ALBERTA, Canada – The University of Denver Pioneers had a big week at the Nor-Am's in Nakiska Alberta, Canada. The full series encompassed an alpine combined, a super-G, giant slalom, and two slalom races for both the men and the women.  After a long week of racing, the Pioneers showed plenty of promise. From the freshman to the seniors, there were breakthrough results across the board that signal a great season ahead.
 
Storm Klomhaus started the week off in a positive manner for the women's team, finishing third in the super-G, and then clawing her way forward to overcome U.S. Ski Team alumni, Tricia Mangan, and take second in the alpine combined. Klomhaus is now ranked second in the alpine combined in the Nor-Am standings. If she can hold her position throughout the season, she has the opportunity to earn a World Cup spot by taking one of the top two finishers in the discipline.
 
The women ended the weekend on Friday with a Denver podium sweep, led by sophomore Katie Hensien at the top. Amelia Smart finished second, 0.07 seconds off of Hensien's pace. Andrea Komsic earned yet another third-place podium, 0.28 seconds off of the winning pace. 
 
Komsic kept a consistent podium streak going throughout the week, earning a third-place finish in the giant slalom and second place in other the slalom. Komsic's performances now have her ranked third in the Nor-Am giant slalom standings, and second in the slalom overall standings.
 
"It was a quick and successful trip for me," said Komsic. "Three races, three podiums. I would definitely sign up for that if someone asked me to have this before those races."
 
Komsic said that her giant slalom podium came as a bit of a surprise, having never podiumed in that discipline before in a Nor-Am competition. The hill provided some challenges, which made her podium finish all the more satisfying. 
 
Hensien had fallen just short of the podium on multiple occasions this week, having earned a fifth place in the giant slalom and a fourth place in the first slalom race on Thursday. Friday, the sophomore made up the two-hundredths time difference between her and her teammate, Amelia Smart, and won the second slalom by 0.07 seconds, putting down the kind of skiing that has earned her spot on the U.S. Ski Team for multiple seasons now.
 
Smart, who had won the slalom the day prior, of course, wanted the win but was happy to share the podium with her teammates so early on in the season. The Canadian National team member has struggled at the beginning of the season but seems to have finally found her stride, and hopes to translate some of the skiing she saw in the Nor-Am's into her next World Cup and Collegiate opportunities.
 
"Yesterday's and today's race were good," said Smart. "I had some good, solid runs and it was fun to be back racing with my DU squad and amazing to share the podium with Katie and Andrea today!"

"Today was the cherry on top with all three DU girls sweeping the podium," added Komsic. "With lots of falling snow we had the entire day, it's nice to finish strong and in these tough conditions and sweep a podium. Also, since we had both guys and girls at the same place, hats off to the coaches being there the entire day and freezing on the hill."
 
On the men's side, freshman Cole Puckett had a breakthrough performance, earning the first Nor-Am points of his career in the in slalom, finishing 23^rd from a starting bib of 88.
 
Jett Seymour kept his sixth place streak going in Nakiska, earning sixth on the first day of slalom racing and then tying for sixth with the U.S. Ski Team's Jimmy Krupka on the second day of the slalom. Seymour also laid down a solid finish in the giant slalom, breaking into the top-20 despite having some difficulty on both runs.
 
Simon Fournier ended the week strong with a fourth-place finish in the slalom, 1.24 seconds back from the U.S. Ski Team's Benjamin Ritchie. He also finished 14^th in the giant slalom.
 
Tristan Lane saw some improvement from the week prior in Lake Louise, breaking into the top 10 as the 10th place finisher in the super-G and hanging on to a top-15 in the alpine combined. 
 
Head Coach Andy LeRoy said this Nor-Am series always signals the end of our fall preparation, and finishing this week with a podium sweep was fun to see.
 
"A lot of time and effort goes into this period for our team.  To see every athlete, from our seniors to our freshman, have such great results while balancing a team GPA above honor roll standards from this fall was very encouraging," said LeRoy. "It tells me we are doing things right here at Denver, and we just need to continue focusing on what's important.
 
December 16th, Super-G and Alpine Combined
Women's Alpine Combined 

1. Keely Cashman (USA): 1:39.66
2. Storm Klomhaus (USA): +0.22
3. Patricia Mangan (USA) +0.81
4. Stefanie Fleckenstein (CAN): +1.08
5. Isabella Wright (USA): 1.38
6. Claire Timmermann (CAN): +1.46
7. Kiara Alexander (CAN): +1.83
8. Cassidy Gray (CAN): +2.13
9. Lila Lapanja (USA): +2.62
10. Beatrix Lever (CAN): +3.16

 
Women's Super-G

1. Isabella Wright (USA): 1:02.12
2. Patricia Mangan (USA): +0.29
3. Storm Klomhaus (USA): +0.51
4. Keely Cashman (USA): +0.69
5. Alix Wilkinson (USA): +0.81
6. Claire Timmermann (CAN): +1.19
7. Stefanie Fleckenstein (CAN): +1.38
8. Cassidy Gray (CAN): +1.49
9. Beatrix Lever (CAN): +1.65
10. Olivia Holm (USA): +1.67

 
Men's Alpine Combined
Top 5 Men:

1. Jeff Read (CAN): 1:36.67
2. Bridger Gile (USA): +1.01
3. Louis Muhlen-Schulte (AUS): +1.56
4. Kyle Negomir (USA): +1.68
5. Marcus Monsen (NOR): +1.79

