SVSEF alpine youth programs wrap up season with a costume-ridden race off the top of Baldy

On Sunday March 29, Sun Valley Ski Education (SVSEF) hosted the ninth annual Gary Black, Jr. Memorial race on Sun Valley’s Saddle Up ski run by Upper Warm Springs. Girls and boys from the SVSEF Alpine Baldy Devo (U8), U10, U12, and U14 teams competed in a dual-panel ski race followed by a springtime bar-be-que where the end-of-season individual awards and Gary Black Jr. Memorial Race perpetual trophies were presented.

The Gary Black Memorial race honors and memorializes a ski racing community legend, Gary Black, Jr., whose life was taken too soon in 2017. It honors Gary’s love for ski racing, the enthusiasm of what it’s like to be a ski racer, and continues his legacy through the next generation of ski racers. Black’s success, commitment, and enthusiasm to the ski racing community shone bright this weekend. 

“My father would be humbled and honored by the recognition the SVSEF community shows him on an annual basis,” said Amanda Black, eldest daughter of the late Gary Black, Jr. “He would have loved to see the enthusiasm and passion all of these young athletes have for the sport he adored and spent his life supporting.”

There was no shortage of smiles, fun costumes, friendly competitive spirit, and team camaraderie in the race; and podiums or not, all the athletes felt the fun vibes of wrapping up their season amongst their teammates under blue skies and sunshine. Gary’s youngest daughter Lexi Black, an alumni of the SVSEF Alpine Program, was on hand to share a few words with the young skiers. After the event she had this to say, “Watching the Devo team run around the lawn, climbing trees, and playing games made me think that while dad loved all things ski racing, celebrations, and fun, the centerpiece of his life really was the friendships he built, curated, and connected. When I had a chance to speak on Sunday, I tried to speak directly to the kids and let them know what was really important, and that’s to cherish your friends and loved ones.”

“The all encompassing and indefatigable energy Gary had for skiing makes the Gary Black, Jr. Memorial event the perfect venue for honoring who he was,” said Heather Black, wife of the late Gary Black, Jr. “Gary loved nothing more than to ski, share laughs, and have fun, and this ski race epitomizes that energy.”

Every spring, all SVSEF Junior Programs come together for the Gary Black, Jr. to celebrate the culmination of the season. Costume-clad kids (no race suits allowed) from the age of four to 13 were paired within their age groups in the dual format panel slalom. 

“What an amazing day for the Gary Black Jr. Memorial,” said Chuck Harris, SVSEF Alpine Junior Program Director. “The race was moved to the top of Baldy due to our early spring conditions and it was the perfect day to end our season for all the Junior Programs. A huge thank you to Sun Valley for helping all of our kids pursue their love of skiing!”

Claudia Stern, SVSEF Alpine U12 North Series Head Coach spoke to the adaptability, resiliency, and growth realized this season. “What a season it has been! Despite challenging conditions thrown at us by an erratic Mother Nature, I would say we had a great season. We were able to do quite a bit of free skiing early on and took full advantage of amazing conditions at Rotarun thanks to Julian and his team. Everyone showed up with a good attitude and drive every day and it showed in the impressive improvements seen throughout the winter.”

Sarah Schwing, SVSEF Alpine Baldy Devo Head Coach reflected on the season, “From foundational drills on Lower River Run to charging down the steeps of Warm Springs, our Devo athletes have made incredible strides this season! We wrapped it all up at the Gary Black Jr. Memorial Race—a fantastic event that reminds us all why we love ski racing. What a fun way to end the year!”

The Gary Black, Jr. Memorial Perpetual Trophies were presented to the following athletes based on their results in Sunday’s race: 

• Gretchen Fraser Award for fastest U10 Female—Clementine Brumbach 
• Pete Patterson Award for fastest U10 Male—Ford Rixon
• Kathleen Harrison Mortimer Award for the fastest U12 Female—Alta Questad
• Billy Kleine Award for the fastest U12 Male—Dylan Smiley
• Bonnie Russell Award for the fastest U14 Female—Bria Smiley
• Smith Goggle Award for the fastest U14 Male—Alex Grant
• Mini World Cup Overall Award—Ruby Rogers and Arthur McNeal
• Roy Hobson Award for fastest overall Female and Male of the day—Alta Questad and Alex Grant

On hand to help present the perpetual trophies were members of the Kleine Family, including Janet Kleine who shared, “On behalf of the Kleine family, we were honored to present the Billy Kleine Memorial Trophy to Dylan Smiley as a tribute to his talent, hard work and his and his family’s commitment to skiing. We were pleased to be included in the Gary Black, Jr. Memorial race awards and have the opportunity to share who Billy Kleine was, and why there was an award established for him 64 years ago. It was wonderful to make connections to Adele Savaria, Chuck Harris, David Butterfield, and Heather Hofstetter-Dawson who made this experience possible.”

Gary Black, Jr. Memorial Race results and individual year-end awards for all Alpine Junior Program Teams are also included below.

