The Denver Pioneers ski team will host the cross country portion of its 2026 DU Invitational this weekend at the Frisco Nordic Center in Summit County. The event, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, features collegiate teams from the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association (RMISA), including the University of Colorado, Utah, Montana State, Alaska Anchorage, and Alaska Fairbanks.
Racing begins Saturday with a mass start 10-kilometer classical race at 10 a.m. MT. On Sunday, competition concludes with a 7.5K freestyle interval start beginning at 9 a.m. MT. Spectators are invited to attend free of charge and can view much of the action near the start and finish areas close to the ballfield as athletes complete three laps per race.
Parking is available at no cost around the Frisco Nordic Center, though some spaces will be reserved for team personnel and equipment.
Team Summit is co-hosting the meet with Denver. The event also serves as a junior national qualifier for local skiers. The races were moved from their traditional venue at Maloit Park in Minturn due to snow conditions; Frisco’s course is flatter but sits more than 1,000 feet higher in elevation than Minturn, which could present an added challenge for competitors.
Denver most recently competed at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center during the Utah Invitational on January 24-25, where they finished fourth overall and recorded six top-10 finishes across four races. Junior Maja Moland placed eighth in both women’s events while freshman Yannick Zellweger achieved his first career top-10 finish in men’s skate.
At their own invitational so far, Denver stands second after alpine events held January 12-14 at Loveland Ski Area and Aspen Highlands. With 316 points, they trail CU by just 37 points and lead third-place Utah by over 31 points.
Following this weekend’s competition, all RMISA Nordic teams will remain in Colorado for next week’s CU Invitational cross country events at Howelsen Hill Ski Area in Steamboat Springs on February 13-14.
Live results from this weekend’s races will be posted online at https://zone4.ca/event/2026/7BMaGz/.
