BIG SKY/BOZEMAN, Mont. – Sophomore
Thomas Hoffman recorded his first career podium in men's slalom and classmate
Sara Rask joined him on the stand in the women's race as the Denver Pioneers ski team had a full day of alpine and Nordic events at the 2024 RMISA Championships in Montana.
The alpine squads wrapped up their conference championships at Big Sky Resort while the Nordic teams opened up their postseason with the 7.5-kilometer freestyle interval start at Crosscut Mountain Sports Center. Denver recorded 256 points on the day and is in third place heading into the final Nordic races on Sunday before turning its attention to the national championships in two weeks.
Hoffman finished second in the men's slalom for his first podium and second career top-five finish. The Australian was third fastest in the first run and moved to the silver position after clocking in at 1:36.12. He now owns four top-10 results in the last six races.
Rask continued to find consistency atop the leaderboard as she also placed second in the women's slalom with a time of 1:41.79. It was her fifth straight podium appearance and eighth top five of the season.
Senior
Nora Brand was the Pioneers' second scorer in the women's event in 12th and
Josephine Trueblood came in 22nd.
Denver's men's alpine team had some bad luck in the afternoon, as freshman
Christian Soevik was leading after the first run but posted a DNF in the second.
Jack Bowers in 24th and
Adrian Minde Hunshammer in 28th joined Hoffman as the Pioneers' scorers. Senior
Trey Seymour was 42nd after missing a gate and having to hike in the opening run.
On the Nordic side, the DU women had their best day of the season with all three scorers placing in the top 10. Senior
Hanna Ray guided the group by coming in eighth in the women's 7.5K freestyle and was followed by graduate student
Henriette Saeterdal Semb in ninth and sophomore
Selma Andersen in 10th.
Maja Moland placed 21st,
Sidney Barbier was 29th and
Anna Espeli came in 34th.
Junior
Andreas Kirkeng paced the Pioneers in the men's 7.5K freestyle with an eighth-place finish. That result ended his run of four consecutive wins and six straight podium, but he has still finished in the top 10 in all 10 races this year.
Denver's other two scorers were
Krystof Zatloukal in 11th and
Florian Knopf in 13th.
Elijah Weenig placed 24th,
Jonah Steinberg finished 30th and
Micah Steinberg came in 32nd.
After six teams were within 100 points of one another after the first day of the RMISA Championships on Friday, more separation occurred atop of the leaderboard on Saturday. The University of Colorado had the best day as 10 finishers were inside the top 10 and all 12 scorers placed in the top 11 to give the Buffaloes the overall lead with 498 points.
The third-place Pioneers trail the Buffaloes by 71 points, while Utah is in second place with 451.5 points. Host Montana State is fourth with 119.5 points.
UP NEXT: The RMISA Championships conclude on Sunday with the men's and women's Nordic 20K classical at Crosscut Mountain Sports Center in Bozeman, Montana. The NCAA Championships are March 6-9 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
DENVER WOMEN SLALOM INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
2.
Sara Rask, 1:41.79 (50.97/50.82)
12.
Nora Brand, 1:42.91 (51.52/51.39)
22.
Josephine Trueblood, 1:44.93 (53.18/51.75)
DENVER MEN SLALOM INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
2.
Thomas Hoffman, 1:36.12 (48.16/47.96)
24.
Jack Bowers, 1:38.23 (50.58/47.65)
28.
Adrian Minde Hunshammer, 1:39.76 (51.43/48.33)
42.
Trey Seymour, 1:49.51 (1:00.08/49.43)
DNF:
Christian Soevik (47.66/DNF Run 2)
DENVER MEN FREESTYLE INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
8.
Andreas Kirkeng, 19:16.4
11.
Krystof Zatloukal, 19:43.7
13.
Florian Knopf, 19:52.3
24.
Elijah Weenig, 20:56.5
30.
Jonah Steinberg, 21:26.9
32.
Micah Steinberg, 21:34.3
DENVER WOMEN FREESTYLE INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
8.
Hanna Ray, 21:45.0
9.
Henriette Saeterdal Semb, 21:52.8
10.
Selma Andersen, 22:02.4
21.
Maja Moland, 23:00,4
29.
Sidney Barbier, 23:55.5
34.
Anna Espeli, 25:52.2
TEAM STANDINGS (through 6-of-8 events): 1. Colorado 498; 2. Utah 451.5;
3. Denver 427; 4. Montana State 378.5; 5. Alaska Anchorage 312; 6. Westminster 256.5; 7. Alaska Fairbanks 129; 8. Nevada 128.5; 9. Colorado Mountain College 125.
WOMEN'S SLALOM TOP 10 (30 finishers): 1. Kaja Norbye, UU;
2. Sara Rask, DU; 3. Carlotta Marcora, WMU; 4. Julia Toiviainen, CU; 5. Carmen Nielssen, UAA; 6. Nicola Rountree-Williams, CMC; 7. Caroline Jones, CU; 8. Denise Dingsleder, CU; 9. Ainsley Proffit, UAA; T10. Elise Hitter, WMU; T10. Michelle Kerven, UU.
MEN'S SLALOM TOP 10 (42 finishers): 1. Filip Wahlqvist, CU;
2. Thomas Hoffman, DU; 3. Wilhelm Normannseth, CU; 4. Ryder Sarchett, CU; 5. Jan Ronner, UAA; 6. Jeremie Lagier, WMU; 7. Alejandro Puente Tasi As, WMU; 8. Leon Nikic, UAA; 9. Raphael Lessard, UU; 10. Sindre Myklebust, UU.
WOMEN'S 7.5K FREESTYLE TOP 10 (35 finishers): 1. Kate Oldham, MSU; 2. Tilde Baangman, MSU; 3. Kendall Kramer, UAF; 4. Rosie Fordham, UAF; 5. Anna-Maria Dietze, CU; 6. Astrid Stav, UAA; 7. Weronika Kaleta, CU;
8. Hanna Ray, DU; 9. Henriette Saeterdal Semb, DU; 10. Selma Andersen, DU.
MEN'S 7.5K FREESTYLE TOP 10 (34 finishers): 1. Joe Davies, UU; Magnus Boee, CU; 3. Tom Mancini, UU; 4. Johannes Flaaten, CU; 5. Brian Bushey, UU; 6. Fredrik Nilsen, MSU; 7. Florian Winker, MSU;
8. Andreas Kirkeng, DU; 9. Walker Hall, UU; 10. Will Koch, CU.
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