Gary Black, Jr. Memorial Race Results

U8 Girls 

1 Clark Livingston

2 Sullivan Kochvar

3 Anna Kloster

4 Emilia Eng Greener

5 Phoebe Taylor

6 Harland Hustis

7 Finley Binns

8 Finley Vaughan

9 Georgia Brandenburg

10 Wren Schwing

11 Grace Copperman

12 Briony Cook

13 Ava Boeger

14 Anso Tyo

U8 Boys

1 Banks Rixon

2 Harrison Brumbach

3 Charlie Favrot

4 Jasper Rogers

5 Dean Carr

6 Bodhi Zelaya

7 James Patton

U10 Girls

1 Clementine Brumbach

2 Elise Eng Greener

3 Quinn Woodward

4 Emma Osher

5 Ruby Rogers

6 Grace Boccabella

7 Torin Farmer

8 Fallon McClung

9 Beau Jaeger

10 Wren Presnell

11 Kyle Bruun

12 Rose VanderWyst

13 Lottie Cook

14 Aveline McMahan

U10 Boys 

1 Ford Rixon

2 Werner McNamara

3 John Massa

4 Bode Smith

5 Huxley Binns

6 Smith Matthews

7 Brock Smith

8 Arthur McNeal

9 Wade Carr

10 Liam Gilligan

11 Bear Larkin

12 Patrick Phillips

13 Brenner Ehleringer

14 Kingsley Bruun

15 Ellis Gouley

U12 Girls

1 Alta Questad

2 Sophie Robinson

3 Marie McNeal

4 Amelia Beck

5 Kayla Kloster

6 Stellie Turzian

7 Ivy McNamara

8 Freya Moffat

9 Maude Bates

10 Dylan Spengler

11 Chandler Letson

12 Rosie Hill

13 Theo Young

14 Lila VanderWyst

15 Delaney Woodward

16 Juniper Farmer

17 Morgan Thomas

U12 Boys

1 Dylan Smiley

2 Vance Gardner

3 Tucker Thurston

4 Walker Gove

5 Dillon Wells

U14 Girls 

1 Bria Smiley

2 Halley McGrew

3 Kinley Letson

4 McKenna Steel

5 McKenna Minas

6 Reese Woodward

7 Avery Allen

8 Charlotte 

9 Kaitlin Cooper

10 Casey Rolf

U14 Boys

1 Alex Grant

2 Charlie Spengler

3 Breclan McCarthy

4 Brixen Ehleringer

5 Halsten Bruun

6 Hunter Gove

7 Reid Wilke

8 Truman Tarrant

U8 Baldy Devo Year End Awards

• Coaches Award Girls: (for the athletes that demonstrate good listening, applying the skills they learn, and is a good teammate)—Genevieve Johnson and Clark Livingston
• Coaches Award Boys: (for the athletes that demonstrate good listening, applying the skills they learn, and is a good teammate)—Harrison Brumbach and Ben Jacobs
• Most Improved: (this award is for the athlete that show the greatest improvement throughout the season)—Kiran Kumar and Briony Cook
• CHEESO Award: (for the athletes that go no matter the conditions as the saying goes, “Cheeso would go!” These kids are the ones getting after it.)—Sullivan Kochvar and Cale Clarke
• SUNSHINE Award: (for the athlete that is always having a good day! These kids had to ski all kinds of conditions this year and sometimes limited terrain… these are the kids with a smile on their face and keep it positive.)—Finley Vaughan and Rudy Noren
• KANONE (pronounce CAN-ONE) Award: (a German word for expert skier, it translates figurately as one who is an expert, an ace, or one who is very skilled at a task. Overall, the athlete that demonstrates all the skills we assess at our evaluation.)—Emilia Eng and Dean Carr
• COWBOY UP Award:(for the athlete who gets up after a big crash and really shows grit, they bounce back from anything, resilient)—James Patton
• HOWARD DEAN & PEGGY DEAN: (this is for the athlete that embodies a LOVE for skiing and is always having a good day)—Bodhi Zelaya and Ava Boeger 
• Most Dedicated: (an athlete with one of the highest attendance rates and continues to show up even after hard days)—Anso Tyo 
• Attendance Awards (kids with over 20 days): Anso Tyo, Ava Boeger, Emilia Eng, Genevieve Johnson, Sullivan Kochvar, Wren Schwing, Keenan Johnson, Charles Favrot, Arne Beatty, Rudy Noren, Bodhi Zelaya, Dean Carr, Cale Clarke

U10 Mini World Cup Year End Awards

• Most Improved—Luca Smither and Rose VanderWyst
• Coaches Award—Evan Schwing and Clementine Brumbach
• Outstanding Skiers—Ford Rixon and Uzi Hale

U12 North Series Year End Awards

• Most Improved Award—Keller Spachman and Lexi Barthel
• Cheeso Mountain Kid—Walker Gove and Amelia Beck
• Coaches Award—Dylan Meyer and Asa Sattler
• Most Inspirational—Jayden Orihuela
• Attendance Award—Alta Questad
• Sean Flynn Award—Freya Moffat

Home Team Year End Awards

Most Dedicated

• U10 Boy—Ford Favrot
• U10 Girl—Emery Seagraves
• U12 Boy—Ford Ramsay
• U12 Girl—Catherine Buck
• Jr Boy—Ian Lozada
• Jr Girl—Reese Woodward

Most Improved

• U10 Boy—Lincoln Case
• U10 Girl—Ava Banta
• U12 Boy—Tucker Marino
• U12 Girl—Catherine McCoy
• Jr Boy—Ryan Schwartzbard
• Jr Girl—Casey Rolf

Cheeso Award

• Boy—Ian Lozada
• Girl—McKenna Minas

PHOTOS BY: Thomas Smiley

Gary Black, Jr Memorial Run One Photos

Gary Black, Jr Memorial Run Two Photos

Gary Black, Jr Memorial Race Awards Photos