The Denver Pioneers alpine ski team opened their 2026 winter season at the FIS North American Cup circuit in Colorado, with events held at Beaver Creek Resort for men and Copper Mountain Resort for women. Both venues recently hosted FIS World Cup events prior to the Nor-Am Cup.
Current student-athletes and recent alumni represented Denver in the competition. Alumni participants included Storm Klomhaus, Cooper Cornelius, Simon Fournier, Galena Wardle, Loic Chable, and Eleri Smart.
The women’s team achieved ten top-15 finishes across five races. Graduate student Sara Rask finished fifth in the second giant slalom event on December 10 and ninth in the first giant slalom. Sophomore Liv Moritz secured seventh place in the first giant slalom on December 9. In the women’s slalom on December 11, five Denver athletes placed within the top 20: senior Mia Hunt was sixth, alum Eleri Smart seventh, Rask eighth, senior Nicola Rountree-Williams tenth, and sophomore Stella Buchheister seventeenth.
On the men’s side, Denver athletes also collected ten top-15 placements. Alum Simon Fournier led with third and fourth place finishes in the men’s slaloms on December 12–13 and a fifth place in giant slalom two. Recent graduate Loic Chable of Switzerland was sixth in super G two on December 10 and tenth in giant slalom one on December 11. Senior Thomas Hoffman had the best finish among active male skiers with ninth place in the first giant slalom.
Rask is currently ranked tenth overall among women in Nor-Am Cup standings—seventh in giant slalom and eighth in slalom—while graduate student Eirik Kveno leads DU’s men at thirty-sixth overall but twelfth in slalom after finishing twelfth and fourteenth in those events.
The Pioneers will continue racing this week at the Murphy Roberts Holiday Classic. Due to snow conditions, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s giant slaloms were moved to Aspen Highlands from Steamboat Springs; Friday’s and Saturday’s slaloms remain scheduled for Howelsen Hill Ski Area in Steamboat Springs.
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For further coverage of all DU sports teams or more information about their skiing program, visit DenverPioneers.com or follow their official social media channels.
