March 8, 2011
Lobos Ski Team — At NCAA Championships
Wednesday through Saturday — Stowe, Vermont — Stowe Mountain Resort
By Richard Stevens — Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
STOWE, Vt. — If the New Mexico Lobos expect to return to the NCAA national throne they sat upon in 2004, they’ll have a number of challenges ahead of them: Colorado, Denver, Utah, Vermont, Dartmouth.
And maybe snow, ice and rain.
“It’s supposed to rain on Friday,” said Lobo coach Fredrik Landstedt. “It could be pretty nasty.”
The Lobos also are planning to get nasty for the 58th NCAA Skiing Championships. You don’t win NCAA titles by pussyfooting around on skis. You go for it. The timid at this event usually watch other skiers climb atop the podium.
“You can’t make mistakes,” said Landstedt. “But you don’t win a national title unless you take some risks and go for it. We’re here to win a title.”
When you strap on your skis for the 58th NCAA Skiing Championship, you expect to race against the clock. The clock ticking in Vermont also is on a storm that his heading toward the Stowe Mountain Resort and the Trapp Family Lodge.
When you strap on your skis for the 58th NCAA Skiing Championship, you expect to race against the clock. The clock ticking in Vermont also is on a storm that his heading toward the Stowe Mountain Resort and the Trapp Family Lodge.
The storm is expected to drop some snow Wednesday night and Thursday, which isn’t all bad. But the storm also might be accompanied by wind and rain — which means look out for bad patches in the white stuff.
Vermont might be the team to beat on paper as it enters the NCAA meet ranked No. 1 by Ski Racing Magazine. The Catamounts won an NCAA title in 1994, but usually the title goes to the young men of the West.
The only Eastern team in the 2000s to wear the NCAA crown was Dartmouth in 2007. Denver is here looking to four-peat and also won titles in 2005, 2002 , 2001 and 2000. Colorado won in 2006, UNM in 2004, and Utah in 2003.
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PAST CHAMPIONS 2010 — Denver |
The Beast from The West this season might be Colorado which won four of five meets held out West with New Mexico winning its own invitational. A team from the West has won 15 of the past 16 NCAA titles.
Vermont won five of six Eastern meets, losing one to Dartmouth, but the lack of competition in the East allows teams to rack up big points in meets, which makeup the national rankings.
“Vermont and Colorado are favorites on paper and then Utah,” said Landstedt. “I don’t know much about Vermont, but the competition back East usually isn’t as good.
“I like our chances. We have one of our strongest teams. This might be the strongest or the second strongest team I’ve brought to the NCAAs.”
If the rankings hold up, it could be the Beast from the West (No. 2 Colorado) vs. the Best of The East ( No. 1 Vermont) — or a bunch of skiers could take tumbles in the weather and a dark horse could emerge.
The Lobos have a chance and the talent to be a dark horse. It’s difficult to count out Denver, which usually skis well at this national event.
The good news for New Mexico is the Lobos have qualified a full squad of 12 skiers to throw at the field. The bad news is the other top programs also have full teams.
There is more bad news, too — Vermont is skiing on its home run. “That should help them,” said Landstedt
The Lobos are led by Petter Brenna, who captured the RMISA/2011 NCAA West Region title in the men’s slalom. The Lobos finished third in that meet behind Colorado and runner-up Utah.
Brenna is still looking for his first national title as a Lobo. He won the slalom in the regional by two seconds over Seppi Stiegler of Denver. UNM’s Christopher Acost finished fourth in the event.
The Lobos have good point potential in Nordic events behind Christina Loevald-Hellberg, Tor-Hakon Hellebostad and Martin Kaas.
“We have 12 skiers for the first time since 2006,” said Landstedt. “That’s definitely promising, but there are four or five strong teams in the West.”
Colorado won several of the Western meets by garnering points from the Buffs’ impressive depth. In other words, the Buffs put more skiers on the slopes than did the Lobos. At the NCAA run, no team can field more than 12 skiers, so things even out.
“The team is in good shape,” said Landstedt. “We are well prepared and we are healthy.”