Below is an account from LetsGoDU ski team insider, Tim Healy, on this season’s outlook for DU’s defending national champions. His recent day with the team is chronicled below:

This past Saturday the DU ski team hosted its annual Ski with the Team fundraiser up at Winter Park Resort. Members of both the Alpine and Nordic teams joined supporters and friends of the program on the Winter Park Express for a train ride up to the slopes. On board the train the athletes served beverages and breakfast burritos from local favorite Snooze an A.M. Bakery. Once we arrived at the mountain, we hit the slopes. I was joined by senior Tuva Norbye, junior Storm Klomhaus, sophomore Amelia Smart, & freshman Katie Hensien. And, frankly, how many sports can you spend the day with NCAA national champions doing a hobby you love to do!

I was able to discuss this season with both Tuva and Storm and how the team is performing. Both athletes are very happy with how the team has looked so far and the trajectory of the of our Nordic and Alpine squads the rest of the season. Tuva has been off to a strong start, while Storm is still recovering from her knee injury from last season, and a bad fall in December. The Alpine team has had a strong start to the season, only two races in and only a handful to go. One notable absence on the slopes was junior Andrea Komsic, who was on a flight to Europe to start a couple of World Cup races for the Croatian national team. After lunch, I joined some of the members of the Nordic team for a few runs. To my pleasant surprise, these Nordic guys can definitely hold their own on a pair of downhill skis.  

This annual fundraiser has become a tradition for the ski team faithful. Although this is the third year of the fundraiser in its present state, there was a previous tradition of the ski train fundraiser back in the mid-2000’s. This year’s fundraiser was completely sold out with over 50 people on the train. After the train returned to Denver, we joined the coaches (head alpine coach Andy LeRoy and his assistant coach Tyler Shepherd were joined by head Nordic coach Dave Stewart) and fellow DU friends in the bar at Union Station to talk about the team and the remaining season ahead. Both coach LeRoy and coach Stewart were very optimistic about our prospects for NCAA Nationals in March at  Stowe, Vermont.

Next up for the Pioneers is a quick trip down south for the University of New Mexico Invite. DU then travels up to Anchorage, Alaska for the combined University of Alaska Anchorage Invite/NCAA Western Regionals. Both of these races will set up the Pioneers for their defense of the national title in Vermont the first weekend of March.

As usual, expect Utah and Colorado to be the main challengers from the west during the regional RMISA (Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association) season. Since Nationals are out east this season, traditional powers like Dartmouth may emerge as Denver seeks to go back-to-back and add to their 24 national championships.

Two things I’d like to remind readers. First, if you love to ski, think about signing up for this day-long trip and you will meet some great student-athletes and get a few tips on the slopes. Second, if you are looking to support a DU team, think about giving to DU skiing. These student-athletes represent us well. I have posted a link below:

Follow the link HERE to give to the DU ski team, our most decorated team at the University of Denver.