COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. – Junior
Nicola Rountree-Williams of the Denver Pioneers ski team picked up her first career RMISA podium on Wednesday, as she placed third in women's giant slalom at Copper Mountain Resort to wrap up the DU Invitational's alpine races.
Rountree-Williams was second after the first run with a time of 47.48 seconds and produced a solid second run mark of 49.13 to finish at 1:36.61. Her podium appearance showcased a solid three days of racing by her that began with her first top-five finish in fourth place on Monday in the alpine qualifier slalom at Loveland Ski Area and also featured a top 10 in eighth on Tuesday in slalom on the first day of the Denver Invitational.
She is in her first season at DU after racing the previous two years at Colorado Mountain College and now owns 11 career top-10 placements, including in each of the last seven races.
"It feels really good," said Rountree-Williams of her first top three in a RMISA event. "This is my third year on the circuit now, and it is definitely something I've really been looking forward to for a really long time. I'm really happy to represent Denver in that way and get that first podium."
Three other Pioneers earned top-10 results on Wednesday in GS, as senior
Sara Rask joined Rountree-Williams in eighth in the women's race, while senior
Cooper Cornelius was eighth and junior
Christian Soevik was 10th in the men's event.
Denver recorded 136 points on Day 2 of the meet and stayed in third place in the overall standings with 290.5 points heading into next month's Nordic races.
"I think everybody for the most part had really good skiing over the last three days," said Otto Tschudi Head Alpine Skiing Coach
Joonas Rasanen. "Nicola had really good races and Loic [Chable] showed up yesterday. Overall, we didn't get what we wanted out of this home meet, but I think we're in a good spot and everybody showed some promising skiing."
Junior
Mia Hunt was DU's third scorer in the women's race in 17th place and fellow classmate
Josephine Trueblood was just two spots behind in 19th. Freshman
Stella Buchheister came in 21st in her first collegiate giant slalom.
The Pios' other three finishers in the men's event all came in the top 20, with junior
Thomas Hoffman in 13th, freshman
Pietro Motterlini in 15th and junior
Adrian Minde Hunshammer in a three-way tie for 18th. Graduate student
Loic Chable did not finish the morning run, and senior
Eirik Kveno wasn't able to complete the afternoon descent.
The University of Colorado held onto the overall lead with 379 points. Denver is 88.5 points behind the Buffaloes and trails second-place Utah (316) by 25.5 points.
CU won both individual giant slaloms on Wednesday, with freshman Louison Accambray using the fastest second run to climb from fourth place in the morning to the top of the podium in the women's race. Louis Fausa held onto his lead after run 1 to win the men's competition.
UP NEXT: The Denver Invitational wraps up next month with a pair of Nordic races at Maloit Park in Minturn, Colorado. The 7.5K classic begins the races in the Vail Valley on Feb. 8 before the meet concludes with the 10K freestyle on Feb. 9.
The Nordic squad has the next collegiate races on the schedule with the start of the Utah Invitational on Jan 18-19 at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center in Midway, Utah. The next alpine races are Feb. 3-4 in the Montana State Invitational at Bridger Bowl Ski Area in Bozeman, Montana.
DENVER WOMEN GIANT SLALOM INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
3.
Nicola Rountree-Williams, 1:36.61 (47.48/49.13)
8.
Sara Rask, 1:37.36 (48.34/49.02)
17.
Mia Hunt, 1:39.94 (48.50/51.44)
19.
Josephine Trueblood, 1:40.12 (49.46/50.66)
21.
Stella Buchheister, 1:41.86 (50.90/50.96)
DENVER MEN GIANT SLALOM INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
8.
Cooper Cornelius, 1:35.55 (47.42/48.13)
10.
Christian Soevik, 1:35.73 (47.05/48.68)
13.
Thomas Hoffman, 1:35.92 (47.57/48.35)
15.
Pietro Motterlini, 1:35.98 (47.94/48.04)
T18.
Adrian Minde Hunshammer, 1:36.63 (47.64/48.99)
DNF:
Loic Chable (run 1),
Eirik Kveno (48.72/DNF run 2)
TEAM STANDINGS (through 4-of-8 events): 1. Colorado 379; 2. Utah 316;
3. Denver 290.5; 4. Alaska Anchorage 290.5; 5. Montana State 195; 6. Westminster 191.5; 7. Nevada 165.5; 8. Colorado Mountain College 133.5.
WOMEN'S GIANT SLALOM TOP 10 (30 finishers): 1. Louison Accambray, CU, 1:36.13; 2. Claire Timmermann, UU, 1:36.54;
3. Nicola Rountree-Williams, DU, 1:36.61; 4. Hannah Saethereng, CU, 1:36.82; 5. Evelina Fredricsson, UU, 1:36.89; 6. Cathinka Lunder, CU, 1:37.19; 7. Kaila Lafreniere, UU, 1:37.30;
8. Sara Rask, DU, 1:37.36; 9. Giulia Tintorri, WU, 1:37.99; 10. Ashleigh Alexander, UAA, 1:38.20.
MEN'S GIANT SLALOM TOP 10 (42 finishers): 1. Louis Fausa, CU, 1:34.72; 2. Isak Staurset, MSU, 1:35.05; 3. Alejandro Puente Tasias, WU, 1:35.09; 4. Filip Wahlqvist, CU, 1:35.13; 5. Etienne Mazellier, CU, 1:35.15; 6. Tanner Perkins, MSU, 1:35.35; 7. Sindre Myklebust, UU, 1:35.41;
8. Cooper Cornelius, DU 1:35.55; 9. Johs Herland, UU, 1:35.70;
10. Christian Soevik, DU, 1:35.73.
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