UAA's Schoonmaker Wins Freestyle Sprints; Utah Leads Own Invitational

Sunday, January 2, 2022 • by Curtis Snyder, RMISA

MIDWAY, Utah—J.C. Schoonmaker not only won the freestyle sprint race for the Utah Invitational to open the 2022 season here at Solider Hollow, he also won the U.S. National Championship in the event Sunday.

Schoonmaker was one of four RMISA skiers (out of six) that advanced to the championship heat of the freestyle sprint races at U.S. Nationals, showing how dominant the RMISA is in the event. Schoonmaker had the second-fastest qualifying time then won both his quarterfinal and semifinal heat en route to the victory.

As the RMISA's opening meet is pulling results from the National Championships, Schoonmaker is also credited as a race win for the Utah Invitational. Utah's Noak Keefe, CU's Magnus Boee and Denver's Andreas Kirkeng also advanced to the final heat at the championship. Keefe took third in the overall race, second for RMISA, Boee was fifth overall and third for RMISA to round out the podium and Kirkeng was sixth overall and finished fourth.

In the women's race, Utah's Sydney Palmer-Leger picked up where she left off last season, winning the RMISA portion of the race as one of two RMISA skiers that advanced to the final heat on the women's side. Palmer-Leger and Alaska Fairbanks Mariel Pulles both won each their quarterfinal and semifinal heats en route to the finals. Those were the only two skiers to advance past the quarterfinals in the race. Utah's Abigail Jarzin took third in the RMISA results with Colorado sisters Weronika and Karolina Kaleta finishing fourth and fifth.

Utah had all six team scorers finish in the top 10 of the two races to lead its own invitational with 187 points, 39 ahead of a second place tie between Alaska Anchorage and Colorado (148). Alaska Fairbanks is fourth with 133 points while Montana State (115) and Denver (110) had a close battle for fifth place.

UTAH INVITATIONAL TEAM STANDINGS (Thru 2 of 8 Events): 1. Utah 187; 2. Alaska Anchorage & Colorado 148; 4. Alaska Fairbanks 133; 5. Montana State 115; 6. Denver 110; 7. Wyoming 46.

MEN'S FREESTYLE SPRINTS (38 collegiate finishers)-1. J.C. Schoonmaker, UAA; 2. Noel Keefe, UU; 3. Magnus Boee, CU; 4. Andreas Kirkeng, DU; 5. Reed Godfrey, MSU; 6. Walker Hall, UU; 7.Will Koch, CU; 8. Christopher Kalev, UAF; 9. Brain Bushey, UU; 10. Magnus Noroey, UAA.

WOMEN'S FREESTYLE SPRINTS (26 collegiate finishers)-1. Sydney Palmer-Leger, UU; 2. Mariel Pulles, UAF; 3. Abigail Jarzin, UU; 4. Weronika Kaleta, CU; 5. Karolina Kaleta, CU; 6. Julia Richter, UU; 7. Astrid Staf, UAA; 8. Pascale Paradis, UAA; 9. Rosie Fordham, UAF; 10. Tuva Bygrave, UAA.