GIRDWOOD, Alaska – Denver Pioneers ski team freshman Sara Rask continued her dominant run on Wednesday by winning the women's giant slalom on the first day of the 2023 RMISA Championships at Alyeska Resort.
 
Rask earned her fourth consecutive victory in the giant slalom discipline and has now won six of her last seven races, reaching the podium on all seven. She has finished first or second in eight of her nine races this season.
 
The Stockholm, Sweden, native was fifth after the first run (48.98) but had the fastest second descent (51.80) to record a total time of 1:40.63.  Westminster College's Lana Zbasnik was nearly half a second behind the Pioneer to earn the silver medal (1:41.05) and Utah's Claire Timmermann rounded out the podium in third (1:41.27).
 
Denver's other two women's skiers also had strong second runs, as freshmen Mia Hunt and Josephine Trueblood bettered their placements from the morning session. Hunt moved from 19th to a 12th-place finish, while Trueblood posted a career-best result for the second consecutive day by coming in 17th after placing 25th following run 1.
 
Junior Nora Brand (run 1) and senior Galena Wardle (run 2) both DNFd.
 
Like the women, DU's Thomas Hoffman had great second run to finish in eighth place. The Australian was 24th following his first descent (48.93) but posted the fastest second run time (46.53) to clock in at 1:35.46.
 
Fellow Denver freshman Adrian Minde Hunshammer also recorded a solid second run by being fifth-fastest (47.39) and finishing 14th overall. Junior Trey Seymour was DU's third scorer in 18th, while senior Cole Puckett came in 21st and freshman Jack Bowers placed 24th. Sophomore Cooper Cornelius didn't finish the first run.
 
Leon Nikic won the men's giant slalom for host Alaska Anchorage in 1:34.59. Westminster's Jeremie Lagier was second and Colorado's Louis Fausa was third.
 
Westminster College leads the RMISA Championship standings after winning both team events (181), while Montana State is in second (144). Denver is just 46 points behind the Griffins in third place with 135 points and has a 12-point edge over fourth-place Utah (123).
 
UP NEXT: The alpine skiers continue their four straight days of racing on Thursday as they return to the Alaska Anchorage Invitational. They'll wrap up the UAA meet with slalom before resuming the RMISA Championship on Friday with the same discipline. The Nordic portion of the conference championships is set for Friday with the women's 5K and men's 10K freestyle before the 20K classic on Saturday.
 
 
DENVER WOMEN GIANT SLALOM INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
1. Sara Rask, 1:40.63 (48.98/51.65)
14. Mia Hunt, 1:44.31 (50.99/53.32)
17. Josephine Trueblood, 1:45.22 (51.38/53.84)
DNF: Nora Brand (Run 1), Galena Wardle (49.29/DNF Run 2)
 
DENVER MEN GIANT SLALOM INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
8. Thomas Hoffman, 1:35.46 (48.46/47.39)
14. Adrian Minde Hunshammer, 1:35.85 (48.46/47.39)
18. Trey Seymour, 1:36.48 (47.89/48.59)
21. Cole Puckett, 1:36.58 (48.48/48.20)
24. Jack Bowers, 1:36.84 (49.14/47.70)
DNF: Cooper Cornelius (Run 1)
 
TEAM STANDINGS (through 2-of-4 events): 1. Westminster 181; 2. Montana State 144; 3. Denver 135; 4. Utah 123; 5. Alaska Anchorage 114; 6. Colorado 79; 7. Nevada 71; 8. Colorado Mountain College 57.
 
WOMEN'S GIANT SLALOM TOP 10 (25 finishers): 1. Sara Rask, DU, 1:40.63; 2. Lana Zbasnik, WMC, 1:41.05; 3. Clair Timmermann, UU, 1:41.27; 4. Justine Lamontagne, MSU, 1:41.29; 5. Denise Dingsleder, WMC, 1:41.43; 6. Evelina Fredricsson, WMC, 1:41.80; 7. Kristiane Bekkestad, MSU, 1:42.19; 8. Giulia Tintorri, WMC, 1:42.44; 9. Hannah Saethereng, WMC, 1:43.16; 10. Gabriella Holm, MSU, 1:43.34. 
 
MEN'S GIANT SLALOM TOP 10 (40 finishers): 1. Leon Nikic, UAA, 1:34.59; 2. Jeremie Lagier, WMC, 1:34.99; 3. Louis Fausa, CU, 1:35.21; 4. Francisco Galdiolo, WMC, 1:35.22; 5. Wilhelm Normannseth, UU, 1:35.26; 6. Gianluca Boehm, MSU, 1:35.28; 7. Gustav Vollo, UU, 1:35.45; 8. Thomas Hoffman, DU, 1:35.46; 9. Bjorn Brudevoll, UU, 1:35.46; 10. Isak Staurset, MSU, 1:35.58. 


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