LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – Three Top-25 slalom finishes by the College of Idaho men's alpine ski team helped the squad to a fifth-place in the Alpine Combined at the USCSA National Championships on Whiteface Mountain.
Paced by second-team All-American Mateo Gonzalez, the Coyotes clocked a two-run team time of 4:47.67, to place sixth in the slalom. In the combined, C of I tied with St. Olaf for fourth-place (both teams with 12 place points), but the Oles took the fourth-place spot by holding a 132-144 edge in individual place points.
Gonzalez had the Yotes top two runs of the day, finishing 21st, with a combined time of 1:35.10. Coupled with his performance in yesterday's giant slalom, the sophomore finished 14th in the combined, earning All-America accolades.
Trevor Trimble clocked the 20th-fastest second run, vaulting eight spots in the afternoon to place 22nd (1:35.47), while
Jacopo Gelmetti made up six positions in Run 2 to place 25th (1:37.10).
Two other Coyotes competed in the event – as
Arnav Virmani placed 56th (1:59.70) and
Jarod Esnoz took 59th (2:06.90).
Rocky Mountain won the team title (4:30.44), just ahead of Castleton (4:30.63) and Sierra Nevada (4:31.63), with Castleton's Robby Kelley winning the individual title (1:28.58).
The race marked the final counting race for C of I head coach
Ron Bonneau, who announced his retirement after 30 years at the helm of the Coyote ski program.
