Recap: RMISA Alpine Qualifiers and RMISA Championships in Big Sky Resort, Montana

Featured Image: RMISA Alpine Qualifiers. Credit: Jack Power Photography

Last weekend the men and women of the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association (RMISA) competed in Big Sky Resort, Montana, in the RMISA Alpine Qualifiers and the RMISA Championships. It was an intense battle for the athletes as it marked the final events before NCAA Championships. 

On February 22nd the men and women competed in giant slalom for the RMISA Alpine Qualifiers. Then, on February 23rd and 24th they competed in one day of giant slalom and one day of slalom for RMISA Championships. 

Sara Rask, representing the University of Denver in skiing, showcased a remarkable performance over the course of three days. She was the only athlete to step on the podium each day of the event. 

On the men’s side, Filip Wahlqvist from University of Colorado and Mikkel Solbakken from University of Utah both achieved podium finishes twice throughout the three days of racing. 

Day One- RMISA Alpine Qualifiers 

Women 

DU Pioneer Sara Rask set the pace for the women. Pushing out of the start gate first, she found speed from the start to the finish. She completed the first run with a strong lead over the field, so she went into the second run with confidence to push for victory. 

Before these races, Rask commented on how she was going to prepare heading into the event. She stated, “I ski the best when I am the happiest, so I am definitely going to enjoy myself. We will have a few days of a lot of school and then, hopefully, some good training to find that extra speed for the last races.” 

Although Rask did not post the fastest time of the second run, she found the speed to pull out the winning time of the day by over a second.

Her Teammate, Nora Brand made up time in the second run, but was +1.05 off Rask’s lead. 

Rask stated, “The goal is to win NCAA [Championships] and we are heading in the right direction to be super fast.” 

University of Colorado athlete Denise Dingsleder rounded out the podium, finishing +1.13 behind Rask. This was Dingsleder’s first podium of 2024 University racing and her first GS podium of her collegiate career. 

Men

University of Utah, Mikkel Solbakken kicked out of the stargate wearing bib-2 and established his lead. He came through the finish ahead of the field. Starting 30th on the second run, he did not finish the second run with a leading time, but was able to grasp the combined victory. 

Filip Wahlqvist of the University of Colorado and Tanner Perkins skiing for Montana State University concluded the day in 2nd and 3rd place. 

For Wahlqvist, this result marked the Freshman’s 5th time on the podium in collegiate racing. He started his collegiate career by unveiling his eagerness for victory, winning the first two races in Utah. 

When asked about his main goal for the season, he stated, “Definitely to win races. When I am in the stargate I think that I am going to win. Going for the win is always the goal.” 

Finishing with a 2nd-place result on the first day lit a fire that would propel the young athlete forward in the RMISA Championships. 

Day Two- RMISA Giant Slalom Championships

Women 

Dingsleder, the 2022 GS RMISA Individual Champion, skiied impressively to earn herself the Championship title again. She was able to put together two runs that put her over five-tenths ahead of the field. 

The decorated Buff has already had a successful collegiate career. Before moving to Boulder, she skiied for Wesmtinster University for three seasons. When racing for Westminster, a highlight was earning two All-American honors at NCAA Championships. She aims to take her victorious momentum into NCAA Championships this season. 

University of Denver athletes, Sara Rask (2nd) and Nora Brand (3rd) completed the Championship podium. 

Nora Brand stood on every University podium this season, winning four slaloms. “It is always my goal to be up on the podium,” stated Brand. 

At NCAA Championships last year, Brand achieved a 7th-place finish in the giant slalom and 2nd place in the slalom. She will be striving to climb on top of the podium this season at NCAA Championships. 

Men 

Mikkel Solbakken achieved consecutive victories and became the RMISA Champion in the giant slalom. The victory marked his third win of the season and 5th podium result. After the first run, he was sitting in the 2nd-place position, and his teammate, Sindre Myklebust, was in the lead by a +0.19 lead. 

The competition in the second run was tighter, ending with faster and closer times. The men had to give their all to find the podium. Although Solbakken did not have the second run he was hoping for, coming across the finish line with the 9th fastest second run time. The Ute was able to clinch onto the top of the podium. 

