Hyncicova wins 10K Freestyle; Johansen and Luukko Finish 1-2 in GS Qualifier

BOULDER – The University of Colorado ski program opened its 2017 season in fine fashion, winning two events and seeing 10 top 10 finishes during Saturday's competition that took place in two different states.

The Nordic teams were at Soldier Hollow Resort in Midway, Utah, and on the first day of the Utah Invitational CU's women's team won the 10K freestyle race by 15 points over the Utes while the men's team took fifth. Combined, Colorado as a school sits in third place with 145 points after two events at the Utah Invitational trailing Denver (156) and the host Utes (151).

Junior Petra Hyncicova picked up her first collegiate victory on Saturday in the women's 10K freestyle, finishing in a time of 28:23.6. It was the first women's Nordic win in a race by a Buff since 2013. She also placed in the top 10 of the U.S. Cross Country Championships (ninth overall), which was being held in conjunction with the Utah Invitational at Soldier Hollow.

Up at the RMISA giant slalom qualifier at the Big Sky (Mont.) Resort, CU's Ola Johansen and Max Luukko finished 1-2. That marks the first time since 1996 that two Buffs finished 1-2 in the same giant slalom race.

"I'm very happy with our performance coming out of the first day," head coach Richard Rokos said. "We had very solid performances from both (Johansen and Luukko) and then Tonje (Trulsrud) picked right up where she finished last year."

Hyncicova, a native of the Czech Republic, just flew back to the U.S. on Wednesday returning from winter break. While back home training over break, Hyncicova also raced and qualified for the U23 World Championships that will be held at the same Soldier Hollow Resort in Midway, Utah later in the year.

"It was great (to win), I was suffering the whole race and didn't feel that I could win because I was getting split above all the other girls from the U.S. Nationals and I'm still pretty jetlagged, so I was really tired before the race," Hyncicova said. "When I saw the results I was so happy. For the girls, it was a really good day and with the alpiners, I just saw their results right now, it was a really good first day."

CU's women had five total finishers in the top 14 of the freestyle race at the Utah Invitational. Sophomore Christina Rolandsen matched her career-best finish, placing sixth with a time of 28:52.9, while behind her was Jesse Knori in eighth and Ane Johnsen in 10th. Freshman Anne Siri Lervik placed 14th in her first career race.

The RMISA giant slalom qualifier is being held one day in advance of the Montana State Invitational, which opens Sunday. The RMISA qualifier races do not count towards any team scoring, but are used as an extra opportunity for skiers to earn qualification points for the NCAA Championships at the end of the season.

Johansen's two-run winning time was 2:04.42 and right behind him in second was Luukko at 2:04.76. Freshman David Ketterer in his first NCAA race finished in 2:06.10, the sixth-best time overall among NCAA competitors.

Sophomore Tonje Trulsrud placed third overall in the women's giant slalom qualifier with a time of 2:04.87, which was second among NCAA participants to earn second-place points in terms of NCAA qualifying. Sophomore Nora Christensen finished in ninth overall (eighth among collegians) with her time of 2:05.46.

Back in Utah, the men's Nordic team was without three-time NCAA Champion Mads Stroem. He did not race in Saturday's 15K freestyle.

Sophomore Petter Reistad stepped up in his absence and placed sixth with a time of 37:51.6. Behind him was senior Jackson Hill in 12th with a finishing time of 38:51.6.

The Buffs are back in action on Sunday with the classic sprint races at the Utah Invitational and the opening of the Montana State Invitational with the giant slalom races.

Utah Invitational (2 of 8 events)—1. Denver 156; 2. Utah 151; 3. Colorado 145; 4. New Mexico 135; 5. Alaska Fairbanks 122; 6. Alaska Anchorage 102; 7. Montana State 90; 8. Wyoming 55

Women's 10K Freestyle Team Scores—1. Colorado 90; 2. Utah 75; 3. New Mexico 71; 4. Alaska Fairbanks 61; T-5Alaska Anchorage 56; T-5. Denver 56; 7. Montana State 45; 8. Wyoming 31

Men's 15K Freestyle Team Scores—1. Denver 100; 2. Utah 76; 3. New Mexico 64; 4. Alaska Fairbanks 61; 5. Colorado 55; 7. Alaska Anchorage 46; 7. Montana State 45; 8. Wyoming 31

