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Show Ute Alpine Slders Perform in Clutch , ... v - I ; v Is 1 By David Neu Under blue skys and high clouds skudding fftsf"-"- the University f Utah's Send Hoffman skied to the NCAA Slalom Championship Friday with a second run so brilliant you yearned tor a replay. Hoffman, the 20 year old freshman from Ogden and Mark Halvorson, a sophomore from Minnesota, finished 1-2 in the slalom and turned the tide for the Ute's eventual crowning as NCAA Ski Champions. Going into the slalom held on the resort's U.S. Women's Giant Slalom Run as was the giant slalom two davs earlier, the Utes trailed leicnding champ University of Vermont by five points. I hey came out 15 points aneau on the strength of Hoffman, Halvorsen and veteran Per Christian Nicolaisen who finished 11th. It appeared that Chip LaCasse's squad could be on their way to a second consecutive NCAA title after winning the AIAW women's ski championship champion-ship the week before. The Ute coaching staff, however, had other plans. "We consider slalom our best event," said Assistant Coach Roo Harris, during the break between slalom runs Friday. Harris was pleased that Hoffman, Halvorson and Bjorn Gfele were in fifth, fourth and third respectively while Vermont held only tenth (Melander) and several places further back. Hoffman, who as it turns out had nothing to worry about since he won two slaloms and finished second twice in the giant slalom at the meets. Hoffman said he'd like to get back on the U.S. Ski team, the was a development team member in 1978) but for personal reasons elected to not join the team this year and decided to go to college. "There is a lot of spirit at the U. and I've got a good feeling about winning here", said Hoffman. Hoffman skied conservatively on the first run, as part of the team plan, but now as he entered the startinmg gate, the first racer to start the second run, he was prepared to cut loose in an all out effort to win. Apprehension built among the predominately pro Utah crowd gathered near the dogleg two thirds down the course, and they started cheering as soon as their favorite left the start. Hoffman accelerated through the first open gates, took a tight line through the steep middle section, his upper body moving very little, skated around the dogleg and then dropped through the final gates to the finish. His time was 41.23 seconds down the 56 gate slalom course, over 1.5 seconds faster than the next racer, teammate Halvorson, and Hoffman knew he had won it. Halvorson's combined time looked good enough to hold up to second, and the Ute fan's sensed a possible 1-2-3 finish with All-American Bjorn Gefle next in the starting gate. Gefle In A Rut 1 J Utah's Scott Hoffman barrels down slalom run for first place finish. Per Nicolaisen, the 1979 NCAA Slalom ' Champion moved from 14th to 11th with a strong second run while Ute fans yelled "Nico, Nico" as he skied around the dogleg corner to the finish. Our fourth man came through", said Hoffman of Nicolaisen. "All these guys did great, it feels ; damn good." Hoffman was surrounded by admirers at the finish while he talked of how he liked the second course. Set by Wyoming coach Tim Ameel, it was tighter and took a shorter line down the mountain. It was a course I could ski fast and make plenty of turns on, said Hoffman. "As soon as the next guy came in (Halvorson) I knew I had it won." "All our skiers were hard on their edges", said Vermont Coach LaCasse. "That wins races on icy conditions, but on soft snow it acts like a brake." Scott Hoffman stood there, a girlfriend on his arm, wearing the ruddy smile of a champion, while he was congratulated one more time. A I iff Nordic skier came over and in good English said, "Hey thanks man. thai .v tremendous out ilicie. we nccdv j tiiat Hoffman returned the thanks. The two shook hands and u was hard to imagine that the Ute cross country relay team would perform anything less than their best the next day. With a 15 point lead, losing the NCAA'S would be as unlikely as Dannon going into the fruit loop business. "It s just a matter of hanging tough now, said Harris. "Our guys are all veterans, they're skiing well, and using their heads." The game plan according to, Harris as 10 ski a? solidly in the first run as possibK witul iking much risk and then going all out in fie second Vermont's chances were only with Melander, and Colorado's Seth Bayer would probably ski conservatevely after winning the first run by a wide margin. It appeared Utah held all the cards, and their ace was Scott Hoffman, a ruddy faced dynamic 145 noi'nH ri rirpr b'- trained l,npr his lather's watchful eye since he was a little tyke at (nigen snow tKtsin, d icsuit where douoiv datty freestylers and gate slamming racers mingle in unity unheard of in the ski world. Hoffman Hot A former Junior National Champion. Scott finished first overall in the Nor-Am ' cuit Champoinships last spring, just two weeks ago placed 23rd in the giant slalom in World Cup Competition at Aspen, the highest U.S. finish behind the Mahre brothers. The day before the NCAA'S, Hoffman said he was just pleased to be here. "When I came back from the Nor-Am's, I had only two NCAA meets to qualify in", said Gefle had trouble on the tightly closed sixth gate and shot out of the course, before climbing back up and resuming until finally blowing out halfway down. A disappointed Gefle said after the race, "It was a little tiny rut up there you couldnt turn your skis in." Wyoming's Johun Monson found the hole bigger and crashed into the next gate for a disqualification. One can guess that Seth Bayer, the next racer was overly concerned after seeing a do",',f "irpHoo i-v Gefle and M"nson. Bayer however skied through the first four open gaies nke ne tasied victory, ucioie Deing thrown off balance by the rut, momentarily si-ilii.ii vMewavs and then continuing. The mistake was costly, and a supurb lower run put him in third place. a lew idtcu iani, Utan Women's Coach Olle Larsen began shoveling snow and packing the sides of the rut, a chore he continued throughout the race. Colorado's Steve Nelson, starting 20th, had the si v on fnctoci v-in of thp dfiv only 21 hundrethsof a second behind Hofmann, and finished fourth. ivleianUci, iiic giam slalom winner 011 Wednesday, finished 8th, the only Vermont skier in the top 10. |