Christian Oliveira Soevik of the University of Denver skied two consistently fast GS runs. He earned himself a 2nd-place finish, -0.08 ahead of Myklebust, who rounded out the podium. 

The race marked Soevik’s first time on a collegiate podium. This season the Freshman merely missed the podium several times in slalom, so it was a thrilling surprise for the athlete’s first podium to come in GS. The 2nd-place finish came one day after he posted a previous career best in the discipline in 9th. 

Wahlqvist (CU) skied thre down a fast second run time, merely missing the podium by +0.08, achieving a 4th-place result. 

After the first day of the Alpine portion of the RMISA Championships, University of Denver was in first place. Three Pioneers achieved the podium in the first day of the Championships, so they had 171 points heading into the second day of racing, just 7 points ahead of the CU Buffs. 

Day Three- RMISA Slalom Championships 

The second day of RMISA Championships and the last day of the event came with intensity. After the first day of racing, six RMISA teams were within 100 points of one another and all eight teams that competed on Friday were separated by just 109 points.

Women 

University of Utah’s Kaja Norbye was 6th out of the gate in the first run and came through the finish with the fastest time. However, Westminster University racer Carlotta Marcora, wearing bib-8, came down ahead of Norbye’s leading first run time by -0.49. 

Establishing a big lead in the first run, Marcora aimed for the top of the podium, which would be her first win skiing for Westminster University. Unfortunately, the athlete lost speed in the second run but managed to maintain a podium finish, ending the day in 3rd place. 

Kaja Norbye (UU) and Sara Rask (DU) completed the day on the top two steps of the podium, with Norbye taking 1st place and Rask in 2nd. Both displayed consistent, aggressive skiing throughout the day. 

Another win for Norbye shows more of the racer’s tenacity as this has been a season of coming back from an injury last season. She stated, “I was injured last year, so before the Utah Races [beginning of the season] I was really unsure of where I stood, so I was very pleasently surprised when I podiumed. Ever since I have been able to podium, which has been great and the confidence is there.” 

Caroline Jones, skiing for the University of Colorado, showed her contingency to stand on top of the podium again in collegiate slalom with the fastest second run time. In 2022 and 23, Jones stood on the collegiate podium eight times, with one win. She has not been able to find the podium this season, but the second run showed her capabilities to do so. 

Men

Filip Wahlqvist achieved another slalom victory, displaying a solid advantage over his competitors. He won with a one-second lead over Thomas Hoffman from the University of Denver. It was the freshman’s third win as a CU Buff. 

Soevik (DU) had the lead over Wahlqvist after the first run. He was -0.39 ahead of the Buffalo. Sadly, the Pioneer could not complete his second run to secure another Championship podium. 

The 2nd-place result from Hoffman was his first time on the podium for the University of Denver, which was a confidence-boosting achievement for the Sophmore. 

Starting bib-16, Wilhelm Normannseth threw down two consistent runs, which gave him a 3rd-place result. It was his first time stepping onto the podium this season, but he accumulated fourteen podium finishes throughout his collegiate career, which included eight victories. 

Ryder Sarchett, competing for the University of Colorado, was merely off the podium (+0.09). Sarchett came to Big Sky Resort ecstatic after his victories at the FIS Junior World Ski Championships and National Junior Championships. The Buff has immense potential and remains determined to pursue ambitious goals. 

Six CU Buffalos finished in the top six for the day, assisting in CU’s team victory at the 75th Annual RMISA Championship. The triumphant wins from Wahlqvist and Dingleder also propelled CU past University of Denver’s lead. At the end of the Alpine portion of the RMISA Championship event, the Buffs had 498 points, Utah had 451.5, Denver had 427, Montana State University finished with 378.5, and University of Alaska Anchorage rounded out the top 5 with 312 points. 

The next day, the teams battled in the Nordic 20-kilometer classic races at the Crosscut Mountain Sports Center. CU reigned victorious in the three-day event with 671 points, Utah earned 2nd by tallying 589.5 points, and DU rounded the team podium with 559 points.

The final showdown at NCAA Championships is fast approaching, scheduled to take place from March 6th to 9th. The Alpine giant slalom will kick off the event in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

FIS Results of the Men and Women For the RMISA Event