Alyeska RMISA Championship Recap

Leon Nikic. Photo: Bob Eastaugh.

The RMISA Championships were hosted at Alyeska, Alaska on February 22 (GS) and 24 (SL), with the Alaska Anchorage Invitational taking place at the same venue on February 21 (GS) and 23 (SL). While they are considered two separate two-day events, the Championships and Invitational functioned much like one four-day race series. 

At RMISA Championships, seeding was based on RMISA points, just like all the other regular season RMISA Invitationals. This was the last chance for RMISA athletes to qualify for Lake Placid NCAA Championships, where the selected athletes will compete with the EISA for the national title.

DAY 1: GS

WOMEN

The RMISA Championship GS took place on February 22, one day after the Alaska Anchorage Invitational GS. 

DU’s Sara Rask had a good first run, but threw down the fastest second run to win the race by (-0.42). This was the freshman’s sixth win in a regular RMISA season. Rask has won all four of the University GS races she has started. 

Westminster senior, Lana Zbasnik, was the second fastest woman of the day. This was her first time on a RMISA podium this season. 

In third was Claire Timmermann, who is currently a junior at the University of Utah. This was Timmerman’s first career University podium, though she narrowly missed the podium with a fourth place in Eldora earlier in February.

Westminster was the top performer in the women’s GS with 93 points. The top scorers for Westminster were Lana Zbasnik, Denise Dingsleder and Evelina Fredricsson.

Women’s Team Scores Ranked: 1. Westminster, 2. Montana State, 3. Denver, 4. Nevada, 5. Alaska Anchorage, 6. Utah, 7. Colorado, 8. Colorado Mountain

MEN

Nikic Leon won the men’s GS by (-0.40). The Alaska Anchorage junior’s best result of the RMISA season had previously been a third place in his home Invitational the prior day. 

Westminster’s Jeremie Lagier was next in second place. He also finished on the podium in second the previous day. 

Rounding out the podium in third place was CU Buff, Louis Fausa. This was the junior’s second career RMISA podium, but his first of the season. 

The Westminster men matched their women’s team’s energy and were also the highest team total for the GS. 

Westminster delivered the highest team score in the men’s GS. The three athletes that scored for Westminster were: Jeremie Lagier (second), Francisco Galdiolo (fourth) and Mikkel Solbakken (11th). 

Men’s Team Scores Ranked: 1. Westminster, 2. Utah, 3. Montana State, 4. Alaska Anchorage, 5. Colorado, 6. Denver, 7. Colorado Mountain, 8. Nevada

DAY 2: SLALOM

WOMEN

The women’s RMISA Championship slalom saw athletes from three different schools among the top three. 

First was Denver University athlete Nora Brand. Brand also won the Alaska Anchorage Invitational the day before. 

Second place was claimed by Utah Ute, Michelle Kerven. Kerven was just (+0.10) away from a medal the day before – an exciting yet frustrating position to be in. She utilized her second slalom opportunity on the hill to secure herself a place on the podium, finishing (+0.41) behind Brand.

Kristiane Bekkestad earned third place. The Montana State junior had finished directly behind Kervin in fifth the previous day. Bekkestad had collected several top 10s this season and finally broke into the top three in the last regular season RMISA race.

The top three women’s slalom teams of the day were Denver, Montana State and Colorado. The three scorers for Denver were: Nora Brand (first), Sara Rask (fourth) and Kaitlyn Harsch (seventh). 

Women’s Team Scores Ranked: 1. Denver, 2. Montana State, 3. Colorado, 4. Alaska Anchorage & Utah, 6. Nevada & Westminster, 9. Colorado Mountain 

MEN

All six of the men’s RMISA University slaloms of the 2023 season have been won by the same athlete – Utah Ute Wilhelm Normannseth. 

Joining Normannseth on the podium in second and third place were Montana State’s Gianluca Boehm and Alaska Anchorage’s Leon Nikic. 

Boehm has been on the podium twice before. Both of these results were achieved at the Denver Invitational, which was hosted at Loveland. As a freshman, this is Boehm’s first season on the RMISA circuit. 

Alaska Anchorage athlete Leon Nikic had three great days at his home venue. In the two GS races hosted at Alyeska, he was on the podium twice, finishing first and third place. He did not finish his first run in the first slalom (Alaska Anchorage Invitational). But, in the RMISA Championship slalom, he earned his third podium in four days with another third place. 

The three top scoring men’s teams in the RMISA Championship slalom were Montana State, Utah and Westminster. The scorers for MSU were: Gianluca Boehm second), Henry Heaydon (fourth) and Dawson Yates (fifth). 

Men’s Team Scores Ranked: 1. Montana State, 2. Utah, 3. Westminster, 4. Alaska Anchorage, 5. Denver, 6. Colorado, 7. Colorado Mountain, 8. Nevada

Alpine Point Leaders: MSU, WMC, DU, UU, UAA, CU, UN, CMC

The athletes qualified for NCAA Championships will race at Whiteface (Lake Placid, NY) on March 8-11.

Click here to read the Alaska Anchorage Invitational Recap

Click here to read the NCAA Nationals Alpine Rosters