PARK CITY, Utah—Nora Brand of the University of Denver and Filip Wahlqvist of the University of Colorado opened the alpine season with victories in women's and men's slalom at the Westminster Invitational on Wednesday at Utah Olympic Park.
Weather and snow was the factor throughout the first day of the collegiate season for the alpine squads as the races were delayed several times and forced 47 total student-athletes to record a DNF. Overall, 26 men and 21 women posted DNFs on the day.
The University of Utah still leads the overall meet with 477 points, but the Utes didn't pull away at the top of the leaderboard as there are several teams within striking distance heading into the final day of the competition on Friday. Denver is 58 points behind with 419 points while Alaska Anchorage is third with 398 points. Montana State is fourth (375) and Colorado is fifth (372), followed by two Nordic-only squads in Alaska Fairbanks (260) and Wyoming (134) in sixth and seventh, respectively. Alpine-only teams in Westminster (107), Colorado Mountain College (64) and Nevada (52) round out the top 10.
In women's slalom, Brand recorded a total time of 1:35.51 and produced the fastest first run at 49.02 seconds, which was 85-hundredths of a second faster in the morning than the next closest competitor in Utah's Michelle Kerven. The junior then held onto her lead in the afternoon session to pick up her third career victory.
Kerven and DU's Sara Rask, who was fourth quickest in the first run, both weren't able to finish their second descents off the mountain, opening the podium for Alaska Anchorage's Ainsley Proffit in second and Utah's Kaja Norbye in third. UAA won the women's event with 85 points.
Wahlqvist picked up his first win in his collegiate debut in the men's slalom, as he climbed up the leaderboard after being ranked ninth after run 1. The CU freshman the third-fastest second run at 43.66 to clock in with a total of 1:27.73.
UAA's Leon Nikic placed second at 1:28.01 while Westminster's Loic Chable rounded out the trio on stage in third. The host Westminster Griffins won the men's event with four skiers in the top 13, including Jeremie Lagier earning a top-five finish in fifth.
Utah was held its lead despite only have two-of-three scorers in the women's race, with Melanie Dahlberg joining Norbye in 10th. The Utes were able to have all three of their men's scorers in the top 10 as Mikkel Solbakken was seventh, Oliver Parazette was eighth and Jay Poulter was 10th.
The teams will stay on the slalom course on Thursday as they will compete in the opening alpine races of the Utah Invitational at Olympic Park. The Westminster Invite concludes on Friday with giant slalom, with the UU meet wrapping up with GS races on Saturday.
TEAM STANDINGS (through 6-of-8 events): 1. Utah 477; 2. Denver 419; 3. Alaska Anchorage 398; 4. Montana State 375; 5. Colorado 372; 6. Alaska Fairbanks 260; 7 Wyoming 134; 8. Westminster 107; 9 Colorado Mountain College 64; Nevada 52.
WOMEN'S SLALOM TOP 10 (17 finishers): 1. Nora Brand, DU, 1:35.51; 2. Ainsley Proffit, UAA, 1:36.39; 3. Kaja Norbye, UU, 1:36.89; 4. Kristiane Bekkestad, MSU, 1:37.30; 5. Ella Bromee, UAA, 1:38.81; 6. Julia Toiviainen, CU, 1:39.05; 7. Lana Zbasnik, MSU, 1:40.62; 8. Caroline Jones, CU, 1:41.50; 9. Melanie Dahlberg, UU, 1:41.52; 10. Nellie Talbot, MSU, 1:41.57.
MEN'S SLALOM TOP 10 (27 finishers): 1. Filip Wahlqvist, CU, 1:27.73; 2. Leon Nikic, UAA, 1:28.01; 3. Loic Chable, WMC, 1:28.71; 4. Gianluca, Boehm, MSU, 1:28.74; 5. Jeremie Lagier, WMC, 1:28.81; 6. Jan Ronner, UAA, 1:28.97; 7. Mikkel Solbakken, UU, 1:29.26; 8. Oliver Parazette, UU, 1:29.41; 9. Jack Bowers, DU, 1:29.65; 10. Jay Poulter, UU, 1:29.67.
| Date | Race |
|---|---|
| Jan. 2 | Women's 10K Classic |
| Jan. 2 | Men's 10K Classic |
| Jan. 4 | Women's Freestyle Sprints |
| Jan. 4 | Men's Freestyle Sprints |
| Jan. 17 | Women's Slalom |
| Jan. 17 | Men's Slalom |
| Jan. 19 | Women's Giant Slalom |
| Jan. 19 | Men's Giant Slalom |