DENVER – The Denver Pioneers ski team is set for five days of collegiate competition this week in Colorado, including the return of the full DU Invitational at Maloit Park in Minturn and Loveland Ski Area.
 
After being an alpine-only meet last season, the three-day Denver Invitational begins on Friday with Nordic events at Maloit Park in the Vail Valley. The men's and women's 5K freestyle interval start begins the competition before the 10K mass start classic events on Saturday morning.
 
Friday's freestyle races begin at 10 a.m. MT, while Saturday's start time is set for 9 a.m. MT.
 
The alpine portion of the DU Invite is Saturday and Sunday at Loveland Ski Area with slalom races both days. The competition will be held on the Loveland Valley side, and there will be a walking path for spectators to watch the race.
 
The alpiners will head to Loveland after taking part in giant slalom races on Thursday and Friday at Eldora Mountain Resort in Nederland, Colorado, to conclude the Colorado Invitational.
 
Denver is currently in third place following the Nordic events at the CU Invite over the weekend. The Pioneers (276) are well within striking distance for the meet victory, as they boost a strong alpine squad and trail leader Colorado (360) by only 84 points.
 
Prior to the continuation of the Invitational, the men will take part in a RMISA Alpine Qualifier giant slalom race on Wednesday at Eldora. This event was added to the schedule over the weekend to accommodate the cancellation of most of the alpine races at the Montana State Invite last week due to weather and snow conditions.
 
The women were able to do one run at MSU, which does count as an official college race, but the men were unable to start their race. More details about the rescheduling of alpine events can be found here.
 
The Colorado Invitational will serve as the first full meet of the season (both alpine and Nordic), and the first alpine events for both the men and women since the alpine-only Westminster Invitational on Jan. 26-27 in Snowbird, Utah. DU finished second at Snowbird.
 
All of these races are free to attend, and the general public is invited to come out to cheer on the Pioneers and the rest of the collegiate skiers.
 
After this week, the Pioneers turn their attention to Alaska for the Alaska Anchorage Invitational and RMISA Championships from Feb. 20-25. The NCAA Championships are set for March 8-11 in Lake Placid, New York.
 
Below is the schedule of this week's events.
 
Wednesday, Feb. 8
RMISA Alpine Qualifier (Eldora Mountain Resort, Colo.)
8:30 a.m. - Men's Alpine Giant Slalom
 
Thursday, Feb. 9
Colorado Invitational (Eldora Mountain Resort, Colo.)
9:00 a.m. – Women's Alpine Giant Slalom
10:00 a.m. – Men's Alpine Giant Slalom
 
Friday, Feb. 10
Colorado Invitational (Eldora Mountain Resort, Colo.)
9:00 a.m. – Women's Alpine Giant Slalom
10:00 a.m. – Men's Alpine Giant Slalom
Denver Invitational (Maloit Park, Minturn, Colo.)
10:00 a.m. – Men's Nordic 5K Freestyle (Interval Start)
11:30 a.m. – Women's Nordic 5K Freestyle (Interval Start)
 
Saturday, Feb. 11
Denver Invitational (Maloit Park, Minturn, Colo.)
9:00 a.m. – Women's Nordic 10K Classic (Mass Start)
10:30 a.m. – Men's Nordic 10K Classic (Mass Start)
Denver Invitational (Loveland Ski Area, Colo.)
9:30 a.m. – Women's Alpine Slalom
10:45 a.m. – Men's Alpine Slalom
 
Sunday, Feb. 12
Denver Invitational (Loveland Ski Area, Colo.)
9:30 a.m. – Women's Alpine Slalom
10:45 a.m. – Men's Alpine Slalom
 
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