Denver Second, New Mexico Third In Closest Race In NCAA History

Friday, March 13, 2009 – by Curtis Snyder, RMISASkiing.com

Results Available On Schedule/Results Page

BETHEL, Maine – In the closest race through the three-quarters mark in NCAA history, just three points separate the top three as the University of Vermont holds a tight advantage over the University of Denver and University of New Mexico here at the 2009 NCAA Skiing Championships, held at the Sunday River Ski Resort.

New Mexico earned 1-2 in the women’s slalom race. Photo by Lincoln Benedict, EISASkiing.org

Despite only skiing with 10 student-athletes, Vermont leads with 484 total points, followed closely by the Pioneers with 482 and the Lobos with 481. Since skiing became a coed sport in 1983, there has not been a three point difference at the three-quarter point of the championships. The previous closest was an eight-and-a-half point difference in 1997 between Utah (533), Colorado (526) and Vermont (524.5). The closest margin in the final standings since 1983 came in 1998, when Colorado edged Utah by 2.5 points; the final spread has been 10 points or lower just four times (1986, 1989, 1995 and 1998).

In all, the RMISA schools make up spots two through six in the standings, as both Utah (fourth - 444) and Colorado (fifth - 439.5) are still alive while Alaska Anchorage is showing well with 376 points in sixth place. Nevada remains in 10th place giving the RMISA six of the top 10 in the standings.

Individually, the RMISA schools took home both individual NCAA Championships on the day with New Mexico’s Malin Hemmingsson winning the women’s slalom race and Colorado’s Gabriel Rivas taking medalist honors on the men’s side. UMN actually took a 1-2 on the women’s side with Estelle Pecherand-Charmet claiming second place. Pecherand-Charmet claimed her second podium appearance in two days. Through six races, the RMISA has three individual championships while the EISA holds the other three.

New Mexico won the women’s race with 125 total points, well out-distancing themselves from Vermont’s 94 points. New Mexico also claims the women’s alpine title with 240 combined points and victories in both the slalom and giant slalom races.

In men’s slalom action, the RMISA swept the podium with New Mexico’s Petter Brenna taking second place and Denver’s Lief Haugen claiming third. Like Pecherand-Charmet, Haugen earned podium honors for the second straight day. Those two are also the only double first-team All-America honorees at the conclusion of the alpine races. The RMISA also had two finishes in fifth through 10th for second team All-America status with Nevada’s Gregory Berger finishing seventh and Colorado’s Stefan Hughes 10th.

The RMISA swept the podium in the men’s slalom race. Photo by Lincoln Benedict, EISASkiing.org

Colorado won the race with 105.5 points, the second race CU has won (men’s classic) in two days. The Buffs were followed by Denver with 88 points and New Hampshire with 84.

The combined alpine title goes to the Lobos who compiled 354 points, edging out New Hampshire by a single point. Five of the six races have been won by RMISA schools with New Mexico and Colorado both taking two and Denver and Vermont one apiece.

On the women’s side, the RMISA garnered two first-team All-America performances with the Lobos’ duo at the top and also added a pair of second-team winners with Alaska Anchorage’s Alexandra Parker finishing seventh and Utah’s Eva Huckova 10th.

The RMISA currently holds the lead over the EISA in podium finishes, 13-5, and first-team All-Americans, 18-12. The EISA holds an 18-12 advantage in second-team All-Americans, thus the overall All-Amierca count is tied 30 to 30.

Hemmingsson and Rivas won the 268th and 269th individual NCAA Championships in RMISA history.

Vermont leads all schools with a pair of individual NCAA championships with Colorado, Denver, New Mexico and St. Lawrence all holding one through six races. In podium finishes, New Mexico leads with five, including two from Pecherand-Charmet, while Denver and Vermont have three, Alaska Anchorage and Colorado two and Middlebury, St. Lawrence and Utah all one, apiece. Denver’s Lief Haugen is the only other skier to earn two podium appearances to date.

New Mexico has a total of six first-team All-America honors under its belt while Vermont has five, Denver four, Alaska Anchorage and Colorado three, New Hampshire two and Colby, Dartmouth, Middlebury, St. Lawrence, Williams and Utah all one apiece.

Vermont leads the way with in total All-American honors with nine while New Mexico has eight, Colorado and New Hampshire seven, Denver five, Alaska Anchorage four, Colby, Dartmouth, Middlebury and Utah three, St. Lawrence two and Nevada and Williams one apiece.

With alpine completed, along with Pecherand-Charmet and Haugen, a total of 12 skiers have earned two All-America citations: Lindsay Cone, SLU (1st GS, 2nd SL); Eva Huckova, Utah (1st GS, 2nd SL); Alexandra Parker, UAA (1st GS, 2nd SL); Jilyne McDonald, Vermont (1st SL, 2nd GS); Andrew Wagner, Middlebury (1st GS, 2nd SL); Joshua Kernan, Colby (1st SL, 2nd GS); Aileen Farrell, New Hampshire (1st SL, 2nd GS); Courtney Hammond (2nd GS, 2nd SL); Veronique Archambault-Leger, New Hampshire (2nd GS, 2nd SL) and William Ford, New Hampshire (2nd GS, 2nd SL).

Top 10 Team Scores (through six of eight races)
1. Vermont (484); 2. Denver (482); 3. New Mexico (481); 4. Utah (444); 5. Colorado (439.5); 6. Alaska Anchorage (376); 7. New Hampshire (368); 8. Dartmouth (359); 9. Middlebury (331); 10. Nevada (233). Other RMISA Schools: none.

Top 5 Alpine Scores FINAL
1. New Mexico (354); 2. New Hampshire (353); 3. Vermont (328); Utah (319); Denver (284). Other RMISA Schools: Colorado (265.5); Alaska Anchorage (202); Nevada (180).

Men’s Alpine Top 5 FINAL
New Hampshire (177); Denver (176); Colorado (163.5); Vermont (163); Utah (147).

Women’s Alpine Top 5 FINAL
New Mexico (240); New Hampshire (176); Utah (172); Vermont (167); Dartmouth (132).

Men’s Giant Slalom Top 5 FINAL
Vermont (99); Utah (96); New Hampshire (93); Denver (88); Colorado & Nevada (58).

Women’s Giant Slalom Top 5 FINAL
New Mexico (115); Utah (97); New Hampshire (87); Dartmouth (74); Vermont (71).

Men’s Slalom Top 5 FINAL
Colorado (105.5); Denver (88); New Hampshire (84); New Mexico (79); Colby (78).

Women’s Slalom Top 5 FINAL
New Mexico (125); Vermont (94); New Hampshire (89); Utah (75); Denver (64).

Nordic Top 5 Through two of four races.
Denver (189); Colorado (184); Alaska Anchorage (175); Vermont (156); Dartmouth (147).

Men’s Nordic Top 5 Through one of two races.
Colorado (110); Alaska Anchorage (98); Vermont (89); Denver (87); New Mexico (80).

Women’s Nordic Top 5 Through one of two races.
Denver (111); Dartmouth (94); Alaska Anchorage (77); Colorado (74); Vermont (67).

Men’s Classical Top 5 FINAL
Colorado (110); Alaska Anchorage (98); Vermont (89); Denver (87); New Mexico (80).

Women’s Classical Top 5 FINAL
Denver (111); Dartmouth (94); Alaska Anchorage (77); Colorado (74); Vermont (67).