STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Denver ski team finished second overall at the Spencer James Nelson Colorado Invitational as the meet concluded on Saturday with the Nordic 7.5-kilometer classic at Howelsen Hill Ski Area.
Senior
Eve-Ondine Duchaufour led the Pioneers with a fourth-place finish in the women's interval start event with a time of 24:12.2 for her second top five of the season and fourth top 10 of the campaign. Two Denver men placed in the top 10 with sophomore
Eemil Juntunen in seventh (21:30.7) and freshman
Yannick Zellweger in 10th (21:44.2).
"It was a decent day today, but the team definitely felt fatigued from yesterday," said DU Head Nordic Skiing Coach
Eliska Albrigtsen. "I think we lacked the top speed for such a short race, but I'm OK with that at this point of the season, just before we start sharpening up for regionals and the NCAAs.
"I really admire the vigor that this team goes into every race with, and I love the hunger they have for improving. Today definitely left us quite hungry for more."
The Pioneers totaled 619 points across the eight events of the CU Invitational standings and finished 66 points back of host and overall-meet winner Colorado (619). Three teams registered more than 600 points in the meet as defending national champion Utah came in third place with 619; Montana State was fourth with 456.5 points.
This is the second-straight meet where Denver has recorded 600 or more points after totaling 638 at its own DU Invitational that wrapped up last weekend with the Nordic races in Frisco.
The Pios finished with three women in the top 15, as their other two scorers were sophomore
Anna Stewart in 11th and freshman
Synne Bollingmo in 14th. Junior
Maja Moland came in 20th and freshman
Estelle Darbellay ended up 21st.
Senior
Krystof Zatloukal was the third men's scorer for the Denver with a 19th-place result and sophomore
Joe Graziadeil finished 24th.
Graduate student
Sondre Oestervold and senior
Micah Steinberg for the men and freshman
Ruby Serrouya for the women all didn't race on the final day of the CU Invitational, which began last month with the alpine events at Loveland Ski Area and Aspen Highlands on Jan. 13-15.
The Buffaloes placed four individuals on the two podiums on Saturday with Johannes Flaaten claiming the overall men's win and Storm Pedersen taking third place. CU's Astri Lunde and Tilde Baangman came in second and third, respectively, in the women's classic.
Utah took the other two spots on the stage with Erica Laven earning her sixth win of the season on the women's side and Zachary Jayne placing runner-up behind Flaaten in the men's competition.
UP NEXT: Next up for the Nordic squads is the RMISA Championships/NCAA West Regionals in about two weeks' time, with the conference meet set for Feb. 26-28. Alpine concludes its regular-season meets with the Utah Invitational on Feb. 22-24 at Olympic Park in Park City before joining Nordic at the RMISA Championships two days later.
DENVER WOMEN 7.5K CLASSIC INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
4.
Eve-Ondine Duchaufour, 24:12.2
11.
Anna Stewart, 25:15.7
14.
Synne Bollingmo, 25:24.6
20.
Maja Moland, 25:53.7
21.
Estelle Darbellay, 26:02.1
DNS:
Ruby Serrouya
DENVER MEN 7.5K CLASSIC INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
7.
Eemil Juntunen, 21:30.7
10.
Yannick Zellweger, 21:44.2
19.
Krystof Zatloukal, 22:14.3
24.
Joe Graziadei, 23:14.9
DNS:
Sondre Oestervold,
Micah Steinberg
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS (after 8-of-8 events): 1. Colorado 689;
2. Denver 623; 3. Utah 619; 4. Montana State 456.5; 5. Alaska Anchorage 442; 6. Nevada 207.5; 7. Alaska Fairbanks 175; 8. Westminster 136; 9. Colorado Mountain College 120.
WOMEN'S 7.5K CLASSIC TOP 10 (27 finishers): 1. Erica Laven, UU, 22:41.7; 2. Astri Lunde, CU, 23:13.6; 3. Tilde Baangman, 23:19.8;
4. Eve-Ondine Duchaufour, DU, 24:12.2; 5. Sofia Pedersen, UU, 24:19.2; 6. Witta Walcher, UU, 24:39.2; 7. Dashe McCabe, UAA, 24:52.3; 8. Selma Nevin, CU, 24:59.0; 9. Neve Gerard, UU, 24:59.4; 10. Constance Lapointe, UAA, 25:12.5
MEN'S 7.5K CLASSIC TOP 10 (26 finishers): 1. Johannes Flaaten, CU, 21:01.3; 2. Zachary Jayne, UU, 21:13.1; 3. Storm Pedersen, CU, 21:15.8; 4. Philipp Moosmayer, UAF, 21:21.4; 5. Erling Bjoernstad, UAA, 21:22.8; 6. Corbin Carpenter, UAA, 21:24.6;
7. Eemil Juntunen, DU, 21:30.7; 8. Simon Chappaz, MSU, 21:32.6; 9. Grey Barbier, MSU, 21:39.9;
10. Yannick Zellweger, DU, 21:44.2.
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