BOZEMAN, Mont. – The University of Denver ski team leads after the first day of RMISA Invitational following a strong performance by the women's alpine team in slalom on Thursday at Bridger Bowl Ski Area.
The Pioneers lead the meet after placing all three women's scorers in the top five and had another finisher in the top 10. DU registered a season-high 97 points in women's slalom and totaled 159 points overall on the day, nine ahead of second-place Montana State (150) and 10 ahead of Utah (149). Westminster is in fourth (137) and Colorado is fifth (103).
Senior
Katie Hensien was Denver's top finisher with a collegiate career-best finish in second place, while juniors
Eleri Smart and
Galena Wardle were fourth and fifth, respectively, and sophomore
Nora Brand came in eighth for her first career top 10. Wardle produced the second-fastest second run (53.17) to earn her first top five of her career, a result that came two days after a then-personal best in sixth in giant slalom at the same venue for the Montana State Invitational.
Hensien moved up one spot from her first to second runs, as she had the third-fastest mark in the morning session at 53.35 seconds to help her record her third career podium. Overall, she finished with a time of 1:47.25, 56-hundredths of a second behind winner Kristiane Bekkestad of Montana State (1:46.69), who held onto her lead following the first run. Utah's Madison Hoffman was also on the podium in third.
DU registered 62 points in men's slalom as
Tobias Kogler earned his second consecutive top-10 finish in seventh place, and
Cole Puckett (12th) and
Simon Fournier (18th) also scored with top-20 results. Competing in his 50th career race, Kogler recorded his 34th top 10.
Trey Seymour (22nd) and
Cooper Cornelius (23rd) climbed the leaderboard with strong second runs as they had the second and third-fastest times at 51.01 and 51.02 seconds, respectively.
Colorado won the men's team slalom with 85 points with all three of its scorers placing in the top 10. Franceso Gori won the men's individual race for Westminster College, while CU's Filip Forejtek (second) and Alaska Anchorage's Leon Nikic (third) were also on the podium.
UP NEXT: The ski teams now all head south to Utah, as the alpine portion of the RMISA Invitational concludes with giant slalom at Park City Mountain Resort on Sunday. The Pios will then begin the Utah Invitational on Monday at Park City with the GS followed by slalom on Tuesday
DENVER WOMEN INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
2.
Katie Hensien, 1:47.25 (53.35/53.90)
4.
Eleri Smart, 1:48.00 (53.86/54.14)
5.
Galena Wardle, 1:48.57 (55.40/53.17)
10.
Nora Brand, 1:48.95 (56.95/53.97)
DENVER MEN INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
10.
Tobias Kogler, 1:43.43 (51.42/52.01)
12.
Cole Puckett, 1:43.94 (51.99/51.95)
18.
Simon Fournier, 1:44.53 (52.41/52.12)
22.
Trey Seymour, 1:44.84 (53.83/51.01)
23.
Cooper Cornelius, 1:44.87 (53.85/51.02)
DNF:
Tristan Lane (52.69/DNF R2)
DNS:
Colby Lane
TEAM STANDINGS (through 2-of-8 events): 1. Denver 159; 2. Montana State 150; 3. Utah 149; 4. Westminster 137; 5. Colorado 103; 6. Colorado Mountain College 90; 7. Alaska Anchorage 75
WOMEN'S SLALOM TOP 10 (23 finishers): 1. Kristiane Bekkestad, MSU, 1:46.69;
2. Katie Hensien, DU, 1:47.25; 3. Madison Hoffman, UU, 1:47.60;
4. Eleri Smart, DU, 1:48.00; 5. Galena Wardle, DU, 1:48.57; 6. Eveline Fredricsson, WMC, 1:48.74; 7. Ainsley Proffitt, CMC, 1:48.88;
8. Nora Brand, DU, 1:48.95; 9. Hannah Saethereng, WMC, 1:49.06; 10. Katie Vesterstein, UU, 1:49.27
MEN'S SLALOM TOP 10 (37 finishers): 1. Francesco Gori, WMC, 1:42.00; 2. Filip Forejtek, CU, 1:42.18; 3. Leon Nikic, UAA, 1:42.58; 4. Wilhelm Normannseth, UU, 1:42.77; 5. Henry Heaydon, MSU, 1:43.16; 6. Louis Fausa, CU, 1:43.38;
7. Tobias Kogler, DU, 1:43.43; 8. Gustav Voello, UU, 1:43.64; 9. Dawson Yates, MSU, 1:43.66; 10. Jacob Dilling, CU, 1:43.77
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