Lobos Continue To Lead Tight Race At CU Invitational

Thursday, January 15, 2009 – by Curtis Snyder, RMISASkiing.com

Results Available On Schedule/Results Page

ELDORA, Colo. – The University of New Mexico continues to lead here at the 15th Annual University of Colorado / Laura Sharpe Flood Memorial Ski Invitational, hosted by the Buffs with the alpine event taking place at the Eldora Ski Resort. The Lobos lead with a score of 282 with the top five teams within 43 points after the alpine events are completed.

Colorado is second with 270.5 points followed by Denver (267), Alaska Anchorage (245) and Utah (239.5). Nevada (201), Montana State (170) and Whitman (94) round out the scoring.

In women’s slalom action, Alexandra Parker from Alaska Anchorage won the women’s slalom race, completing the sweep as she won the giant slalom race Wednesday. Parker has already won four out of six races this season, including all three women’s slalom runs. She won in a time of 1:43.02, less than a second ahead of Denver’s Claire Abbe (1:43.85). Colorado’s Katie Hartman (1:44.79) finished third while New Mexico teammates Karin Ohlin (1:44.80) and Malin Hemmingsson (1:45.36) round out the top five.

In men’s slalom action, Colorado’s Gabriel Rivas won his second straight slalom race, also winning the Seawolf Invitational slalom race just five days ago. Rivas finished in 1:43.04 with a pair of Pioneers finishing 2-3 in Lief Haugen (2nd – 1:43.58) and Ian Lochhead (3rd – 1:43.90). New Mexico’s duo of Nikolai Finne (144.47) and Petter Brenna (1:44.79) rounding out the top five.

Action continues at Eldora Friday with the RMISA Qualifier slalom races, half of an extra set of alpine races used for qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for individuals. The other half of that qualifier will feature the giant slalom race, held the day before the start of the Denver Invitational next month in Winter Park.

In the Colorado Invitational, action now shifts to Aspen where the Nordic teams will compete Friday and Saturday.