ELDORA, Colo. -- Tobias Kogler and Andrea Komsic continued their impressive skiing early in the season, but it was Storm Klomhaus that was Wednesday's big story, finishing her first race in three years as the University of Denver ski team skied to fourth place after the first day of action in the Colorado Invitational Wednesday at Ikon Pass' Eldora Mountain Resort.  

Kogler and Komsic both led the Pioneers in Aspen at the DU Invitational and both had impressive performances, but it was Klomhaus who not only had her first finish since 2017, but her fifth-place finish was her second career top-five finish and second-best finish of her career. The last time she raced was at the 2017 RMISA Championships, where she finished third in the GS race as her other top-five finish.

Boosted by having the fastest first run in the field, Kogler recorded his 17th career top-five finish, something he's accomplished all four races this season. Komsic finished sixth, her third top-six finish of the season and dating back to early 2019, of the races she's finished she has 14 consecutive top 10 finishes and 33 in her career.  

In the women's race, DU was the only team in which all skiers finished the race with Eleri Smart taking 15th and Reece Bell 18th. Of the seven RMISA teams in attendance, five of the other teams had multiple skiers not hit the finish line. In all, 34 collegiate women started the race and only 23 finished.  
On the men's side, freshman Colby Lane finished 15th and Nick Santaniello finished for the first time this season, placing 18th. The Pioneers were hit with a little bad luck in that race as both Cole Puckett and Tristan Lane didn't finish their first runs. 

The Pioneers continue to be without two highly ranked skiers in each discipline with Simon Fournier and Jett Seymour on the men's side and Katie Hensien and Amelia Smart on the women's side competing overseas in World Cup and Europa Cup races.  

DU sits in fourth place in the meet with 130.5 points but are just 34.5 points behind Colorado (165), which leads the meet. Both Utah (153) and Montana State (146.5) are both within easy striking distance as just two of eight races are complete in the meet.  

There are two more days of alpine racing at Eldora, both slalom races. Thursday's race will conclude the CU Invitational on the alpine side and Friday will be a RMISA Qualifier. The Nordic teams then get their season underway Saturday and Sunday in Steamboat Springs to conclude the CU meet. 

SHOP PIONEERS:
Get dressed for Game Day! Get your Pioneers gear at ShopPioneers.com, the official online store of University of Denver Athletics.
 
PIONEER MOVEMENT: 
Fans interested in making a donation to the ski program can do so by clicking here. Your contribution will make a direct impact on the success of YOUR Pioneers. Thank you in advance for your unwavering support of our student-athletes and their quest for excellence.