Monday, January 9
Big Sky, Mont.
All Day
Colorado
vs
Montana State Invitational (Slalom)
Photo by: Kelly Gorham, Montana State University
David Ketterer Wins Men’s Slalom; Buffs Hold on to Lead at MSU Invite
January 09, 2017 | Skiing
After two days of Montana State Invitational, CU maintains its lead by 26 points over Denver
BIG SKY, Mont. – Freshman alpine skier David Ketterer won the men's slalom race by over a full second for the Colorado Buffaloes on day two of the Montana State Invitational being held here at the Big Sky Resort.
Ketterer's two-run time of 1:43.13 topped Montana State's Garret Driller's finish of 1:44.40 to give the Buff newcomer his first collegiate victory.
The win comes as no surprise given his recent success in the slalom. Earlier this winter Ketterer became the first CU alpine skier under 27-year head coach Richard Rokos to win a NorAm event when he took first place in the slalom at the both the Canada NorAm Cup in Panorama, British Columbia on Dec. 18 and the Alpine NorAm Cup in Stowe, Vt. just last Wednesday.
"Obviously David's win is outstanding and it just documents his current ability," Rokos said. "On his side, he is so much further ahead of the field it is almost crazy. It's not typical, even in this league, that you have a second-and-a-quarter separation between the first and second guys, it is amazing."
Ketterer was not the only Buff with highlight performances on this day.
In the women's slalom, CU's sophomore duo of Tonje Trulsrud and Nora Christensen finished 3-4 to help the women's alpine team finish second with 87 points, just one behind race winner Denver.
Behind the backing of CU's strong performance on Sunday that opened the MSU Invite, Colorado remains in the overall lead at the meet with a two-day team score of 334. Denver sits in second at 308 followed by Utah in third at 286.5.
"It was a good race, we had a little tougher conditions today because of the new snow," Rokos said. "The course was a little bumpy that way, which doesn't work with some guys so well, but again good race and hopefully Nordic team will finish it (when the meet resumes next weekend) and we'll go to Utah (Invitational) and finish it for them there."
For Truslrud, this is her second podium finish of the meet. She placed second in the giant slalom on Sunday to now give her the first career meet with podium finishes in both the slalom and giant slalom.
The last CU women's alpine skier to have two podium finishes in the same meet was Jessica Honkonen, who finished second and then third in the two slalom races a part of the 2013 New Mexico Invitational. Digging in deeper, the last Buff to record podium finishes in both a giant slalom and slalom race at the same meet was Sara Hjertman in the 2011 Utah Invitational with a pair of second-place finishes in both races.
"She's very consistent and skis very solid," Rokos said. "She is not taking any chances and is still skiing very fast which is a super combination and for college skiing, it is an absolutely necessity."
Christensen's fourth-place finish was the best of her career, topping her fifth-place showing in the women's slalom at the 2016 NCAA Championships.
Rokos said that Christensen is in the same category as Trulsrud right now with her consistency.
"She just yesterday was very good, one of her best GS results because she was not skiing GS as fast as slalom," Rokos said of Christensen typically faring better in the slalom than the giant slalom. "Both girls are skiing well. There is no point where I am saying they are taking too many chances. It's really nice to have someone like this on the ladies' side."
On the women's side, all five Buffs competing improved their standing or stayed in the same place after their first run. As she did yesterday, freshman Andrea Arnold made the biggest jump from runs one and two. She stood 23rd in the field after her first run, but her second run time of 49.96 was the 10th fastest in the field for round two.
Behind Ketterer on the men's side was Max Luukko in 13rd place and Roger Carry in 23rd to earn points for the men's team that stood in third place among schools in the men's slalom races.
"It's a little breathtaking for coaches because you are making every turn with them in your mind or visually, but it is part of the game," Rokos said of his enjoyment watching the Buffs compete. "It's a good team environment and they are helping each other, even new people like Andrea and Megan (McGrew), they just plug in and they've quickly become a part of the team and that is very important."
The Montana State Invitational will break until next weekend when it resumes with the Nordic races (5/10K freestyle on Saturday, 15/20K classical on Sunday). The CU alpine teams will head to Utah to finish off the downhill portion of the Utah Invitation that resumes on Thursday with the women's giant slalom.