Women's 10K Freestyle (28 collegiate finishers)—1. Petra Hyncicova, CU, 28:23.6; 2. Krista Niiranen, UNM, 28:26.0; 3. Guro Jordheim, Utah, 28:29.1; 4. Natalia, Mueller, Utah, 28.37.7; 5. Taeler McCrerey, DU, 28:47.0; 6. Christina Rolandsen, CU, 28:52.9; 7. Hailey Swirbul, UAA, 28:58.4; 8. Jesse Knori, CU, 29:00.1; 9. Nichole Bathe, UAF, 29.19.4; 10. Ane Johnsen, CU, 29.20.4. Other CU Finishers: 14. Anne Siri Lervik, 30:16.5; 26. Camilla Brautaset, 21:12.7; 31. Lucy Newman, CU, 32:00.2

Men's 15K Freestyle (37 collegiate finishers)—1. Moritz Madlener, DU, 35:22.4; 2. Kevin Bolger, Utah, 36:15.9; 3. Arnaud Guyon, UNM, 37:05.8; 4. Lars Hannah, DU, 37:19.3; 5. Eivind Kvaale, DU, 37:34.6; 6. Petter Reistad, CU, 37:51.6; 7. Kars Hokanson, MSU, 37:57.1; 8. Max Donaldson, UAF, 38:07.6; 9. Oscar Ivars, Utah, 38:21.1; 10. Toomas Kollo, UAA, 38:23.3. Other CU Finishers: 12. Jackson Hill, 38:51.6; 27. Andrew Potyk 40:59.7; 35. Max Scrimgeour 42:51.0; 37. Ian Boucher 43:53.4

Former CU Buffs Competing in the U.S. Cross Country Championships (Women's 10K Freestyle): 23. Mary Rose, 29:06.5; 46. Alexa Turzian, 29:46.6
Former CU Buffs Competing in the U.S. Cross Country Championships (Men's 15K Freestyle): 25. Matt Gelso, 36:38.2

RMISA Women's Giant Slalom Qualifier (39 collegiate finishers)— 1. Ann-Kathrin Breuning, WMC, 2:04.46; 2. Roni Remme, Utah, 2:04.52; 3. Tonje Trulsrud, CU, 2:04.87; 4. Chloe Fausa, Utah, 2:05.07; 5. Tuva Norbye, DU, 2:05.21; 6. Kari Hole, MSU, 2:05.24; 7. Monica Huebner, DU, 2:05.30; 8. Benedicte Lyche, MSU, 2:05.35; 9. Nora Christensen, CU, 2:05.46; 10. Kristine Aasberg, DU, 2:05.77. Other CU Finishers: 28. Katie Hostetler, 2:09.30; 29 Andrea Arnold, 2:09.38; 33. Megan McGrew, 2:10.37

RMISA Men's Giant Slalom Qualifier (37collegiate finishers)— 1. Ola Johansen, CU, 2:04.42; 2. Max Luukko, CU, 2:04.76; 3. Samuel Dupratt, Utah, 2:04.97; 4. Endre Bjertness, Utah, 2:05.17; 5. Addison Dvoracek, MSU, 2:06.03, 6. David Ketterer, CU, 2:06.10; 7. Dominic Demschar, Utah, 2:06.11; 8. Vegard Busengdal, UNM, 2:06.63; 9. Mikkel Wahl, WMC, 2:06.75; 10. Garrett Driller, MSU, 2:06.93. Other CU Finishers: 23. Bobby Boyer, 2:08.34; DNF2, Roger Carry.

Hyncicova wins 10K Freestyle; Johansen and Luukko Finish 1-2 in GS Qualifier

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Players Mentioned

Andrea Arnold

Ian Boucher

Camilla Brautaset

Roger Carry

Nora Christensen

Jackson Hill

Katie Hostetler

Petra Hyncicova

Ola Johansen

Ane Johnsen

David Ketterer

Jesse Knori

Anne Siri Lervik

Max Luukko

Megan McGrew

Lucy Newman

Andrew Potyk

Petter Reistad

Christina Rolandsen

Max Scrimgeour

Mads Stroem

Tonje Trulsrud