MINTURN, Colo./PARK CITY, Utah – The University of Denver's Nordic and alpine skiers were both in action on Saturday with events in Colorado and Utah to begin a busy weekend racing. The Nordic portion the 2025 Denver Invitational got underway at Maloit Park in the Vail Valley while an alpine x giant slalom qualifier was held at Utah Olympic Park ahead of the conclusion of the Utah Invitational.
 
Overall, Denver skiers combined for 11 top-10 finishes on the day, led by five men in the Nordic 7.5-kilometer classical at the home meet. Graduate student Florian Knopf paced the Pioneers by placing on the podium in third, while three other DU men finished in order in the interval start race: senior Andreas Kirkeng in fifth, sophomore Krystof Zatloukal in sixth and senior Elijah Weenig in seventh.
 
Sophomore Micah Steinberg was the fifth Pio in the men's top 10 with a career-best ninth-place finish. Landon Wyatt came in 16th and fellow freshman Joe Graziadei placed 22nd.
 
The women also had a solid day in their 7.5K classic, with graduate student Lea Wenaas picking up her first career RMISA top five in fourth place. Junior Selma Andersen earned her first top 10 of the year in ninth and freshman Eve-Ondine Duchaufour rounded out DU's scorers in 10th. Sophomore Maja Moland was 13th and senior Sidney Barbier came in 21st.
 
Despite DU recording 164 points on Day 3 of its own meet, the Pioneers are still in third place and trail leader Colorado by 107.5 points (562-454.5). The Denver Invitational began last month on Jan. 7-8 with alpine races at Loveland Ski Area and Copper Mountain Resort.
 
CU had three skiers place on the podium in the cross country races, with Johannes Flaaten winning the men's event and Tilde Baangman and Hanna Abrahamsson placing second and third, respectively, in the women's event behind Utah's Erica Laven. The Utes' Zachary Jayne finished second in the men's 7.5K classic.
 
On the alpine side, the skiers took their first descents at Utah Olympic Park after the races were pushed back a day due to conditions. In a non-team scoring race that served as an extra qualifying opportunity for the athletes to secure an NCAA Championship-roster spot, DU senior Sara Rask continued to solidify her spot with another strong performance.
 
Rask finished runner-up to Colorado's Louison Accambray in the giant slalom to earn her fourth podium of the year and secure the RMISA Women's Alpine Skier of the Meet award for the alpine qualifiers. She won the season-opening slalom event at Loveland on Jan. 6.
 
Three other Denver women's skiers took part on Saturday, with junior Mia Hunt coming in sixth and freshman Stella Buchheister placing 21st. Junior Josephine Trueblood did not finish her first run.
 
Grad student Loic Chable was the only top-10 finishers in the men's GS in sixth place, but senior Eirik Kveno in 11th and freshman Pietro Motterlini in 12th each had season-best performances.
 
Junior Adrian Minde Hunshammer and senior Cooper Cornelius were 14th and 15th, respectively, while Christian Soevik placed 17th and fellow junior Thomas Hoffman came in 19th.
 
The CU Buffaloes also had a skier win the men's giant slalom with Louis Fausa taking the gold while Boulder teammate Jacob Dilling placed second.
 
UP NEXT: Sunday features another busy day with both squads in action. The Denver Invitational concludes with the 10K freestyle pursuit at Maloit Park while the alpine portion of the Utah Invitational begins with giant slalom racing at Park City's Olympic Park. The Utes' home meet wraps up on Monday with alpine slalom at the same venue.
 
 
DENVER WOMEN DU INVITATIONAL 7.5K CLASSIC INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
4. Lea Wenaas, 25:50.9
9. Selma Andersen, 26:55.9
10. Eve-Ondine Duchaufour, 27:43.1
13. Maja Moland, 28:20.2
21. Sidney Barbier, 30:20.5
DNS: Anna Stewart
 
DENVER MEN DU INVITATIONAL 7.5K CLASSIC INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
3. Florian Knopf, 22:26.1
5. Andreas Kirkeng, 22:48.2
6. Krystof Zatloukal, 23:05.0
7. Elijah Weenig, 23:15.9
9. Micah Steinberg, 23:44.1
16. Landon Wyatt, 24:35.6
22. Joe Graziadei, 26:47.2
 