Montana State Invitational (4 of 8 events)—1. Colorado 334; 2. Denver 308; 3. Utah 286.5; 4. Montana State 270.5; 5. Westminster 246; 6. New Mexico 208; 7. Alaska Anchorage 163; 8. Colorado Mountain 33.
Women's Slalom Team Scores—1. Denver 88; 2. Colorado 87; T-3. Utah 72; T-3. Westminster 72; 5. Montana State 51; 6. New Mexico 44; 7. Alaska Anchorage 40;
Men's Slalom Team Scores—1. Denver 92; 2. Montana State 80; 3. Colorado 71; 4. New Mexico 60; T-5; Utah 58; T-5. Westminster 58; 7. Alaska Anchorage 35; 8. Colorado Mountain College 9.
Women's Slalom (35 collegiate finishers)—1. Monica Huebner, DU, 1:38.42; 2. Ann-Kathrin Breuning, WMC, 1:39.13; 3. Tonje Trulsrud, CU, 1:39.42; 4. Nora Christensen, CU, 1:39.53; 5. Julie Mohagen, Utah, 1:39.82;; 6. Roni Remme, Utah, 1:40.22; 7. Tuva Norbye, DU, 1:40.46; T-8. Kristine Aasberg, DU, 1:40.76; T-8. Andrea Komsic, DU, 1:40.76; 10. Storm Klomhaus, DU, 1:40.93. Other CU Finishers: 11. Megan McGrew 1:41.05; 21. Andrea Arnold, 1:42.60; 30. Katie Hostetler 1:45.27;
Men's Slalom (31 collegiate finishers)— 1. David Ketterer, CU, 1:43.13; 2. Garret Driller, MSU, 1:44.40; 3. Nick Santaniello, DU, 1:45.05; 4. Alex Leever, DU, 1:45.11; 5. Vegard Busengdal, UNM, 1:45.14; 6. Sebastian Brigovic, DU, 1:45.46; 7. Tanner Farrow, DU, 1:45.81; 8. Endre Bjertness, Utah, 1:45.90; 9. Morten Bakke, MSU, 1:45.95; 10. Tim Lindgren, WMC, 1:45.96. Other CU Finishers: 13. Max Luukko 1:46.36; 23. Roger Carry 1:49.14; 30. Bobby Moyer 1:52.22; Ola Johansen DNF (1).
Ketterer's two-run time of 1:43.13 topped Montana State's Garret Driller's finish of 1:44.40 to give the Buff newcomer his first collegiate victory.
The win comes as no surprise given his recent success in the slalom. Earlier this winter Ketterer became the first CU alpine skier under 27-year head coach Richard Rokos to win a NorAm event when he took first place in the slalom at the both the Canada NorAm Cup in Panorama, British Columbia on Dec. 18 and the Alpine NorAm Cup in Stowe, Vt. just last Wednesday.
"Obviously David's win is outstanding and it just documents his current ability," Rokos said. "On his side, he is so much further ahead of the field it is almost crazy. It's not typical, even in this league, that you have a second-and-a-quarter separation between the first and second guys, it is amazing."
Ketterer was not the only Buff with highlight performances on this day.
In the women's slalom, CU's sophomore duo of Tonje Trulsrud and Nora Christensen finished 3-4 to help the women's alpine team finish second with 87 points, just one behind race winner Denver.
Behind the backing of CU's strong performance on Sunday that opened the MSU Invite, Colorado remains in the overall lead at the meet with a two-day team score of 334. Denver sits in second at 308 followed by Utah in third at 286.5.
"It was a good race, we had a little tougher conditions today because of the new snow," Rokos said. "The course was a little bumpy that way, which doesn't work with some guys so well, but again good race and hopefully Nordic team will finish it (when the meet resumes next weekend) and we'll go to Utah (Invitational) and finish it for them there."
For Truslrud, this is her second podium finish of the meet. She placed second in the giant slalom on Sunday to now give her the first career meet with podium finishes in both the slalom and giant slalom.
