CU Nearly Completes Historic Comeback, Finishes Second at RMISA Championships

Saturday, February 28

Midway, Utah

8:30 AM Women / 10 AM Men

Colorado

20K Freestyle (M) at Soldier Hollow

CU Nearly Completes Historic Comeback, Finishes Second at RMISA Championships

February 28, 2026 | Skiing

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Three Race Wins & Podium Sweep Power Buffs Comeback

By: Curtis Snyder, Associate AD/Athletic Communications

BOZEMAN, Mont. & MIDWAY, Utah — The Colorado Buffaloes Ski Team delivered one of its grittiest performances of the season Saturday, nearly erasing a 58-point deficit before ultimately finishing second at the RMISA Championships.

Colorado entered the day in third place, just four points behind Denver but 58 back of Utah. By the end of four dramatic races, the Buffs had shaved 40 points off the Utes' lead and surged well ahead of Denver, finishing with 651 points to Utah's 669. Denver was third with 560 points.

Behind three individual victories, three race wins and a podium sweep in the men's giant slalom, Colorado scored 365 points on the day — 40 more than Utah — in a pressure-packed, NCAA-style environment. Short-handed in both Nordic races and facing the kind of all-or-nothing scoring that defines the national championships, the Buffs got a taste of what the NCAAs will look at feel like, when teams only send less than half of their squad to compete for a championship.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The day began with a statement in the women's 20K freestyle. Tilde Baangman secured the victory, her fourth of the season, while Astri Lunde placed fifth and Selma Nevin finished 10th. Despite competing without Nina Schamberger, who was second in the event at the previous meet, the Buffs won the race with 90 points. Colorado jumped past Denver into second overall and cut 16 points off Utah's lead. After one race, Utah led with 418 points, Colorado had 376 and Denver 366.

In the men's 20K freestyle, Colorado competed without Jakob Moch and Storm Pedersen, who had finished second and fourth the day before. Johannes Flaaten led the way in fifth, Luka Riley skied to an impressive seventh and freshman William Bentley added a 12th-place finish. Utah countered with a 1-3 finish to stretch its margin. After two races, Utah led with 512 points, Colorado had 449 and Denver 442.

Alpine action began with dominance in the women's giant slalom. Louison Accambray posted the fastest time in both runs to win by six-tenths of a second. Cathinka Lunder tied for fourth and Paige DeHart placed 10th as Colorado claimed the team win, 91-81, over Utah. The Buffs pulled away from Denver but still trailed Utah 593-540 heading into the final race.

Then came the fireworks.

With the first three bibs in the men's giant slalom, Feb Allasina, Filip Wahlqvist and Justin Bigatel set the tone immediately, holding the top three spots after the first run — and never giving them back. Colorado swept the podium and scored a perfect 111 points. Utah answered with a fourth-place finish and a pair tied for eighth to total 76 points — just enough to hang on for the 18-point team victory.

UP NEXT

The season now turns to the NCAA Championships, set for March 11-14 in Utah, with alpine events at Utah Olympic Park in Park City and Nordic races at Soldier Hollow in Midway.

Teams are limited to three skiers per gender per discipline, a maximum of 12 competitors. Every skier scores at NCAAs, meaning every fall, mishap or breakthrough carries enormous weight. Colorado is expected to qualify a full team, with selections to be announced Wednesday in the NCAA's first-ever selection show.

TEAM NOTES

Colorado won three of four races on the day and outscored every team by 40 points (365-325 over Utah).
The Buffs won the women's 20K freestyle (90), women's giant slalom (91) and swept the men's giant slalom for a perfect 111 points.
Colorado scored the second-most total points in both Nordic and Alpine combined.
The Buffs won the women's alpine title (161 points), the overall women's title (328 points) and dominated the two GS races with 202 points — 45 more than any other team.
Colorado claimed four of the eight total race wins at the championships.
Three Buffs earned RMISA Individual Championships (race winners): Tilde Baangman, Louison Accambray and Feb Allasina.

WOMEN'S NORDIC NOTES

Tilde Baangman picked up her fourth win of the season and eighth of her career. In 11 completed races this year, she has finished in the top four every time with nine podiums and four wins. Across 20 career finishes at Colorado, she has been top 10 in all 20, with 18 top-five finishes and 14 podiums. She enters NCAAs as the No. 2 overall qualifier from the RMISA and the league's top freestyle seed.
Astri Lunde recorded her fifth top-five finish in eight races this season and has placed top eight in all eight starts. She owns four runner-up finishes and ended the regular season ranked No. 4 in the RMISA for NCAA qualification.
Selma Nevin secured her fifth top-10 finish of the year and has placed 17th or better in all 11 races this season.
Elena Grissom finished 13th in what may have been the final collegiate race of her career. She closed a stellar senior season with 11 top-18 finishes and now has 29 career top-20 finishes in 45 races.

