Despite several strong performances from the alpine team, the U ski team couldn’t elevate their standing during the final half of the Colorado Invitational during the weekend, finishing in fifth place, just six points behind Alaska-Anchorage.
The Utes came into the event in fifth after the Nordic half, which took place last weekend. Though they made up ground Friday and Saturday, they didn’t have quite enough to gain a spot on the podium.
Perhaps the biggest plus for the Utes on the weekend was the performance of the men’s downhill team. Freshman Scott Veenis raced past nearly the entire field, earning a second-place finish with a two-run time of 2:07.72, coming in just behind Denver Pioneer Todd Ligare. Ute junior Gaspar Perricone also finished in the top 10 with an eighth-place showing, helping to lead the Utes to a second-place finish in the giant slalom.
Meanwhile, the Ute women placed fourth in their slalom, paced by Chelsea Laswell’s fourth-place run. Laswell led four Utes in the top 15.
Despite their efforts, the hosting Colorado Buffaloes were too much for the rest of the field, putting up a score of 592, well ahead of second-place New Mexico.
Chris Bellamy