Johs Braathen Herland of the Utah Utes claimed victory in the men's giant slalom on the opening day of the 2026 NCAA Skiing National Championships. The Utes finished second overall after day one, trailing Colorado by four points. Utah performed strongly in the men's event but placed fourth in the women's giant slalom.
The 2026 NCAA Skiing National Championships began on March 11 at Utah Olympic Park in Park City, Utah, with the men's and women's giant slalom races. In the men's competition, Johs Braathen Herland of the University of Utah secured first place with combined runs of 57.54 seconds and 57.87 seconds. He narrowly edged out Feb Allasina of Colorado, who recorded times of 58.37 seconds and 57.45 seconds for second place.
Two other Utah skiers, Sindre Myklebust and Pierick Charest, finished in the top 15. The Utes amassed 83 points to lead the men's event standings. In contrast, Utah's women finished fourth with 50 points. Melanie Dahlberg led the team, placing fifth with runs of 1:04.32 and 1:01.80. Kaila Lafreniere came in 10th with times of 1:05.66 and 1:01.19; no other Utah women finished in the top ranks.
After the alpine events, Utah held second place overall with 133 points, behind Colorado's 137. The championships continue at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center in Midway, Utah, starting with the 7.5K classic on March 12.
Meanwhile, the University of Alaska Anchorage sent seven skiers to the event, including senior Ella Bromee, a three-time All-American in alpine events. UAA head coach Sparky Anderson noted the high level of competition, featuring Olympians and World Cup participants. Bromee, competing in her final nationals, expressed confidence in her giant slalom form, stating, “I’ve been feeling great about my giant slalom lately, so it’s going to be fun to race this week.” Other UAA athletes include Nordic skier Erling Bjornstad, a regional champion, and slalom specialist Ainsley Proffit.
