STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. – The Utah ski team heads to Steamboat Springs, Colorado this week as the program embarks on the 2022 RMISA Championships which will also serve as the NCAA West Regional.
Alpine races are scheduled for Feb. 23 (giant slalom) at Mount Werner and Feb. 24 (slalom) at Howelsen Hill. Teams will remain at Howelsen Hill for Nordic competition on Feb. 25 (5/10k classic interval start) and Feb. 26 (15/20k freestyle mass start).
The University of Colorado, host of the RMISA Championships, will stream all eight championship races
on CU's YouTube page as well as the CU Athletics and CU Skiing Facebook pages. Broadcast coverage is scheduled to begin each day as follows:
- Wednesday, Feb. 23 - 8:30 a.m. MT - Giant Slalom
- Thursday, Feb. 24 - 9 a.m. MT - Slalom
- Friday, Feb. 25 - 10 a.m. MT - 5/10k Classic
- Saturday, Feb. 26 - 9 a.m. MT - 15/20k Freestyle
The Utes last raced on the alpine side over the holiday weekend, winning the alpine-only Denver Invitational. It was capped by
Wilhelm Normannseth's first collegiate win in Monday's slalom race, highlighting three top-10 performances in both the men's and women's races. Prior to that, Utah opened the meet in giant slalom with
Kaja Norbye hitting the podium in a third-place finish.
Nordic events are back for the first time since freestyle racing took place in Fairbanks, Alaska on Feb. 5 during the RMISA Invitational. Classic races were scheduled for Feb. 6 but were cancelled due to cold temperatures, wrapping the meet with a Utah victory.
Utah will be a bit shorthanded on the Nordic side this weekend with six skiers in Lygna, Norway at the FIS World Junior/U23 Championships. The group includes
Brian Bushey,
Walker Hall and
Sydney Palmer-Leger in World Junior Championships action, along with
Abby Jarzin,
Samuel Hendry and
Noel Keeffe in U23 racing. Cross-country events at the FIS World Junior/U23 Championships continue through Feb. 27.
Amidst those absences, the Utes have been welcoming back athletes who were away at the Winter Olympics. Alpine skiers
Katie Parker (Australia) and
Katie Vesterstein (Estonia) raced in the Denver Invitational, and expecting to return to the college circuit soon are alpine's
Tomas Birkner (Argentina), along with
Luke Jager (U.S.),
Sophia Laukli (U.S.) and
Novie McCabe (U.S.) of the Utah Nordic team.
In addition to the RMISA Championships events scheduled for this week, an extra RMISA qualifier slalom race is scheduled for Feb. 25 alongside that day's classic races. An exhibition dual slalom is on the docket for Saturday back at Mount Werner.
Follow the Utes on social media (@utahskiteam).