February 24, 2012 (Bozeman, Montana) – Behind three race victories and seven podium appearances, the top-ranked Utah Utes moved out to a 61.5-point lead half way through the 2012 RMISA Championships, which double as the NCAA Western Regional.

Utah earned a podium sweep in the women’s giant slalom race (and had four of the top five finishers) and earned the top two finishers in the men’s GS races to go along with a race victory in women’s Nordic to compile 484 points at the midway point.  No. 4 Colorado is in second place with 422.5 points as the Buffaloes earned four podium appearances and won the day on the Nordic side.

At the Nordic courses, the Utes continued their impressive day with a win on the women’s side and second place finish on the men’s side. Maria Graefnings won the women’s race in impressive fashion in a time of 13:57.4, topping Colorado’s Eliska Hajkova (14:29.5) and Joanne Reid (14:33.0) by over a half minute.  The two Buffaloes were then 16 seconds ahead of the rest of the field as New Mexico’s Linn Klaesson took fourth in 14:49.2 and Denver’s Kate Dolan just a tenth of a second back at 14:49.3 in the interval start race.

Colorado won the race with 115 points as five of the six teams racked up 96 or more points.  New Mexico was second (105), Utah third (103), Montana State fourth (100) and Denver fifth (96).  Alaska Anchorage rounded out the scoring with 72 points.

Colorado’s Rune Oedegaard won the men’s race with a time of 25:30.6 by 16.4 seconds over Utah’s Miles Havlick (25:47.0).  Montana State then took 3-4 with Tyler Reinking (25:48.6) and David Norris (25:52.6) edging out the Utes’ Didrik Smith (25:54.6).

The host Bobcats put three skiers in the top eight to win the race with 118 points, edging out both Utah and Colorado by three points (115).  Denver took fourth with 96 points, Alaska Anchorage was fifth with 76 and New Mexico sixth with 71.

Full results HERE.