COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. -- After a difficult first day during the men's Nor-Am season opener, the Pioneers were able to put two runs together to come out strong in the second day of the slalom series at Ikon Pass' Copper Mountain.
 
Senior Jett Seymour made his first appearance in the top-10 this season, jumping from the ninth position after the first run into sixth overall. Seymour started in bib 21, which put him at a slight disadvantage given the weather and snow flurries that were piling up in Copper. The 2019 NCAA National Champion found the will to put his results from the day prior behind him, and combine two solid runs to earn his first points of the season.
 
"It's obvious that he's skiing at a much different level than he was before," said head coach Andy LeRoy. "He will be a contender in any of the races he steps into."
 
Seymour, once a U.S. National Team member, is on the hunt for some Nor-Am wins as he looks to earn a spot competing in the slalom at the World Cup level.
 
Sophomore Tristian Lane and freshman Cole Puckett were also able to find some speed during the difficult slalom set. Both athletes started towards the back of the pack, Lane in bib 55, and Puckett in bib 61. After the first run, Lane jumped forward to the edge of the top-30 and then jumped again after laying down a solid second run, ending the day in 28th overall, scoring the first Nor-Am slalom points of his career.
 
Puckett pulled a similar feat, barely missing the top-30 at the end of the day, finishing 34th overall. 
 
Given the variable course conditions and the steep and demanding set on a new venue, it was overall a solid day for the Denver men. In total, 40 men were unable to finish on the course set on the 22nd, eliminating over half the field and further highlighting the difficulty of Copper's new venue.
 
"Overall, I thought our team performed rather well," LeRoy added. "We were taking our final exams for the fall quarter this week. It was a challenge for both the men and women to juggle that, and return to campus to take tests after the races, but given that they had so much more on their plate than just skiing, I'm satisfied with our performance."
 
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, all indicators show that there is nowhere to go but up for the men and women at the University of Denver.
 
Nor-Ams, formally known as the North American Cup, are races contested in North America and Canada that provide top-level athletes with an opportunity to seize a World Cup starting spot based on performance. The top two athletes in each discipline qualify for a World Cup spot in said discipline. The winner of the Nor-Am overall earns a starting position in the four main events contested on the Nor-Am circuit at the World Cup level (slalom, giant slalom, super-G, and downhill).
 
Currently, Seymour sits 13th in the overall Nor-Am standings, as well as 13th in the slalom standings. The next Nor-Am race that will be contested for the men and women competing on the Nor-Am circuit will take place at Lake Louise in Canada from December 9-13th in downhill and super-G.
 
November 22nd Slalom Top Ten

1. Asher Jordan (CAN): 1:42.59
2. Stefan Luitz (GER): +0.88
3. Sandy Vietze (USA, Redneck Racing): +0.92
4. Bjoern Brudevoll (NOR): +0.93
5. Alexander Schmid (GER): +1.14
6. Jett Seymour (USA, University of Denver): +1.24
7. Garret Driller (USA, Team America): +1.40
8. Kyle Negomir (USA, USSS): +1.87
9. River Radamus (USA, USSS): +2.21
10. Tucker Marshall (USA, Redneck Racing): +2.45

28. Tristian Lane (USA, University of Denver): +7.38
34. Cole Puckett (USA, University of Denver): +9.90
 
Overall Highlights from the Copper Mountain Nor-Am Series
 
Women

• 3rd place podium finish and 4th place finish for Senior Andrea Komsic
• Komsic sits in 4th in the overall NorAm standings, as well as the NorAm slalom standings
• Senior Storm Klomhaus achieves two top 10 finishes, 7th both days of the slalom
• Klomhaus sits in 6th in the overall NorAm standings, as well as the slalom standings.

Men

• First top ten finish of the season for Senior Jett Seymour in 6th
• Seymour currently sits in 13th in the NorAm overall and slalom standings.

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