Featured Image: NCAA Giant Slalom Champion Justine Lamontagne (Montana State University). Photo: Stephen R. Cloutier.
The NCAA Championships giant slalom took center stage at Spencer F. Eccles Olympic Mountain Center at the Utah Olympic Park in Park City, Utah, where racers were greeted with blue skies and firm early-morning conditions. The course froze solid overnight, providing a strong surface for the first runs, but warming temperatures quickly transformed the track into a peely, sugary surface that began to create grooves as the day progressed. The changing conditions demanded smart tactics and adaptability from the athletes throughout the race.
The women opened the morning at the NCAA Championships in Park City, followed by the men’s first run, before the women returned for their second run and the men closed out the day on the course.
The four-day championship creates a unique team dynamic in collegiate skiing, where athletes compete not only for individual results but also for crucial points toward the overall team title. With alpine and nordic disciplines combined to determine the final standings, every run carries weight. From the very first race, athletes face the pressure of delivering strong performances while contributing to their team’s championship hopes.
Lamontagne Dominates to Claim NCAA Giant Slalom Title
Leading the charge from the very start was Justine Lamontagne (MSU), who skied out of the gate with bib 1 and immediately set the tone for the race. Confident across the tricky top flats, she stayed active through the terrain and carried impressive speed over the break onto the steep pitch. Her aggressive yet composed skiing allowed her to build a commanding advantage, finishing the first run with a 1.35-second lead over the field.
With the top 30 reversed for the second run, Lamontagne started with bib 30. As the race progressed, deep ruts formed around the gates, making the track increasingly demanding. Despite the deteriorating surface, Lamontagne remained composed and aggressive, fighting for her line while maintaining clean, powerful turns through the rough conditions. Her ability to stay on the attack through the dished-out sections allowed her to carry speed all the way to the finish.
Even with a sizable lead after the first run, Lamontagne showed no signs of backing off. Determined to secure the victory, she delivered another strong performance in run two, crossing the line with a combined time of 2:03.98. The next finisher stopped the clock at 2:05.60, leaving Lamontagne with a dominant 1.62-second margin of victory.
Montana State head coach Kris Shampeny praised Lamontagne’s execution and composure throughout the race.
“Justine skied with a lot of confidence today and really trusted her skiing,” Shampeny said. “To go out with bib 1 and set the tone like that takes a lot of belief. She stayed composed in some tough second-run conditions and showed the kind of leadership and competitiveness we’ve seen from her all season.”
Lamontagne was equally thrilled with the way the race unfolded.
“It was really fun out there today,” Lamontagne said after the race. “It felt like a great way to finish my senior season. The venue was awesome and the GS course was really fun to ski. I had a really solid first run and knew I just needed to put down another strong run in the second, so I’m really happy with how it all came together.”
Women’s Podium Performances
Louison Accambray of University of Colorado delivered a composed and tactical second run to move up the standings. Managing the growing chop with patience, she carried nearly a one-second advantage at the midpoint. Though slightly round through the steep pitch, she kept things clean and allowed the skis to run through the finish to secure second place, improving from third after the first run. This helping her team to secure more points.
“I had so much fun racing today,” Accambray said. “Having the whole alpine team there cheering for us was really special. I’m really happy I was able to get on the podium and help the team out.”
Rounding out the podium was Denver University’s Mia Hunt, the Utah hometown skier, who thrilled the local crowd with an impressive second run. Known for her powerful and aggressive technique, Hunt attacked the dished-out, sugary surface with smart tactics and determination. Holding strong through the rough lower section, she pushed into the green and ultimately surged onto the podium in third place. Posting the second-fastest time of the second run, Hunt made a remarkable jump from 12th after the first run to third overall, securing valuable points for the Pioneers in the team standings.
“I felt like a lot of things lined up for me to have a great day today,” Hunt said. “Racing at home in Park City with a sunny day and good snow made it really special. With a later bib I knew I had to attack from the back, and it was awesome having so many of my old youth coaches there supporting me. It was also my last college GS race, so I really wanted to enjoy it and make the most of it. I’m proud I was able to pull off a good result for the team, and I think our whole group fought hard today to start the NCAA Championships strong.”
Women’s Top 5 NCAA Championship
- 1. Justine Lamontagne— Bib 1 — MSU— 2:03.98
- 2. Louison Accambray — Bib 4 — CU — 2:05.60
- 3. Mia Hunt- Bib 31- DU- 2:05.81
- 4. Guro Hestad Vognild — Bib 11 — WU— 2:06.09
- 5. Melanie Dahlberg— Bib 10 — UU- 2:06.16
Changing Conditions and Big Moves on the Leaderboard
The women were up first on a technical, turny Giant Slalom course that demanded precision from the very top. The track opened with rolling flats filled with terrain, forcing racers to stay active and disciplined before breaking over onto a steep pitch, where maintaining speed and control through developing grooves became critical.
Abbey Copeland set the first run course, laying out a rhythm that tested athletes across the varied terrain. For the second run, Ian Lochhead set a slightly straighter, higher-speed track, allowing racers to open it up while still navigating an increasingly peely surface. Fans watching the live broadcast were also treated to dynamic drone footage, offering a unique perspective of the NCAA action.
Early drama unfolded when defending NCAA Champion Sara Rask of the University of Denver crashed in the first run, ending her chances of defending last year’s title.
One of the biggest moves of the race came from Ella Bromee of University of Alaska Anchorage, who charged from 17th after the first run with the fastest second run of the race, vaulting up the leaderboard to finish 7th overall.
