Featured Image: Louis Gustav Fausa skiing for CU. Credit: Matan Coll, Colorado Athletics.
The athletes faced yet another bitterly cold day as they competed in the first event of the 2025 collegiate circuit. They had two days of slalom racing at the Loveland Ski Area prior to the giant slalom competition at Copper Mountain.
The first day of slalom was the RMISA qualifier, and then the competition moved into the DU Invitational. The RMISA Qualifier race offered athletes an extra opportunity to earn points for the NCAA Championships, but team scores were not recorded until the invitational races.
University of Denver (DU) athlete Sara Rask and Filip Wahlqvist of the University of Colorado swept both days of slalom for the men’s and women’s fields.
In the giant slalom event, new champions emerged, both representing the University of Colorado (CU). Louis Gustav Fausa claimed victory over the men’s field, while Louison Accambray triumphed for the women.
The CU Buffs delivered an exceptional performance at the first Invitational, establishing a remarkable 63-point advantage over competing collegiate teams. This event also marked one of the most commanding races in the history of CU.
The Women’s Giant Slalom
The women started off with a tight first run. Claire Timmermann, representing the University of Utah and wearing bib number 2, crossed the finish line with a time of 47.43 seconds, establishing a solo lead.
However, this lead was soon matched by Logan Grosdidier from the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, who, wearing bib number 29, recorded an identical time.
The two women were pushed out of the lead in the second run by the CU Buff, Louison Accambray. Accambray finished the first run in 5th place, but only +0.29 behind the tied lead. With almost three-tenths to make up, she needed to gun it on the second run, which she executed with dominance.
Grosdidier concluded the day in 2nd place, and Timmermann rounded out the podium.
This was Accambray’s first university giant slalom race and her first GS win on the circuit. The beginning of her university career started off very strong with three top-10 performances this week.
Also, this was Timmermann’s second podium result on the university circuit and Grosdidier’s first podium.
Both CU and DU featured three women each in the top 10, marking the highest representation of women on the leaderboard in the GS. Nicola Rountree-Williams from DU achieved 4th place, and CU athlete Hannah Saethereng concluded the top 5 women.
The Men’s Giant Slalom
Louis Gustav Fausa laid down a winning run in the first run of the day, but it was another very tight race. Wearing bib 8, Gustav Fausa attacked from panel to panel, coming through with only a +0.05 lead over the field.
His teammate and the winner of the two slaloms, Wahlqvist, was on his tail heading into the second run.
Although both Buffalos lost some speed on the second run, Fausa was still able to clinch victory, and Wahlqvist concluded in 4th, a mere +0.04 off the podium.
Fausa fought for this achievement throughout his entire time as a CU Buff. This marks the graduate student’s first victory on the university circuit and fifth career podium.
Isak Stuarset of Montana State University concluded the day in 2nd place (+0.33), and Alejandro (Alex) Puentes Tasias of Westminster University rounded out the podium (+0.37).
For Stuarset, this was the senior’s first podium on the university circuit. Starting bib-1, he used that to his advantage to execute two solid runs. Additionally, the GS event marked Puentes Tasias’s first podium achievement.
The inaugural men’s GS of 2025 concluded with a slew of first milestones for the athletes, fostering early confidence. Alongside the women, the CU men achieved the highest number of top 10 finishes, concluding the day with three athletes on the leaderboard.
Sara Rask (DU) and Filip Wahlqvist (CU) were named the overall winners of the DU Invitational, which included all three races. While the two CU athletes, Wahlqvist and Louison Accambray, will be named the “Skiers of the Meet” for the DU Invitational, as that award only takes into account the actual meet and not the RMISA Qualifier.
The next RMISA Invitational will be February 3rd and 4th at the Montana State Invitational. Also, several university athletes will be competing at the 2025 World University Games in Torino, Italy, from Jan. 13-23.
About the Author: Ellie Hartman
