STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo.—The University of Colorado’s Mads Stroem Jr. earned his second individual national championship after winning the men’s 10K freestyle on Thursday. His first place finish in Steamboat Springs is his seventh of the year.
“This is the goal,” said Stroem. “I wanted to win the 10K skate up here and that I managed to do that is just unbelievable.”
Stroem is the only male skier in Buffalo history to have seven first place finishes in a single season.
“Maybe someday I can think about it. Maybe on Sunday, but when you say it, it sounds really cool,” he said of the accomplishment. “It’s a programs that’s been going on for a long time so being the only guy with seven wins, that’s huge.”
In addition to his seventh overall season win, the 10K race gave Stroem his second individual national championship title.
“I think my first year I didn’t really understand the whole concept,” he said. “Right now I know how big it is. I know how many good skiers there are in the U.S…This win is bigger than the first win.”
Stroem and his team’s performances pushed CU into fourth place at the end of the second day of the NCAA Skiing Championships with 214.5 points. Colorado had two men and two women finish in the top 10 of their races.
The Nordic team will be racing again on Saturday with the men’s 20K classic beginning at 9 a.m. and the women’s 15K classic at 11 a.m.
Stroem said, “I hope to fight for a win again.”