Another Pair of Podiums for Utah in Slalom at RMISA Championships

Thursday, February 24

Steamboat Springs, Colo.

All Day

University of Utah

Slalom

Photo by: Tyler Davis

Another Pair of Podiums for Utah in Slalom at RMISA Championships

2/24/2022 5:54 PM | Skiing

Results

Nordic races begin Friday with Utes leading the team standings

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. – For the second straight day at the RMISA Championships, Utah had two podium performances as slalom racing concluded the alpine half of the championships on Thursday at Howelsen Hill, with Utah leading in the team standings.

Katie Vesterstein took bronze in the women's slalom, continuing a steady progression up the rankings since her return from the Olympics. Gustav Vøllo also earned bronze in the men's slalom, bringing the Utes to four podiums in the alpine portion of the RMISA Championships and helping the squad to 334 points—six ahead of Westminster for the lead.

It was a particularly nice bounce back day for Vesterstein as well as fellow Olympian Katie Parker (sixth place), both of whom were unable to finish their first giant slalom runs on Wednesday. All five Utes in the women's race finished top-15, which also included Kaja Norbye in ninth, Michelle Kervén climbing up into 12^th and Sona Moravcikova in 15^th.

Vesterstein's podium finish was her first of this season and fourth as a Ute, all in slalom. Parker's top-10 was her fifth of the year and Norbye has been top-10 in seven of eight finishes during her freshman campaign.

Finishing right behind Vollo in fourth place of the men's race was Wilhelm Normannseth, and Joachim Lien closed out the scoring in 10^th on the day. Utah also claimed the Nos. 11 and 12 spots in Oliver Parazette and Jeremy Mathers, respectively.

Vøllo hit the podium for the first time this season and sixth as a Ute. Normannseth was back in the top-five for the fifth time this season, all in slalom, and Lien has been in the top-10 in seven straight races across both slalom and GS.

With alpine competition now in the books for the RMISA Championships, the focus now turns to Nordic races with a 5/10km classic interval start scheduled for Friday, Feb. 25. Freestyle racing will take place on Saturday, Feb. 26.

Colorado, the host of the 2022 RMISA Championships, is providing live streaming of all eight championship races through Saturday, Feb. 26. Coverage continues on the CU Athletics YouTube channel (BuffsTV) with Friday's classic races beginning at 10 a.m. MT.

Alongside the RMISA Championships, a qualifier event in slalom will be held on Friday. Although taking place at Howelsen Hill, this event is not part of the RMISA Championships.

Follow the Utes on social media (@utahskiteam).

More Utah News & Notes

As noted throughout this week, Utah will be a little shorthanded later this week during Nordic races with six athletes in Lygna, Norway at the FIS Junior/U23 World Championships. It 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.
Jarzin (United States) began the U23 racing slate in the 10km classic with a 36^th place finish on Thursday. In the men's 15km classic, Hendry (18^th; Canada) and Keeffe (47^th; United States) represented Utah.
World Junior action continues on Friday. Palmer-Leger is expected to start in the 5km classic (3 a.m. MT) and Bushey in the 10km classic (5 a.m. MT).