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Week in Review: April 10
PARK & PIPE
USASA Nationals, Snowboarding (April 5)
On the fifth and final day of USASA Nationals for Snowboarding, Nico Lerner finished eighth in boardercross. Nico put together a great week of riding, finishing near the top of his field in every discipline (halfpipe-5, slopestyle-4, giant slalom-2, slalom-2, boardercross-8). He really stepped up to the challenge that comes with competing on a grander stage that normal, winning the Grommet age class overall title at USASA Nationals. The coaching staff is extremely proud of how hard Nico has worked all season to get to this point; he came to Nationals prepared and rode with composure and passion, and the results showed. In the halfpipe on day five, Jack Verhaeghe finished ninth for breaker (12-13) boys, Sebastian Lerner was 11th for menehune (10-11) boys and Caleb Hothem was 16th in the same age class. Jack was ninth overall based on all results throughout the week for his age group. (View results from days one through four here).
FULL RESULTS
USASA Nationals, Freeskiing
USASA Nationals continued with freekiing. Walker Woodring and Barrett Beyer went one and two for ruggies (7 and under) in slopestyle. In the freeski open slopestyle, Will Griffith was 25th and Ryan Dobi 35th. In the halfpipe, Ridge Dirksmeier took the win for freeski youth (14-15), and Joey Markthaler was second. For freeski menehune (10-11), Ben Fethke walked away win the win, and Zeppelin Pilaro and Easton Turck were 40th and 43rd. In the rail jam event, Will Griffith finished fifth for the open class, and Ryan Dobi was 16th. Barrett Beyer came in 12th for the ruggies (7 and under) rail jam. Ben Fethke and Easton Turck both competed in slopestyle for menehune boys on Tuesday (results forthcoming).
There is one more day left, with SVSEF athletes competing in slopestyle and halfpipe.
FULL RESULTS
ALPINE
Western Region Spring Series, Mammoth
Fresh off of Junior Championships, FIS athletes jetted to Mammoth for Western Region Spring Series. (Click here for a review of days one through three).
On the final day of racing, Lily Fitzgerald again led the girls, coming in fifth in the giant slalom. Alli Rathfon was ninth, Maddie Ferris was 11th, Erin Smith 12th, Skylar Cooley 24th and Elizabeth Vanderkloot 26th. For the men’s giant slalom, Jack Smith had an impressive finish in third. Jake Blackburn finished fifth, Hayden Terjeson eighth, Max Noddings 12th, Spencer Wright 14th, and Noah Leininger 18th for a successful end to the series.
FULL RESULTS
U14 Spring Project
SVSEF skiers participated in the IMD U14 Spring Project at Grand Targhee. According to U.S. Ski and Snowboard, “the project is designed to focus on bringing the best IMD athletes and IMD coaches together to enhance their skill development and build friendships with fellow IMD athletes.” The top 15 athletes born in 2005 and top five born in 2006 per gender were invited to attend. Max Meucci, Cole Curci, Zephyr Carruth, Tommy Normand, Reece Walther-Porino, Asia Angel, Ruby Crist, Charlotte Davis-Jeffers and Natalie Gowe represented SVSEF.
Gary Black Jr. Memorial Race
SVSEF hosted the second annual Gary Black Jr. Memorial, formerly called the Hobson Memorial. The race is named of the late Gary Black Jr., who was a former SVSEF board member and a big supporter of the organization and of alpine skiing. The race was a dual giant slalom, with athletes taking two runs and ranked on their best run. Costumes were encouraged, and SVSEF skiers came out in full force – rainbows, unicorns, and Harry Potter could be spotted speeding down the course.
In the girls U8 category, the top three racers were Bianca Smith, Jasmine Smiley and Savannah Pringle. In the U10 category, Reese Kelley was first, Frances Goodyear second and Skye Pringle third. For U12s, Taylor Hovey finished on the top podium spot, followed by Ella Shaughnessy and Rowan Desler. Maya Lightner was first for U14s, Anabel Viesturs second and Goldie Kirk third.
Wyatt Limburg led U8 boys, with Declan O’Toole in second and Finn O’Donnell in third. Like his sister, Tommy Hovey won his age class (U10). Will Lamoureaux took silver and Charlie Reid bronze. Will Kogelmann won for U12s, followed by Paxton Sammis and twin brother Drew Kogelmann. In the U14 age class, Jesse Keefe took the win, followed by Bryce Kanowsky and James Wright.
The day ended with awards and a barbeque – thanks to the Ciminos for their generosity in letting us use their space.
FULL RESULTS
PHOTOS
Snow Cup/Last Chance
SVSEF opted to forgo the first slalom of the Snowbird Snow Cup, and competed in their first race on Sunday. Buey Grossman charged to third in the field of over 100 athletes. Max Moss was 32nd, Finn Mallinen 38th, Nils Galloway 40th, Carter Sammis 48th, Shaw McCoubrey 68th, Ethan Marx 71st, Taylor Rixon 79th, Nico Gaggero 81st and Robbie Cullen 82nd.
For women, Merumo Ishimaru was the top finisher for the day, both for SVSEF and overall. She had a combined time of 1:36.50. Sage Curtis finished 19th, Emma MacGuffife 26th, Carly Walther-Porino 33rd, Falon Hanna 37th, Anhwei Kirk 38th, Hannah Ferris 42nd, Agnes Kind 47th and Tatum Minor 74th.
