45 PM

Colorado

Giant Slalom

Photo by: Matan Coll, CU Athletics

February 01, 2024 | Skiing

Results

By: Curtis Snyder, Associate AD/Athletic Communications

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. – Magdalena Luczak finished second in her first collegiate giant slalom since winning the 2022 NCAA Championship, highlighting a solid day of racing for the Colorado Buffaloes here Thursday in an RMISA Qualifier race ahead of the CU Spencer James Nelson Memorial Invitational.

Luczak, who took a year off skiing college after winning the individual GS title as a freshman, hit the college slopes for the first time this season after skiing World Cup races in Europe much of the last few months. She, in fact, skied in the most recent World Cup race in Kronplatz, Italy, on Tuesday before flying to Colorado Wednesday and competing in Thursday's race.

Currently the 39th ranked GS skier in the world, she had the second fastest time in both the first and second run to pick up valuable NCAA Qualification points. Emma Hammergaard joined her in the top 10 of the women's race in eighth place while Denise Dingsleder and Julia Toiviainen both tied for 13th and Caroline Jones finished 20th.

On the men's side, Louis Fausa earned a fifth place finish, important for his NCAA qualification rankings, and Etienne Mazellier finished 10th for the Buffaloes. Filip Wahlqvist finished 12th but was fourth after a solid first run and Jack Reich finished 23rd.

The races do not count toward any team score and serve as one of two extra qualifying races for NCAA Championships throughout the season.

UP NEXT: Action continues Friday in Steamboat as the Spencer James Nelson Memorial gets underway with both alpine and Nordic teams in action. Alpine teams will have another GS race at Mt. Werner while the Nordic teams will have a 7.5K freestyle race at Howelsen Hill. The alpine races will start at 8:30 a.m. with the men's first run and the women's first run will be at 12:30 p.m. The Nordic action will get underway with the men's race at 10 a.m. and the women's race at 11 a.m.

WHAT IT MEANS: Thursday's races were a good step forward for several Buffs looking to qualify or improve qualification for the NCAA Championships, which takes into account your top two finishes for each discipline. Luczak and Hammergaard each got their first finish and Ashley Campbell got her second on the women's side. For the men, Fausa and Mazellier each got their second finish to move up the lists. The key now is to improve those positions and Friday's GS race will be the last time to do so before the end of February when teams head to Bozeman for RMISA Championships.

MEN'S ALPINE NOTES

Louis Fausa picked up his ninth career top five finish in 42 starts and 29 finishes, including his sixth in GS action. It's also his 13th top 10 in 15 GS finishes in his career.
Etienne Mazellier picked up his first collegiate top 10 in 10th place, having previously finished 13th in the Utah GS and 16th in the Westminster slalom race to start his career in Utah earlier this season.

WOMEN'S ALPINE NOTES

Luczak started just her sixth college race and she has finished all six, picking up her second podium appearance. She has finished in the top five of all three of her career GS starts.
Emma Hammergaard picked up her 25th career top 10 finish, having finished 42 of 57 career races. Of her 21 career GS finishes, she has 13 top 10 performances.
Julia Toiviainen picked up her 40th career top 20 finish in 40 career races finished out of 44 races started. She has 20 top 20s in GS races.
Caroline Jones picked up her 30th career top 20 finish in 38 career races finished, and her 12th in 20 GS races.
Denise Dingsleder picked up her 30th career top 20 finishes, having finished 32 of 42 career races on the college circuit. She has finished in the top 20 in all GS races she's finished.

MEN'S GIANT SLALOM (44 Collegiate Finishers): 1. Mikkel Solbakken, UU, 1:48.88; 2. Loic Chable, WMC, 1:49.18; 3. Leon Nikic, 1:49.21; 4. Trey Seymour, 1:49.25; 5. Louis Fausa, 1:49.32. Other CU Finishers: 10. Etienne Mazellier, 1:49.93; 12. Filip Wahlqvist, 1:50.26; 23. Jack Reich, 1:51.35; 30. Jacob Dilling, 1:52.88; 31. Chase Seymour, 1:53.46.

WOMEN'S GIANT SLALOM (33 Collegiate Finishers): 1. Madison Hoffman, UU, 1:57.42; 2. Magdalena Luczak, CU, 1:57.67; 3. Hannah Saethereng, WMC, 1:58.92; 4. Kaja Norbye, UU, 1:58.94; 5. Sara Rask, DU, 1:59.01. Other CU Finishers: 8. Emma Hammergaard, 2:00.09; 13. Denise Dingsleder & Julia Toiviainen, 2:00.79; 20. Caroline Jones, 2:01.16; 24. Ashley Campbell, 2:01.68; 25. Elena Exenberger, 2:02.57. Did Not Finish Second Run: Cleo Braun.