Under blue skies but increasingly challenging snow conditions, the women’s NCAA Giant Slalom delivered exciting racing as athletes battled both the demanding terrain and the deteriorating track at Utah Olympic Park.
Herland Delivers on Home Snow
Johs Herland of the University of Utah delivered a standout performance on home snow, claiming the NCAA Giant Slalom title at Park City. After laying down the fastest time in the first run, Herland positioned himself at the top of the leaderboard heading into the second run. Skiing with the confidence and composure he has shown all season, he managed the increasingly rough conditions well, finishing eighth in the second run but holding onto his lead.
Herland secured the victory with a combined time of 1:55.41, narrowly edging out second place at 1:55.82. With the top three separated by only fractions of a second, it was a tight and exciting race among the leading men, but Herland’s strong first run ultimately proved decisive in securing the win in front of the home crowd.
Utah head coach J.J. Johnson praised Herland’s performance and the way the team showed up on their home hill.
“The boys came out firing today. It was probably some of the best skiing they’ve had on this hill in the last month and a half,” Johnson said. “Johs has been working through some setup things lately and today he just came out and skied simple. His mindset is really patient and he skis a lot by feel without skipping steps. That approach really showed today and it was great to see it come together on home snow.”
Herland said racing in front of a home crowd added to the moment and helped him stay relaxed throughout the race.
“It’s really special racing here with friends, teammates, and people from around campus coming out to support us,” Herland said. “Knowing the hill and having such a great atmosphere made it a really fun day. I tried to approach both runs the same way—just show up, ski as fast as possible, and not expect too much. After finally putting down a fast first run, I knew I just had to go for it in the second.”
Big Second-Run Moves Shake Up the Podium
Feb Allasina produced one of the biggest moves of the day for the Colorado Buffaloes. Starting 10th, he sat eighth after the first run before delivering the second-fastest time of the second run to vault up the standings and secure second place. Allasina’s run was smooth and confident, attacking key sections of the course while maintaining his speed all the way to the finish to earn the podium spot and valuable points for the Buffs.
Middlebury’s Nick Unkovskoy also made a significant second-run charge to round out the podium in third. Sitting ninth after the opening run, Unkovskoy put down a clean and composed second run. He was especially smooth across the challenging top flats—where several racers struggled with the terrain—and carried excellent speed over the breakovers to maintain momentum down the course. The strong run marked a big result for the Middlebury skier and capped off an impressive day for him.
After the race, Unkovskoy credited the course crew and the quality of the surface for allowing racers to stay aggressive despite the warm conditions.
“The people who prepared the surface today did a really great job. The snow was really good on the first run and it held up really well for the second run too. It was really warm and sunny, so it was impressive how well the snow held up. Going into the second run I knew it was a tight race, so I just tried to ski a direct line and really commit to the ski. It seemed to work out, and I’m super happy with how things turned out today.”
Men’s Top 5 NCAA Championship
- 1. Johs Herland— Bib 6 — UU— 1:55.41
- 2. Feb Allasina — Bib 10 — CU — 1:55.82
- 3. Nick Unkovskoy- Bib 4- MID- 1:56.10
- 4. Townsend Mikell — Bib 24— CBC— 1:56.13
- 5. Oscar Zimmer— Bib 9 — DAR- 1:56.24
A Demanding Course Creates Movement in the Field
Both giant slalom courses were set at a fast pace for the men, challenging athletes to stay precise while maintaining speed. The second run, set by the head coach from the University of New Hampshire, featured several unrhythmical sections that caught a number of racers off guard and led to mistakes throughout the field. The tricky set opened the door for movement within the top 10, allowing several skiers who delivered strong second runs to climb the standings and secure valuable team points.
One of the standout performances came from Colby’s Townsend Mikell, who laid down a blistering second run—the fastest of the run—to surge from 11th after the first run up to fourth place overall, capping off an impressive day. Dartmouth’s Oscar Zimmer, who has been dominant in the Eastern conference this season, sat fourth after the first run but struggled slightly on his second run, finishing 16th for the run and slipping back to fifth overall.
Colorado’s Filip Wahlqvist also saw a shift in the standings. After sitting second following the first run, a couple of mistakes in key sections of the course during his second run pushed him back to seventh overall. Meanwhile, Montana State’s Will Steed delivered one of the more impressive comebacks of the day, skiing to the fourth-fastest second run and moving up from 25th after the first run to finish 13th overall.
Despite the warm temperatures, many racers on the men’s circuit commented that the track held up well throughout the race. Athletes also noted their appreciation for the extensive work that went into preparing the surface and maintaining fair conditions for the entire field.
Team Standings Tighten as Championships Shift to Nordic
With the giant slalom races complete, the alpine athletes will have a day off while the Nordic skiers take center stage tomorrow at Soldier Hollow for the 7.5k classic. The shift in disciplines is a key part of the NCAA Championships format, where both alpine and nordic results combine to determine the overall team title, making every race critical in the battle for points.
After the opening alpine events, Colorado leads the team standings with strong results from both the women and men. Utah sits in second, powered by an especially strong men’s performance, while Montana State holds third following an impressive day from their women’s squad. Denver remains close in fourth, with Middlebury rounding out the top five as the championships move into the Nordic portion of the competition.
With several Nordic races still to come, the team title remains wide open, and tomorrow’s 7.5k classic at Soldier Hollow will play a major role in shaping the standings.
Analysis of Men and Women’s Results and Team Standings After Day 1
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About the Author: Katie Twible
