UAA Invitational Standings and Slalom Results
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Two more podiums, including a fifth of the season for Vegard Busengdal and the first of the year for Karoline Søvik Myklebust helped UNM keep pace with Denver and Utah, which both had big days as the RMISA squads hit the halfway point of the UAA Invitational.
The women’s team, fresh off a win in the slalom yesterday, came in third as all three scorers finished in the top 13. UNM did so well that all five skiers on the women’s side earned top 20 finishes. On the men’s side, powered by Busengdal, the Lobos were fourth. Overall UNM picked up 139 points on the day, losing their lead and dropping to third in a tight race so far.
Denver owns a one-point lead over Utah 319 to 318, with New Mexico just 12 points back at 307. New Mexico’s Nordic squad will compete in the Seawolf Invitational on February 7-8 and then the UAA Invitational February 11-12.
Myklebust registered her best finish of the season, picking up 34 points. She was joined in the top 10 by Katharine Irwin, UNM’s giant slalom specialist, and she added 22 points. Sydney Staples, fresh off her first career podium, came in 13th and scored 18 points. Alexandra Sjöström was 16th and Taylor Grauer was 18th, giving UNM five top-20 skiers in the race.
Busengdal’s podium finish was his fifth of the year, and it marked his fourth second-place finish. He picked up 37 points, which were key as UNM didn’t have another skier in the top 15. Alex Barounos was solid as usually in 17th, picking up 15 points, and Isak Klein continued his late season surge, coming in 21st to score 13 points, his second straight counter. Tyler Theis and Nick Veth were right behind in 22nd and 23rd, and both Patrick Brachner and Rob Greig suffered DNFs.