The last CU women's alpine skier to have two podium finishes in the same meet was Jessica Honkonen, who finished second and then third in the two slalom races a part of the 2013 New Mexico Invitational. Digging in deeper, the last Buff to record podium finishes in both a giant slalom and slalom race at the same meet was Sara Hjertman in the 2011 Utah Invitational with a pair of second-place finishes in both races.
"She's very consistent and skis very solid," Rokos said. "She is not taking any chances and is still skiing very fast which is a super combination and for college skiing, it is an absolutely necessity."
Christensen's fourth-place finish was the best of her career, topping her fifth-place showing in the women's slalom at the 2016 NCAA Championships.
Rokos said that Christensen is in the same category as Trulsrud right now with her consistency.
"She just yesterday was very good, one of her best GS results because she was not skiing GS as fast as slalom," Rokos said of Christensen typically faring better in the slalom than the giant slalom. "Both girls are skiing well. There is no point where I am saying they are taking too many chances. It's really nice to have someone like this on the ladies' side."
On the women's side, all five Buffs competing improved their standing or stayed in the same place after their first run. As she did yesterday, freshman Andrea Arnold made the biggest jump from runs one and two. She stood 23rd in the field after her first run, but her second run time of 49.96 was the 10th fastest in the field for round two.
Behind Ketterer on the men's side was Max Luukko in 13rd place and Roger Carry in 23rd to earn points for the men's team that stood in third place among schools in the men's slalom races.
"It's a little breathtaking for coaches because you are making every turn with them in your mind or visually, but it is part of the game," Rokos said of his enjoyment watching the Buffs compete. "It's a good team environment and they are helping each other, even new people like Andrea and Megan (McGrew), they just plug in and they've quickly become a part of the team and that is very important."
The Montana State Invitational will break until next weekend when it resumes with the Nordic races (5/10K freestyle on Saturday, 15/20K classical on Sunday). The CU alpine teams will head to Utah to finish off the downhill portion of the Utah Invitation that resumes on Thursday with the women's giant slalom.
Montana State Invitational (4 of 8 events)—1. Colorado 334; 2. Denver 308; 3. Utah 286.5; 4. Montana State 270.5; 5. Westminster 246; 6. New Mexico 208; 7. Alaska Anchorage 163; 8. Colorado Mountain 33.
Women's Slalom Team Scores—1. Denver 88; 2. Colorado 87; T-3. Utah 72; T-3. Westminster 72; 5. Montana State 51; 6. New Mexico 44; 7. Alaska Anchorage 40;
Men's Slalom Team Scores—1. Denver 92; 2. Montana State 80; 3. Colorado 71; 4. New Mexico 60; T-5; Utah 58; T-5. Westminster 58; 7. Alaska Anchorage 35; 8. Colorado Mountain College 9.
Women's Slalom (35 collegiate finishers)—1. Monica Huebner, DU, 1:38.42; 2. Ann-Kathrin Breuning, WMC, 1:39.13; 3. Tonje Trulsrud, CU, 1:39.42; 4. Nora Christensen, CU, 1:39.53; 5. Julie Mohagen, Utah, 1:39.82;; 6. Roni Remme, Utah, 1:40.22; 7. Tuva Norbye, DU, 1:40.46; T-8. Kristine Aasberg, DU, 1:40.76; T-8. Andrea Komsic, DU, 1:40.76; 10. Storm Klomhaus, DU, 1:40.93. Other CU Finishers: 11. Megan McGrew 1:41.05; 21. Andrea Arnold, 1:42.60; 30. Katie Hostetler 1:45.27;
Men's Slalom (31 collegiate finishers)— 1. David Ketterer, CU, 1:43.13; 2. Garret Driller, MSU, 1:44.40; 3. Nick Santaniello, DU, 1:45.05; 4. Alex Leever, DU, 1:45.11; 5. Vegard Busengdal, UNM, 1:45.14; 6. Sebastian Brigovic, DU, 1:45.46; 7. Tanner Farrow, DU, 1:45.81; 8. Endre Bjertness, Utah, 1:45.90; 9. Morten Bakke, MSU, 1:45.95; 10. Tim Lindgren, WMC, 1:45.96. Other CU Finishers: 13. Max Luukko 1:46.36; 23. Roger Carry 1:49.14; 30. Bobby Moyer 1:52.22; Ola Johansen DNF (1).
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