DU INVITATIONAL TEAM STANDINGS (through 6-of-8 events): 1. Colorado 562; 2. Utah 476; 3. Denver 454.5; 4. Montana State 310; 5. Alaska Anchorage 210; 6. Westminster 191.5; 7. Nevada 165.5; 8. Colorado Mountain College 133.5; 9. Alaska Fairbanks 102; 10. Wyoming 78
 
MEN'S 7.5K CLASSIC TOP 10 (24 finishers): 1. Johannes Flaaten, CU, 22:13.7; 2. Zachary Jayne, UU, 22:22.5; 3. Florian Knopf, DU, 22:26.1; 4. Carle Rune, UU, 22:40.9; 5. Andreas Kirkeng, DU, 22:48.2;  6. Krystof Zatloukal, DU, 23:05.0; 7. Elijah Weenig, DU, 23:15.9; 8. Benjamin Dohlby, UAF, 23:39.2; 9. Micah Steinberg, DU, 23:44.1; 10. Philipp Moosmayer, UAF, 23:47.7.
 
WOMEN'S 7.5K CLASSIC TOP 10 (25 finishers): 1. Erica Laven, UU, 24:55.8; 2. Tilde Baangman, CU, 25:18.6; 3. Hanna Abrahamsson, CU, 25:49.1; 4. Lea Wenaas, DU, 25:50.9; 5. Astri Lunde, CU, 25:52.8; 6. Celine Mayer, UU, 26:16.0; 7. Selma Nevin, UU, 26:41.9; 8. Anna Pryce, MSU, 26:54.8; 9. Selma Andersen, DU, 26:55.9; 10. Eve-Ondine Duchaufour, DU, 27:43.1.
 
 
DENVER WOMEN ALPINE QUALIFIER GIANT SLALOM INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
2. Sara Rask, 2:04.85 (1:00.68/1:04.17)
6. Mia Hunt, 2:08.30 (1:02.49/1:05.81)
21. Stella Buchheister, 2:14.44 (1:07.97/1:06.47)
DNF: Josephine Trueblood
DNR: Nicola Rountree-Williams
 
DENVER MEN ALPINE QUALIFIER GIANT SLALOM INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
6. Loic Chable, 2:04.13 (1:02.90/1:01.23)
11. Eirik Kveno, 2:04.95 (1:04.12/1:00.83)
12. Pietro Motterlini, 2:05.14 (1:03.43/1:01.71)
14. Adrian Minde Hunshammer, 2:05.41 (1:04.40/1:01.01)
15. Cooper Cornelius, 2:05:51 (1:04.28/1:01.23)
17. Christian Soevik, 2:05.65 (1:04.28/1:01.37)
19. Thomas Hoffman, 2:05.76 (1:04.66/1:01.10)
 
WOMEN'S ALPINE QUALIFIER GIANT SLALOM TOP 10 (25 finishers): 1. Louison Accambray, CU, 2:04.85. 2. Sara Rask, DU, 2:06.21; 3. Claire Timmermann, UU, 2:07.49; 4. Elise Hitter, WM, 2:07.99; 5. Justine Lamontagne, MSU, 2:08.22; 6. Mia Hunt, DU, 2:08.30; 7. Kaja Norbye, UU, 2:09.33; 8. Evelina Fredricsson, UU, 2:09.38; 9. Ashley Campbell, CU, 2:10.08; 10. Melanie Dahlberg, UU, 2:10.52.
 
MEN'S ALPINE QUALIFIER GIANT SLALOM TOP 10 (41 finishers): 1. Louis Fausa, CU, 2:03.44; 2. Jacob Dilling, CU, 2:03.55; 3. Johs Herland, UU, 2:03.81; 4. Sindre Myklebust, UU, 2:03.98; 5. Etienne Mazellier, CU, 2:04.01; 6. Loic Chable, DU, 2:04.13; 7. Filip Wahlqvist, CU, 2:04.36; 8. Justin Bigatel, CU, 2:04.47; 9. Gianluca Boehm, MSU, 2:04.86; 10. Simen Strand, UU, 2:04.94.


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