15. Tristan Lane (14th) +2.92
 
Men's Super-G

1. Jeffrey Read (CAN): 59.16
2. Kyle Negomir (USA): +0.29
3. Riley Seger (CAN): +0.94
4. Bridger Gile (USA): +0.97
5. Albert Ortega (ESP): +1.19
6. Jimmy Krupka (USA): +1.42
7. Marcus Monsen (NOR): +1.63
8. Sam Mulligan (CAN): +1.67
9. Jamie Casselman (CAN): +1.74
10. Tristan Lane (USA): +1.92

 
December 17th Giant Slalom
Women's Giant Slalom 2 (GS1 was canceled)

1. Foreste Peterson (USA): 1:53.49
2. Keely Cashman (USA): +0.23
3. Andrea Komsic (USA): +0.51
4. Madison Hoffman (AUS): 0.55
5. Katie Hensien (USA) +1.19
6. Mikaela Tommy (CAN): +1.76
7. Isabella Wright (USA): +2.71
8. Brianna Macdonald (CAN): +2.83
9. Jade Bonneville (CAN): +2.91
10. Galena Wardle (USA): +2.96

20. Amelia Smart (CAN): +5.13
           
Storm Klomhaus (DNF 2nd) - had been in second after 1st run
 
December 18th Giant Slalom
Men's Giant Slalom 2 (GS1 was canceled)

1. Maarten Meiners (NED): 1:49.98
2. Stefano Baruffaldi (ITA): +0.66
3. Tanguy Nef (SUI): +0.81
4. Marcus Monsen (NOR): +0.83
5. Asher Jordan (CAN): ).84

14. Simon Fournier (CAN): +1.33
19. Jett Seymour (USA): +1.42
 
            Nick Santaniello (DNF 2nd)
            Cole Puckett (DNF 1st)
            Tristan Lane (DNF 1st)
 
December 19th Top Ten's
Men's Slalom 1: 

1. Jeffrey Read (CAN): 1:34.28
2. Sandy Vietze (USA): +0.20
3. Alex Leever (USA): +0.36
4. Ben Ritchie (USA): +0.83
5. Kyle Negomir (USA): +0.99
6. Jett Seymour (USA): +1.17
7. Garret Driller (USA): +1.26
8. Asher Jordan (CAN): +1.34
9. Sam Mulligan (USA): +1.35
10. Erik Arvidsson (USA): +1.67

23. Cole Puckett (USA): +4.96
25. Simon Fournier (CAN): +5.59
 
Women's Slalom 1:

1. Amelia Smart (CAN): 1:40.60
2. Andrea Komsic (CRO) +0.41
3. Lila Lapanja (USA): +1.27
4. Katie Hensien (USA): +1.35
5. Keely Cashman (USA): +1.48
6. Resi Stiegler (USA): +1.83
7. Foreste Peterson (USA): +2.33
8. Stefanie Fleckenstein (CAN): +2.55
9. Patricia Mangan (USA): +3.10
10. Stephanie Currie (USA): +3.13

13. Storm Klomhaus (USA): +3.44
 
December 20th Top Ten's
Women's Slalom 2:

1. Katie Hensien (USA): 1:40.76
2. Amelia Smart (CAN): +0.07
3. Andrea Komsic (CRO):+0.28
4. Keely Cashman (USA): +0.30
5. Lila Lapanja (USA): +0.44
6. Madison Hoffman (AUS): +0.58
7. Foreste Peterson (USA): +1.14
8. Allie Resnick (USA): +1.24
9. Justine Clement (CAN): +1.27
10. Resi Stiegler (USA): +1.37

 
Men's Slalom 2:
1. Ben Ritchie (USA): 1:43.76
2. Jeffrey Read (CAN): +0.41
3. Asher Jordan (CAN): +1.10
4. Simon Fournier (CAN): +1.24
5. Bridger Gile (USA): +1.40
6. Jimmy Krupka (USA): +1.44
6. Jett Seymour (USA): +1.44
8. Sam Mulligan (CAN): +1.65
9. Kyle Negomir (USA): +1.67
10. Declan McCormack (CAN): +2.18
 
Nick Santaniello and Tobias Kogler did not finish their second run.
 
Overall Highlights from the Nakiska, Canda Nor-Am Series
 
Women

• The last day of slalom ended with a 1-2-3- sweep from the Pioneer women. Katie Hensien took first place overall, followed closely by her teammates Amelia Smart and Andrea Komsic.
• Hensien finished in the top 10 in each race she started in. She placed 4th in first slalom race, and fifth in the giant slalom.
• Komsic earned a podium in each race she started in, taking third in a slalom and the giant slalom, and second on the first day of slalom racing.
• Smart earned both a win and a podium in her specialty, the slalom.
• Storm Klomhaus earned a second-place finish in the alpine combined, moving up a spot after finishing third in the super-G.

 
Men

• Jett Seymour had two top 10 finishes over the course of the week, both sixth-place finishes in his specialty, the slalom. Seymour also scored some points in the giant slalom, finishing 19th.
• Tristan Lane saw some improvement from his Lake Louise results in Nakiska, finishing 10th in the super-G and 15th in the alpine combined. 
• Simon Fournier struggled a bit in his first slalom, finish 25th after saving a big mistake. He turned it around on day two of the slalom, finishing fourth overall. He had a 14th place finish in giant slalom as well.
• Freshman Cole Puckett broke into the top 30 in the slalom, finishing 23rd.

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