Flaaten Leads Four Buffs On Podium As CU Wins Own Spencer Nelson Memorial

Saturday, February 14

Steamboat Springs, Colo.

9:30 AM Women / 10:30 AM Men

Colorado

7.5K Classic (I) at Howelsen Hill

Photo by: Ashton Scott

Flaaten Leads Four Buffs On Podium As CU Wins Own Spencer Nelson Memorial

February 14, 2026 | Skiing

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Flaaten Joined On Podium By Pedersen, Lunde and Baangman In Solid All-Around Performance

By: Curtis Snyder, Associate AD/Athletic Communications

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. – Johannes Flaaten won and four Buffs hit the podium as the Colorado Buffaloes ski team closed out the Spencer James Nelson Memorial Invitational in dominant fashion Saturday at Howelsen Hill, scoring 187 points across the 7.5K classic races to pull away for a decisive meet victory.

Colorado finished with 689 points, winning by 66 over Denver (623), while Denver and Utah (619) battled to the wire for second place. The Buffs placed two skiers on the podium in each race, led by Johannes Flaaten winning the men's race and Storm Pedersen finishing third.

On the women's side, Astri Lunde finished second and Tilde Baangman placed third to give Colorado two podium finishes. Selma Nevin added an eighth-place finish as the third team scorer, while Nina Schamberger finished 13th after falling on the final lap. Elena Grissom placed 15th and Sophie Spalding 25th.

The men rebounded from Friday's result to win the race with 93 points. Flaaten and Pedersen both led at different points during the interval start before Flaaten secured the win with a strong final lap. William Bentley finished 13th and Luka Riley 20th for the Buffs.

Colorado won three of the eight races in the meet and had two individual race winners.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The women opened the day in the interval start format, and splits showed Lunde, Baangman and Schamberger all in contention near the front before Schamberger fell on the final lap.
Nevin delivered one of her stronger races of the season, finishing eighth as Colorado's third team scorer, while Grissom and Spalding rounded out the CU finishers.

The men followed with the 7.5K classic, and both Flaaten and Pedersen led at different points as the times came in throughout the race.

Flaaten closed with a strong final lap to secure the victory, while Pedersen finished third to help Colorado win the men's race outright.

UP NEXT

The RMISA season turns back to alpine for the conclusion of the Utah Invitational, Feb. 22–24 in Park City, Utah, to close the regular season. Only the RMISA Championships and NCAA Championships remain after that.

TEAM NOTES

Colorado won the men's race with 93 points, 21 ahead of Alaska Anchorage (72).
Colorado scored 94 points in the women's race and placed second to Utah (96).
Colorado finished the meet with 689 points, winning by 66 over Denver (623) and 70 over Utah (619).
Colorado finished with the most men's points (342; Utah second with 291), women's points (347; Denver second with 342), alpine points (356; Denver second with 347), and nordic points (333; Utah second with 319).
Colorado won three of eight races in the meet and had two race winners.
This was the 73rd Colorado Invitational in program history, and Colorado has now won 30 of its own meets, including two straight.

MEN'S NORDIC NOTES

Flaaten earned his second career win and first of the season, along with his second podium this year. He has finished in the top 13 in all six races he has competed in this season, with five top-10 finishes.
Pedersen rebounded from Friday to finish third, his fourth podium of the season and second in classic. He has finished top five in six of his last seven races.
William Bentley finished 13th, matching the best finish of his season and career at CU. He now has five top-20 finishes in six races this year.
Riley finished 20th to extend his top-20 streak to 12 straight dating back to last season. He now has 23 career top-20 finishes.

WOMEN'S NORDIC NOTES

Lunde finished second for her seventh career podium and fourth this season. She now has four runner-up finishes in her last five races.
Baangman finished third for the second straight race and now has four straight podiums and seven this season in nine races, eight of which she has finished. She now has 24 career podiums, including 13 at CU.
Nevin placed eighth, her second-best finish of the season and fourth top-10 performance. She now has 15 career top-10 finishes.
Schamberger finished 13th and has placed in the top 13 in all eight races she has finished this season.
Grissom finished 15th and has placed in the top 20 in all nine races this season, giving her 27 career top-20 finishes.

Final Team Scores: 1. Colorado 689; 2. Denver 623; 3. Utah 619; 4. Montana State 456.5; 5. Alaska Anchorage 442; 6. Nevada 207.5; 7. Alaska Fairbanks 175; 8. Westminster 136; 9. Colorado Mountain 120.

Women's 7.5K Classic: 1. Erica Laven, Utah, 22:41.7; 2. Astri Lunde, Colorado, 23:13.6; 3. Tilde Baangman, Colorado, 23:19.8; 4. Eve-Ondine Duchaufour, Denver, 24:12.2; 5. Sofia Pedersen, Utah, 24:19.2; 6. Witta Walcher, Utah, 24:39.2; 7. Dashe McCabe, Alaska Anchorage, 24:52.3; 8. Selma Nevin, Colorado, 24:59.0; 9. Neve Gerard, Utah, 24:59.4; 10. Constance Lapointe, Alaska Anchorage, 25:12.5.
Other CU: 13. Nina Schamberger, 25:21.7; 15. Elena Grissom, 25:29.1; 25. Sophie Spalding, 27:05.7.

Men's 7.5K Classic: 1. Johannes Flaaten, Colorado, 21:01.3; 2. Zachary Jayne, Utah, 21:13.1; 3. Storm Pedersen, Colorado, 21:15.8; 4. Philipp Moosmayer, Alaska Fairbanks, 21:21.4; 5. Erling Bjoernstad, Alaska Anchorage, 21:22.8; 6. Corbin Carpenter, Alaska Anchorage, 21:24.6; 7. Eemil Juntunen, Denver, 21:30.7; 8. Simon Chappaz, Montana State, 21:32.6; 9. Grey Barbier, Montana State, 21:39.9; 10. Yannick Zellweger, Denver, 21:44.2.
Other CU: 13. William Bentley, 21:58.1; 20. Luka Riley, 22:23.5.