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Loeseth Wins DU Giant Slalom
Feb. 4, 2007
Denver Invitational Team Scores Coming into the 2007 season, the University of New Mexico ski team knew that its men's Alpine squad had the potential to be among the top in the nation. The Lobos suffered some some disappointing results in the opening weeks of the season, but asserted themselves this weekend by sweeping both events at the Denver University Invitational. Senior Lars Loeseth scored his fifth career Alpine win, taking the men's giant slalom race while leading the Lobos to a fourth place showing in the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association meet in Winter Park and Steamboat Springs, Colo. Loeseth made his two runs in the GS in a time of 1:54.57, clearing DU's Adam Cole (1:56.98) by more than two seconds. UNM took the team trophy in the men's giant slalom, adding a third place finish from sophomore Tor Fodnesbergene and a fifth place time from senior Alex Mach. With the win, Loeseth moves into second place on UNM's all-time men's Alpine win list, trailing Stefan Lanzier's six titles from 1997-99. Loeseth also led the Lobo men in their win in the slalom races, posting a fourth place time. Also in the top-10 for New Mexico were Mach (6th) and freshman Jon Masdal (T7th).
Freshman Malin Hemmingson was solid for UNM's women's Alpine team, posting top-10s in both races this weekend. She placed 4th in the women's giant slalom and sixth in the slalom. She was the only Lobo to place in the top-10 in either of the women's Alpine races. The Lobo women's Nordic squad had an impressive showing in both races, placing second in the 5K freestyle and 10K classic races. Three Lobos placed in the top-10 of the freestyle, led by junior Laura Van Alst's fifth place time of 17:52.2. It was Van Alst's best time in any race this season and her highest finish since placing 4th in the freestyle at Western State last season. She wasa joined in the top-10 by sophomore Crystin Jaques (7th - 18:07.4) and freshman Polina Ermoshina (8th - 18:17.3). Jaques seventh place time tied her career best mark in a freestyle race set last season at the NCAA West Regional in Reno, Nev. Denver's Annelise Bailly posted the win in 17:15.7. Ermoshina had a second place time in the classic to lead a pair of Lobos in the top-10. Freshman Melaine Zemp had her best mark of the season with a ninth place finish. New Mexico's men's Nordic team placed eighth overall in the men's 10K freestyle, led by sophomore Casey Dyck's 23rd place finish (32:09.7). Freshman Vsevolod Soloviev placed 26th (32:38.1) and senior Jedd Young finished 27th (32:55.0) to round out the Lobo scoring. In the 15K classic, New Mexico finished seventh with Soloviev crossing the line first for the Lobos in 22nd place overall. Teams will now make their way to Taos and Red River, N.M., for the New Mexico Invitational on Feb. 9-10. The Lobos will finish the delayed Montana State Invitational with the men's and women's giant slalom on Thursday, Feb. 8, in Taos, N.M. |
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