NCAA: Montana State hosts West Regional

Denver’s Seppi Stiegler and Katie Lyons of Nevada won GS races Thursday at Big Sky, in essence makeup Western Qualifier races that replaced a pair of cancelled GS events earlier this season at the Western State Invite.
BOZEMAN, Montana — Denver’s Seppi Stiegler and Katie Lyons of Nevada won GS races Thursday at Big Sky, in essence makeup Western Qualifier races that replaced a pair of cancelled GS events earlier this season at the Western State Invite.
    Weather conditions were so poor at Western State’s meet earlier this month the coaches wanted to provide another opportunity for racers to have a chance to perform under better circumstances.
    Beginning Friday, the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association Championships provide the last chance for either qualifying or improving seeding for next month’s NCAA Championships.
    This meet also doubles as the NCAA West Regional/Montana State Invitational. The giant slalom and Nordic freestyle races are set for Friday, with the slalom and cross-country classical events Saturday.
    In the men’s GS, DU’s Seppi Stiegler won in 1 minute, 39.31 seconds, topping New Mexico’s Tor Fodnesbergene by a tenth of a second. Denver’s John Buchar finished third in 1:39.81.
    Lyons won the women’s race in 1:36.74, with Karin Ohlin of New Mexico second (1:37.30) and Colorado’s Lucie Zikova third (1:37.40).

Men’s Giant Slalom—1. Seppi Stiegler, DU, 1:39:31;  2. Tor Fodnesbergene, UNM, 1:39.41;  3. John Buchar, DU, 1:39.81;  4. Gregory Berger, Nevada, 1:39.84;  5. Marc Perathoner, Western State, 1:40.28.  

Women’s Giant Slalom—1. Katie Lyons, Nevada, 1:36.74;  2. Karin Ohlin, UNM, 1:37.30;  3. Lucie Zikova, CU, 1:37.40;  4. Rachel Roosevelt, CU, 1:37.45;  5. Chirine Njeim, Utah, 1:37.74.