Colorado University Athletics
Friday, February 13
Steamboat Springs, Colo.
All Day
Colorado
vs
20K Freestyle (M) at Howelsen Hill
Photo by: Ashton Scott
Ski Buffs Head To Steamboat For Conclusion Of Spencer James Nelson Memorial Invitational
February 11, 2026 | Skiing
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS – The Colorado swing continues this weekend as the Buffaloes head to Steamboat Springs for the Nordic portion of the Colorado Spencer James Nelson Memorial Invitational, held Friday and Saturday at historic Howelsen Hill.
This meet serves as the second half of the Colorado-hosted competitions, following last weekend's strong showing at the Denver Invitational in Frisco. Now, the focus shifts to longer championship-style distances that mirror what skiers will face at the NCAA Championships in March.
Race Schedule
•   Friday: 20K Freestyle (Mass Start) – 10 a.m.
•   Saturday: 7.5K Classic (Interval Start) – 9:30 a.m.
These will be the first races this season that match NCAA Championship disciplines and distances, making this weekend a meaningful benchmark as the postseason approaches.
Momentum on CU's Side
The Buffaloes arrive in Steamboat with real momentum. They closed out the DU meet with three individual victories and four runner-up finishes across the four Nordic races, securing the team win.
On the women's side, Tilde Baangman swept both races last weekend, while Astri Lunde finished second in both. That 1-2 punch has become a steady force for Colorado, and the women's squad should be at full strength entering the weekend.
For the men, Storm Pedersen went 1-2 in the two races, and Johannes Flaaten added a second-place finish of his own. The group will also get a boost with the return of Will Bentley, who rejoins the lineup after competing internationally.
The men remain short-handed overall, as Trey Jones continues to be out, while Jakob Moch and Hugo Hinckfuss are competing at the Winter Olympics. Even so, the group showed last weekend it can still deliver high-end results.
Team Standings & Bigger Picture
This meet continues the Colorado-hosted invitational that began in mid-January with alpine races in Loveland and Aspen. At the midpoint of the meet (after alpine), Colorado holds a narrow edge in the team standings:
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This meet serves as the second half of the Colorado-hosted competitions, following last weekend's strong showing at the Denver Invitational in Frisco. Now, the focus shifts to longer championship-style distances that mirror what skiers will face at the NCAA Championships in March.
Race Schedule
•   Friday: 20K Freestyle (Mass Start) – 10 a.m.
•   Saturday: 7.5K Classic (Interval Start) – 9:30 a.m.
These will be the first races this season that match NCAA Championship disciplines and distances, making this weekend a meaningful benchmark as the postseason approaches.
Momentum on CU's Side
The Buffaloes arrive in Steamboat with real momentum. They closed out the DU meet with three individual victories and four runner-up finishes across the four Nordic races, securing the team win.
On the women's side, Tilde Baangman swept both races last weekend, while Astri Lunde finished second in both. That 1-2 punch has become a steady force for Colorado, and the women's squad should be at full strength entering the weekend.
For the men, Storm Pedersen went 1-2 in the two races, and Johannes Flaaten added a second-place finish of his own. The group will also get a boost with the return of Will Bentley, who rejoins the lineup after competing internationally.
The men remain short-handed overall, as Trey Jones continues to be out, while Jakob Moch and Hugo Hinckfuss are competing at the Winter Olympics. Even so, the group showed last weekend it can still deliver high-end results.
Team Standings & Bigger Picture
This meet continues the Colorado-hosted invitational that began in mid-January with alpine races in Loveland and Aspen. At the midpoint of the meet (after alpine), Colorado holds a narrow edge in the team standings:
- Colorado – 356 points
- Denver – 347 points
- Utah – 300 points
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Players Mentioned
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