STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. – Nora Brand went out with a bang in what was likely her final collegiate race.
The Denver Pioneers ski team senior was once again one of the biggest alpine movers of the day at the NCAA Championships, as she climbed nine spots from the first to second run to finish on the podium in third place in women's slalom at Howelsen Hill Ski Area.
Brand led three Pioneers with top-five placements and five in the top 12 in the evening race that was held under the lights at the legendary hill.
DU gained 150 points on the day, jumping past host Colorado for second place in the overall standings with 401 points. The Pioneers have a 7.5-point edge on CU (393.5) and trail leader Utah by only 43.5 points (444.5) heading into the final races of the national championships on Saturday morning.
The Pioneers finished second in the alpine team standings with 283 points following the men's and women's giant slalom and slalom events. Utah ended up with 3.5-point advantage to take the win with 286.5 points.
Like she did in giant slalom on Wednesday, Brand was among the best in the second descent. The Munich, Germany, native was 12th after the first run, but she posted the fifth-fastest time in run 2 to climb nine spots and onto the podium with a total time of 1:25.91. Colorado's Magdalena Luczak finished off the alpine sweep by also winning slalom, while Madison Hoffman of Utah was second for the second-straight race.
DU sophomore
Sara Rask tied for fourth place with Alaska Anchorage's Ella Bromee with a time of 1:26.95. Freshman
Liv Moritz joined Brand in climbing nine positions, as she finished 12th after being 21st following the opening run (1:26.75).
The Pioneers won the women's team race with 83 points, while RMISA-foes Alaska Anchorage was second (71), Utah was third (67) and Colorado was fourth (62).
Freshman
Christian Soevik paced DU's men for the second-straight race at this year's national championships with a fourth-place result and a total time of 1:20.14, 22-hundredths of a second off the podium.
Sophomore
Thomas Hoffman was close behind his Denver teammate in sixth (1:20.23), and senior and Steamboat Springs native
Trey Seymour climbed six spot from run 1 to end up 22nd in his final NCAA race and help the Pios pick up some valuable points in the standings. DU was second in the men's team event behind Colorado (75-67).
CU also picked up an individual national champion in men's slalom as Filip Wahlqvist took the top step (1:19.38) while Dartmouth's Oscar Zimmer was second (1:19.87) and Utah's Mikkel Solbakken was third (1:19.92).
UP NEXT: The NCAA Championships conclude on Saturday at Howelsen Hill with the Nordic 20 classic. The women's mass start begins the races at 10 a.m. MT while the men's event wraps up this year's nationals at 12 p.m. MT.
DENVER MEN GIANT SLALOM INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
4.
Christian Soevik, 1:20.14 (38.05/42.09)
6.
Thomas Hoffman, 1:20.23 (38.00/42.23)
22.
Trey Seymour, 1:22.11 (39.92/42.19)
DENVER WOMEN GIANT SLALOM INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
3.
Nora Brand, 1:25.91 (43.08/42.83)
T4.
Sara Rask, 1:25.95 (42.56/43.39)
12.
Liv Moritz, 1:26.75 (43.95/42.80)
TEAM STANDINGS (through 6-of-8 events): 1. Utah 444.5;
2. Denver 401; 3. Colorado 393.5; 4. Dartmouth 278; 5. Montana State 251; 6. Alaska Anchorage 227; 7. Vermont 291; 8. New Hampshire 149; 9. Westminster 136; 10. Middlebury 132; 11. St. Michael's 81.5; 12. Alaska Fairbanks 72; 13. Colby 63.5; 14. Michigan Tech 43; 15. Harvard 31; 16. Bowdoin 17; 17. St. Lawrence 15; T18. Boston College 10; T18 Nevada 10; 20. Plymouth State 9; 21. Bates 6; T22. Northern Michigan 1, T22. Williams 1;
WOMEN'S SLALOM TOP 10 (30 finishers): 1. Magdalena Luczak, CU; 2. Madison Hoffman, UU;
3. Nora Brand, DU; T4. Sara Rask, DU; T4. Ella Bromee, UAA; 6. Mika Anne Reha, MID; 7. Kristiane Bekkestad, MSU; 8. Carmen Nielssen, UAA; 9. Zoe Zimmermann, DAR; 10. Allie Resnick, DAR.
MEN'S SLALOM TOP 10 (29 finishers): 1. Filip Wahlqvist, CU; 2. Oscar Zimmer, DAR; 3.. Mikkel Solbakken, UU; 4.
Christian Soevik, DU; 5. Jeremie Lagier, WMU;
6. Thomas Hoffman, DU; 7. Magnus Styren, UVM; 8. Ryder Sarchett, CU; 9. Gianluca Boehm, MSU; 10. Simen Strand, SMC.
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