Utah has hosted the NCAA skiing championships plenty of times before, most recently in 2022, but the 2026 edition has proven to be unlike any other.
Three weeks ago, the NCAA announced that they were moving the championships, previously slated to be held in Montana, to Utah due to “insufficient snowfall and conditions.”
Usually, a host site has about a year to prepare for the championships. Utah had just over three weeks.
“Really the people here at the U., Alan (Hansing) and Delaney (Reilly) and people at Athletics have done an amazing job to put it all together because there’s a lot of factors that have to come together just to do this,” said Utah director of skiing Fredrik Landstedt.
“It’s not like a normal meet. You have to do everything else with opening ceremonies and meetings and award ceremonies and all the setup.”
The sudden move to Utah meant a lot of hard work for the Utah Athletics team and the resorts — Spencer F. Eccles Olympic Mountain Center at Utah Olympic Park in Park City will host the Alpine events, while Nordic events will take place at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center in Midway — but it will provide the Utes with a “home snow” advantage in the most important meet of the year.
Utah trains at the resorts and the teams know the courses inside and out.
“I think for sure it’s an advantage. I feel like we’ve been training on this course for the whole year and doing a lot of intensity,” said Nordic skier Erica Lavén. “You know your opening pace, you know how the course could turn out in different conditions, which makes us very confident that we know how to ski the course even if it’s bad snow, warm, cold. So that gives us a lot of advantage, I think.”
Soldier Hollow Nordic Center recently hosted the Nordic events of the RMISA Championships, where the Utes won the region title, finishing first as a team in the women’s 7.5K freestyle and the men’s 20K freestyle on home turf. In Montana, which hosted the Alpine events, the Utes finished first in the men’s slalom.
Overall, with 669 points, the Utes edged out Colorado (651) to claim the region crown in a preview of the national championship.
Landstedt said the Utes have been dealing with injuries and illnesses throughout the year, but the team is getting healthy — and coming together — at the right time.
“It’s been kind of interesting and a little bit of a struggle to get a team together for all the meets we had this year. And we finally came together really at the regional championship a week ago and managed to win that one. And we’re hoping that that’s going to carry over now to watch the championship next week,” Landstedt said.
Utah heads into the meet with momentum after winning the RMISA championships, but it will face stiff competition from Colorado — the only team that has dethroned the Utes, which have won five of the last six NCAAs — and Denver.
“I think the pressure is really more on Colorado and Denver than it is on us. I mean, we’ve been there. We, as you said, have been very successful the last few years and we’re going to show up. And when it comes to the championship, you already done all your training and all the preparations. So the only thing you can really do is go out there and do your best,” Landstedt said.
“So by that time, it’s time to relax and have fun and ski fast, and the results will come. And some of the other teams (are) definitely going to have a little bit more pressure because they have not been winning a lot the last few years, and they’re used to winning a lot of titles.”
Skiers to watch for Utah include Johs Braathen Herland, who was named the RMISA men’s MVP and has won six of his 14 starts, with four other podium finishes, and Erica Lavén, who was named the RMISA MVP and has won all seven of her races this season.
The NCAA championships kick off with the giant slalom at Utah Olympic Park on Wednesday (8:45 a.m. MT start time), followed by the 7.5K classic at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center on Thursday (9 a.m. MT start time).
The event moves back to Utah Olympic Park on Friday for Slalom, starting at 9 a.m., before the final event — the 20K freestyle, often the deciding factor in the national championship — begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center.
For fans wanting to attend the national championship, admission to each venue, along with parking, is free. Landstedt hopes he’ll see Ute fans at the events, and even joked that you might be able to wear a t-shirt.
“These are incredible venues for anyone that wants to watch some ski racing. It’s probably the easiest places you can get to as far as parking and then the shortest walk you can possibly have to the competition sites. And the weather will be really nice,” Landstedt said.