Featured Image: Justine Lamontagne from Montana State University/MSU, Kelly Gorham

BOZEMAN, Mont. — Three days of alpine racing at Bridger Bowl delivered tight margins, podium sweeps and late-meet drama as Utah held off Colorado to win the 77th RMISA Championships and NCAA West Regional.

Utah finished with 669 points, fending off Colorado’s late surge (651). Denver placed third (560) and Montana State fourth (526). While Nordic ultimately decided the team title, the alpine races in Montana set the tone — and kept the championship within reach until the final runs of giant slalom.

Below is a complete alpine recap from Feb. 26–28, with Top Five finishers from each race.

Feb. 26 — Women’s Slalom (Alpine Qualifier)

The meet opened with the women’s slalom qualifier, and Denver’s Sara Rask immediately stamped her authority on the series. The 2000-born Swede delivered two composed runs to take the win, while teammate Mia Hunt began what would become a podium-filled week.

Women’s Slalom — Top Five (Feb. 26)

Full Results:

1. 🇸🇪 Sara Rask (2000) — Denver — 1:42.19
2. 🇺🇸 Mia Hunt (2003) — Denver — +0.80
3. 🇺🇸 Tea Kiesel (2003) — Montana State — +0.92
4. 🇸🇪 Ella Bromee (2000) — Alaska Anchorage — +0.94
5. 🇳🇴 Christina Jacobsen (2004) — Utah — +1.71

Rask’s victory set up a strong alpine showing for Denver, while Utah, Alaska Anchorage and Montana State placed athletes inside the top five to stay in early contention.

Feb. 26 — Men’s Slalom (RMISA Championships)

Later that day, Utah’s Johs Braathen Herland took control of the men’s slalom with two confident runs. Colorado and Westminster kept pressure on the podium, while Montana State rounded out the top five.

Men’s Slalom — Top Five (Feb. 26)

Full Results:

1. 🇳🇴 Johs Braathen Herland (2003) — Utah — 1:35.26
2. 🇳🇴 Filip Wahlqvist (2001) — Colorado — +0.53
3. 🇦🇹 Benjamin Angerer (2002) — Westminster — +0.57
4. 🇪🇸 Alejandro Puente Tasias (1994) — Westminster — +0.97
5. 🇨🇦 William Steed (2005) — Montana State — +1.00

Herland’s win gave Utah valuable early championship momentum.

Feb. 27 — Slalom Championships

The second day brought full championship slalom racing for both genders — and the margins tightened.

Women’s Slalom (Championship)

Montana State’s Justine Lamontagne capitalized on a demanding second run to take the title. Hunt backed up her previous day’s runner-up with another second-place finish, marking two straight slalom podiums for Denver.

Women’s Slalom — Top Five (Feb. 27)

Full Results:

1. 🇨🇦 Justine Lamontagne (2002) — Montana State — 1:45.21
2. 🇺🇸 Mia Hunt (2003) — Denver — +0.26
3. 🇫🇷 Louison Accambray (2001) — Colorado — +0.76
4. 🇺🇸 Stella Buchheister — Denver — +1.40
5. 🇺🇸 Erica Lynch — Nevada — +1.72

Men’s Slalom (Championship)

Westminster’s Alejandro Puente Tasias took the win in a race decided by hundredths, while Colorado and Utah stacked the podium behind him.

Men’s Slalom — Top Five (Feb. 27)

Full Results:

1. 🇪🇸 Alejandro Puente Tasias (1994) — Westminster — 1:43.55
2. 🇳🇴 Filip Wahlqvist (2001) — Colorado — +0.02
3. 🇳🇴 Sindre Myklebust — Utah — +0.20
4. 🇳🇴 Johs Braathen Herland (2003) — Utah — +0.23
5. 🇨🇦 Pierick Charest — Utah — +0.49

Utah placed three inside the top five, banking key points that proved crucial later.

Feb. 28 — Giant Slalom (Final Alpine Day)

The final alpine races delivered both a podium sweep and a dramatic championship push.

Women’s Giant Slalom

Colorado’s Louison Accambray closed the weekend with authority, winning the GS and giving the Buffaloes critical points in their chase of Utah.

Women’s Giant Slalom — Top Five (Feb. 28)

Full Results:

1. 🇫🇷 Louison Accambray (2001) — Colorado — 1:35.51
2. 🇨🇦 Justine Lamontagne (2002) — Montana State — +0.62
3. 🇸🇪 Melanie Dahlberg (2002) — Utah — +1.13
4. 🇳🇴 Cathinka Lunder (2003) — Colorado — +1.24
5. 🇨🇦 Kaila Lafreniere (2004) — Utah — +1.24

Men’s Giant Slalom

Colorado dominated the final alpine race, sweeping the podium and cutting deeply into Utah’s championship lead.

Men’s Giant Slalom — Top Five (Feb. 28)

Full Results:

1. 🇮🇹 Fabio Allasina (2004) — Colorado — 1:34.76
2. 🇳🇴 Filip Wahlqvist (2001) — Colorado — +0.40
3. 🇺🇸 Justin Bigatel (2003) — Colorado — +0.48
4. 🇳🇴 Johs Braathen Herland (2003) — Utah — +0.90
5. 🇮🇹 Pietro Bisello (2004) — Nevada — +1.05

Herland’s consistency across both disciplines helped Utah preserve its overall cushion.

Alpine Standings After Montana

Combined Alpine Standings

1. Utah — 323
2. Colorado — 318
3. Montana State — 292
4. Denver — 262
5. Nevada — 229
6. Westminster — 186
7. Alaska Anchorage — 120
8. Colorado Mountain — 113

Utah’s five-point alpine edge over Colorado kept the Utes in control entering the Nordic finale.

Final Overall Team Standings (Alpine + Nordic)

1. Utah — 669
2. Colorado — 651
3. Denver — 560
4. Montana State — 526
5. Alaska Anchorage — 348
6. Alaska Fairbanks (Nordic only) — 245
7. Nevada — 229
8. Westminster — 186
9. Colorado Mountain — 113

Colorado erased a 58-point deficit entering the final day and closed within 18 points, but Utah’s balanced alpine depth combined with steady Nordic performances secured the second consecutive RMISA crown.

Next up: the NCAA Championships in Utah, March 11–14, where the same programs will meet again with the Eastern Collegiate Ski Association athletes — this time with national titles on the line.