LOVELAND SKI AREA, Colo. – The University of Denver had six skiers place in the top 10 in alpine slalom on Monday to pace the Pioneers to the overall lead after the first day of its own Denver Invitational.
 
Sophomore Sara Rask was DU's only podium-getter at Loveland Ski Area as she finished third by clocking in at 1:38.51 in the women's event, but the Pios were the only team in the field to have each of their three scorers in the first 10. Denver has 170 points at the quarter-mark of its own meet, with another day of alpine slalom set for Tuesday at Loveland before the Nordic events on Friday and Saturday in Maloit Park in Minturn.
 
"Awesome day today," said Denver head alpine coach Joonas Rasanen. "The hill held up really well, especially considering the snow we got over the weekend. It was great to see the girls come together on their home hill and put the hammer down. The boys are gaining some momentum, and we're super happy to see that. They're finally growing into what they've been meaning to do in the past few years. Excited for tomorrow and excited to go into regional championships later this month with some momentum and swagger.
 
Rask picked up her second podium of the season and her first in slalom after holding her position in the third spot after the morning session. She has now placed in the top 10 in each of the last seven races after posting a DNF in snowy conditions at the season-opening slalom at the Westminster Invitational on Jan. 17.
 
"I was super happy with today," said Rask. "I've had some good skiing, but I haven't really got the positions that I want in the college season; I've got it in the other races, but I'm excited to show it in the races that matter too."
 
Colorado's Magdalena Luczak won the women's slalom at 1:37.94 and Utah's Kaja Norbye was runner-up with a time of 1:38.36.
 
Senior teammate Nora Brand was nine-hundredths of a second behind Rask in fourth place (1:38.60), and freshman Liv Moritz made her return from the FIS Alpine Junior World Championships and came in ninth for her third consecutive top 10 and first in slalom. Sophomore Josephine Trueblood placed 21st.
 
Sophomore Thomas Hoffman led the Denver men on the slalom course in fourth place with his first career top five. The Australian was fourth after the first run and held his position in his second descent to post a total time of 1:37.57.
 
"My best-ever college result, so I can't be too mad about it," Hoffman said. "Definitely left a bit of time out there, but that's just ski racing. It's nice as I've kind of been on the up and up in slalom, so it feels good."
 
Hoffman has now posted consecutive top-10 finishes for the first time in his collegiate tenure after placing sixth in slalom at the Colorado Invitational on Saturday in Steamboat, which at the time was a personal best.
 
"It's extremely good for the confidence," Hoffman said of his recent results. "It's a good boost. You always know and have the feeling that you can be up there (on the leaderboard), but you never really know until you do it. So it's really self-validation when you get it done."
 
Freshman Christian Soevik placed seventh (1:37.81) and senior Trey Seymour was right behind his Pioneer teammate in eighth (1:37.93). Seymour has registered five top-15 results this year and has finished in the top 10 in three of his last four races; he now owns four career top-10 results.
 
Sophomores Jack Bowers and Adrian Minde Hunshammer placed 16th and 30th, respectively.
 
Alaska Anchorage's Leon Nikic won the men's event with a time of 1:36.74 and was joined on the podium by Colorado's Filip Wahlqvist as the runner-up (1:37.03) and Utah's Mikkel Solbakken in third place (1:37.39).
 
The top of the team leaderboard is tight following the first two of eight events of Denver's annual meet, as six teams are separated by fewer than 100 points. Colorado is 14.5 points behind DU (170) with 155.5 points, while Utah is 17 points back (153). Alaska Anchorage is fourth (128), Westminster is fifth (108) and Montana State is sixth (96.5).
 
UP NEXT: The alpine portion of the Denver Invitational concludes with another day of slalom on Tuesday at Loveland Ski Area. The Nordic races begin on Friday with the 10-kilometer classic mass start at Maloit Park in Minturn, Colorado, before the meet closes on Saturday morning with the interval 5K freestyle.
 
 
DENVER WOMEN SLALOM INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
3. Sara Rask, 1:38.51 (48.32/50.19)
4. Nora Brand, 1:38.60 (48.44/50.16)
9. Liv Moritz, 1:39.64 (49.90/49.74)
21. Josephine Trueblood, 1:41.53 (50.67/50.86)
 
DENVER MEN SLALOM INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
4. Thomas Hoffman, 1:37.47 (47.68/49.79)
7. Christian Soevik, 1:37.81 (47.77/50.04)
8. Trey Seymour, 1:37.93 (48.48/49.45)
16. Jack Bowers, 1:38.73 (48.48/50.25)
30. Adrian Minde Hunshammer, 1:40.93 (49.62/51.31)
 
TEAM STANDINGS (through 2-of-8 events): 1. Denver 170; 2. Colorado 155.5; 3. Utah 153; 4. Alaska Anchorage 128; 5. Westminster 108; 6. Montana State 96.5; 7. Nevada 64; 8. Colorado Mountain College 47
 
WOMEN'S SLALOM TOP 10 (28 finishers): 1. Magdalena Luczak, CU, 1:37.94; 2. Kaja Norbye, UU, 1:38.36; 3. Sara Rask, DU, 1:38.51; 4. Nora Brand, DU, 1:38.60; 5. Caroline Jones, CU, 1:38.63; 6. Madison Hoffman, UU, 1:39.07; 7. Ella Bromee, UAA, 1:39.20; 8. Carlotta Marcora, WMU, 1:39.48; 9. Liv Moritz, DU, 1:39.64; 10. Ainsley Proffit, UAA, 1:39.67.
 
MEN'S SLALOM TOP 10 (38 finishers): 1. Leon Nikic, UAA, 1:36.74; 2. Filip Wahlqvist, CU, 1:37.03; 3. Mikkel Solbakken, UU, 1:37.39; 4. Thomas Hoffman, DU, 1:37.47; 5. Wilhelm Normannseth, UU, 1:37.77; 6. Roman Frost, WMU, 1:37.80; 7. Christian Soevik, DU, 1:37.81; 8. Trey Seymour, DU, 1:37.93; 9. Jamie Casselman, MSU, 1:38.19; 10. Loic Chable, WMU, 1:38.51.
 

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