MEN'S NORDIC NOTES

Johannes Flaaten finished fifth for his third top-five result of the season. He has placed top 13 in all eight races this year, with seven top-10 finishes, two podiums and one win. His strong freestyle result moved him into fifth in RMISA qualification standings.
Luka Riley placed seventh for his second straight RMISA top-10 finish and third top 10 of the season. He now has seven career top-10 finishes.
William Bentley finished 12th, the best freestyle result of his freshman season. He has seven top-20 finishes in eight completed races.

WOMEN'S ALPINE NOTES

Louison Accambray captured her sixth win of the season and ninth of her career, including her fifth GS victory in seven races. She set a new Colorado alpine record with her 13th podium of the season, breaking a 20-year-old mark set by Lucie Zikova. She now owns 18 career podiums and 11 in GS over the past two seasons. She had already locked up the top GS qualification spot out of the RMISA.
Cathinka Lunder matched her season-best finish with a tie for fourth, earning her sixth top-10 and third top-five finish of the season.
Paige DeHart finished 10th, her eighth top-10 result in 11 completed races and third straight top 10 to close the regular season.
Hannah Soria placed 22nd and has finished 22nd or better in all eight races she completed this year.

MEN'S ALPINE NOTES

Feb Allasina won his second career race and claimed victory in the final two GS races of the season, rebounding from two slalom DNFs. He has finished 11 of 14 races, all inside the top eight, with eight top-five finishes, five podiums and two wins in a stellar rookie campaign.
Filip Wahlqvist finished second for the third straight race and earned his fifth consecutive podium. After three early-season slalom DNFs, he has finished his last eight races all inside the top five, with two wins and seven podiums.
Justin Bigatel secured his third podium of the season and fifth of his career. He has nine top-10 finishes this year, all in GS, including seven top fives.
Christoffer Oestroem finished 21st and has four top-10 finishes this season.

Final Team Standings: 1. Utah 669; 2. Colorado 651; 3. Denver 560; 4. Montana State 526; 5. Alaska Anchorage 348; 6. Alaska Fairbanks 245; 7. Nevada 229; 8. Westminster 186; 9. Colorado Mountain 113.

Women's 20K Freestyle: 1. Tilde Baangman (CU) 52:36.3; 2. Rosie Fordham (UAF) 52:36.7; 3. Sofia Pedersen (UU) 54:01.2; 4. Eve-Ondine Duchaufour (DU) 54:01.3; 5. Astri Lunde (CU) 54:02.2; 6. Katey Houser (MSU) 54:05.1; 7. Witta Walcher (UU) 54:05.2; 8. Maja Moland (DU) 54:06.6; 9. Synne Bollingmo (DU) 54:06.7; 10. Selma Nevin (CU) 54:30.9.
Other CU: 13. Elena Grissom 56:45.7.

Men's 20K Freestyle: 1. Mons Melbye (UU) 48:58.1; 2. Simon Chappaz (MSU) 48:58.9; 3. Zachary Jayne (UU) 49:13.2; 4. Eemil Juntunen (DU) 49:13.8; 5. Johannes Flaaten (CU) 49:21.7; 6. Philipp Moosmayer (UAF) 49:24.8; 7. Luka Riley (CU) 49:25.7; 8. Sondre Oestervold (DU) 49:26.5; 9. Yannick Zellweger (DU) 49:31.7; 10. Blake Hanley (UAF) 49:40.0.
Other CU: 12. William Bentley 50:27.5.

Women's Giant Slalom: 1. Louison Accambray (CU) 1:35.51; 2. Justine LaMontagne (MSU) 1:36.13; 3. Melanie Dahlberg (UU) 1:36.64; 4. Kaila LaFreniere (UU) 1:36.75; 4. Cathinka Lunder (CU) 1:36.75; 6. Cecilia Pizzinato (DU) 1:36.90; 7. Guro Hestad Vognild (WU) 1:37.02; 8. Sophia Falter (NEV) 1:37.29; 9. Lily Sewell (MSU) 1:37.32; 10. Paige DeHart (CU) 1:37.36.
Other CU: 22. Hannah Soria 1:39.27.

Men's Giant Slalom: 1. Feb Allasina (CU) 1:34.76; 2. Filip Wahlqvist (CU) 1:35.16; 3. Justin Bigatel (CU) 1:35.24; 4. Johs Herland (UU) 1:35.66; 5. Pietro Bisello (NEV) 1:35.81; 6. Loic Spiegelberg (MSU) 1:35.94; 7. Will Steed (MSU) 1:35.98; 8. Pierick Charest (UU) 1:36.06; 8. Sindre Myklebust (UU) 1:36.06; 10. Adrian Hunshammer (DU) 1:36.17.
Other CU: 21. Christoffer Oestroem 1:36.73.