Feb. 8, 2012
Alaska Anchorage Results Day 3 
Girdwood, Alaska – The University of New Mexico ski team continues to remain in sixth place at the Alaska Anchorage Invitational, despite a great effort by the Alpine team Wednesday at Alyeska Ski Resort. The Lobos’ men and women Alpine skiers finished third behind only Utah and Denver, scoring a total of 188 points to bring their total to 516 with slalom races still to come.
The day’s races finished quite late due to delays thanks to a constant pouring of rain all day long.
“With it raining, it actually made the snow surface better, if you can believe that,” Head Alpine coach Tyler Shepherd said. “The organizers were able to use salt to help make the track hard, which is what we want for racing. Still, you can never make it perfect in those kinds of conditions so the tracks on all courses were bumpy, and the visibility was marginal at best due to the pouring rain.”
Stefanie Demetz and Armin Triendl continued to lead the Lobos, as they have done all season, placing sixth and eighth in the women’s and men’s giant slalom races. Demetz now has four top-10 finishes out of six races on the year, while Triendl has five top-10 finishes out of six races.
“I felt the team gave a great effort today,” Shepherd said. “Armin, again, showed he is the leader of this team on race day.”
Following Demetz on the women’s side was Mary Rachel Hostetter, who took eighth place. The Lobo newcomer has been showing signs of vast improvement with each race. Her eighth-place finish is the highest finish she has recorded in a giant slalom race this season. Kate Williams wasn’t too far behind Hostetter, as the junior claimed 10th place, marking the first time all three Lobo women skiers finished in the top 10 together this season.
“In terms of results I was very happy with the women, as their six, eight and 10 finishes were a solid showing,” Shepherd said. “Especially, since I felt their first runs were not where they should be, but they stepped it up on the second run.”
On the men’s side, Chris Acosta joined his teammate Triendl in the top-10 by placing 10th and Michael Bansmer rounded out the scoring for the men, as he was the next Lobo to cross the finish line in 18th.
“I think it was a step in the right direction for the men, however, I know that they can still do better,” Shepherd said.
If the Alpine team remains in third, it will be in good shape to record its best overall finish (men’s and women’s scores) in a meet this season. The Alpine squad has two fourth-place finishes thus far this season. A third-place finish by the Alpine team at the Alaska Anchorage Invitational would also help boost the Lobos’ overall team score (Nordic and Alpine) and get them out of sixth place on the final day of competition.
The Alaska Anchorage Invitational will conclude Friday as the men and women Alpine skiers compete in slalom races to wrap up team scoring.
Up next, the Lobos will begin competition at the Seawolf Invite tomorrow with the men’s 10K and women’s 5K Nordic Freestyle races beginning at 11 a.m. MT and 12 p.m. MT, respectively. The Alpine skiers will also see their first action in the Seawolf Invite as they compete in the giant slalom with the men beginning at 12:30 p.m. MT and women at 1:30 p.m. MT tomorrow. The Nordic races will be run at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, Alaska, while the Alpine races will be held at Alyeska Ski Resort in Girdwood, Alaska.
Women’s Giant Slalom
6. Stefanie Demetz, UNM, 1:58.60; 8. Mary Rachel Hostetter, UNM, 1:59.25; 10. Kate Williams, UNM, 1:59.77
Men’s Giant Slalom
8. Armin Triendl, UNM, 1:55:98; 17. Chris Acosta, UNM, 1:56:87; 18. Michael Bansmer, UNM, 1:57.67; 23. Sean Horner, UNM, 1:58.41; 25. Mark Miller, UNM, 2:01.60; 31. Chriss Salbu, UNM, 2:16.94; 34. Joonas Rasanen, UNM, 2:33.65
Nordic Classical Women’s 5K
6. Linn Klaesson, UNM, 17:15.67; 19. Clara Chauvet, UNM, 18:10.9; 24. Anita Kirvesniemi, UNM, 18:22:1; 27. Anni Nord, UNM, 18:41.5 31; 28. Ingrid Leask, UNM, 18:45.4
Nordic Classical Men’s 5K
12. Sjur Prestseater, UNM, 14.49.2; 17. Eivind Solberg, UNM, 15:42.5; 28. Pierre Niess, UNM, 15:52.6
Nordic Freestyle Women’s 10K
5. Linn Klaesson, UNM, 30:19.6; 7. Clara Chauvet, UNM, 30:24.5; 13. Anni Nord, UNM, 32:01.5; 22. Anita Kirvesniemi, UNM, 32:50.5
Nordic Freestyle Men’s 10K
19; Eivind Solberg, UNM, 28:43.0; 28. Pierre Niess, UNM, 30:30.4