FULL RESULTS
Week in Review: April 4
PARK & PIPE
SVSEF’s Payton Bacca made a stop at Ski Cooper for the Hole Shot Rev Tour before heading to Copper for USASA Nationals. In the snowboardcross events on March 28 and 29, she finished 24th and 25th overall.
Full results
USASA Nationals
The culmination of the snowboard and freeski seasons comes in the form of USASA Nationals, held this year at Copper in Colorado. The snowboard events began March 31, and wrap up April 6. Skiing picks up, and events run April 7-11. SVSEF has nine snowboard and nine freeski athletes competing.
In the boardercross on April 1, Payton Bacca finished 21st in the women’s open class of 31 athletes. In the halfpipe on the same day, Nico Lerner took fifth for snowboard grommet (8-9) boys. Julian Gluck was ninth overall in a large field of 60 competitors in the snowboard junior (16-17) men’s slopestyle. Jack Verhaeghe also had a strong result in the breaker (12-13) boys giant slalom, finishing 19th in a field of 59 athletes.
SVSEF athletes competed in halfpipe, slopestyle and slalom events on April 2. Madison Hothem was 11th for snowboard breaker (12-13) girls in the halfpipe, and Channing Curci was 12th for snowboard youth (14-15). Nico Lerner was fourth for grommet (8-9) boys for slopestyle, and Jack Verhaeghe was 14th for breaker (12-13) boys in the slalom.
In April 3 events, Nico Lerner led the way for SVSEF, landing on the podium in second place for snowboard grommet (8-9) boys in the giant slalom. Madison Hothem came in 21st for breaker girls in slopestyle, Channing Curci finished 14th for youth (14-15) girls, Jack Verhaeghe was 12th for snowboard breaker boys in boardercross and Caleb Hothem had a great day, finishing sixth in a field of 70 competitors for snowboard menehune (10-11) boys in boardercross.
On April fourth, Nico Lerner again took silver, this time in the grommet (8-9) boys slalom. Jack Verhaeghe was 17th out of 92 12-13 year old boys in slopestyle, Sebastian Lerner was 24th out of 75 10-11 year old boys in the same discipline, and teammate Caleb Hothem was 32nd in the same 10-11 age group. Madison Hothem had a solid result, coming in eighth in the breaker (12-13) girls boardercross. Zoe Bacca did as well, riding to fifth for snowboard youth (14-15) girls in boardercross, and Channing Curci was 31st.
Full results
ALPINE
Alpine Junior Championships
SVSEF FIS skier Alli Rathfon had a great first day at Alpine Junior Championships, finishing eighth in the nation in the super G. Read the full recap of three days of racing and festivities, hosted by SVSEF, here.
Full results
Western Region Spring Series
Fresh off of Junior Championships, FIS athletes jetted to Mammoth for Western Region Spring Series. Lily Fitzgerald started the series off right, stepping onto the slalom podium in third behind AJ Hurt and Keely Cashman. Erin Smith had a good race, as well, finishing seventh, and Madison Ferris was 13th. Bennett Snyder (4th), John Blackburn (5th) and Spencer Wright (7th) all made the men’s top 10 in the slalom. Hayden Terjeson was 14th, Max Noddings 18th and Jake Blackburn 21st.
In the second slalom, Lily Fitzgerald and Erin Smith went eight and 10, Skylar Cooley was 14th, and Elizabeth Vanderkloot 23rd. SVSEF went 5-6-7 with Spencer Wright in fifth, Bennett Snyder sixth and Hayden Terjeson seventh. Jake Blackburn was 10th, making the count four out of the top 10 skiers.
In the April 4th giant slalom, Lily Fitzgerald was just out of medal contention in fourth. Alli Rathfon skied to eighth, Erin Smith to ninth, Madison Ferris to 12th and Skylar Cooley to 24th. For men, John Blackburn podiumed in second and Jack Smith was fourth. Hayden Terjeson finished eighth, Jake Blackburn 14th, Bennett Snyder 16th, Max Noddings 23rd and Spencer Wright 40th.
U16 National Championships
Competition for U16 Nationals opened up with the super G at Mission Ridge. Ryder Sarchett led SVSEF men in 19th, followed by Charlier Snyder in 20th, Finn Mallinen in 29th, Ridley Lindstrom in 37th and Buey Grossman in 40th.
Ryder Sarchett dominated the next two days, winning both the giant slalom and the slalom. Buey Grossman was 10th in the giant slalom, Ridley Lindstrom 23rd and Charlie Snyder 28th. SVSEF put three men in the top 10 in the slalom the next day, with Ryder in first, Buey Grossman skiing to fifth and Ridley Lindstrom to eighth. Charlie Snyder was 17th in the same race.
In the dual slalom, the final event, Ridley Lindstrom placed 28th, Buey Grossman 30th, Ryder Sarchett 32nd, Charlie Snyder 34th and Finn Mallinen 46th.
For women, Marit Kaiser tied for 38th in the super G, finished 29th in the slalom, 19th in the giant slalom and 40th in the dual slalom.
U.S. Alpine Junior Championships: A Recap
The 2018 U.S. Junior Alpine Championships brought the nation’s top junior alpine racers together, by region, to compete in three events over three days on Baldy. In between the men and women’s super G, giant slalom and slalom races, SVSEF hosted awards ceremonies, a welcome celebration, and a get-together for coaches, parents and officials. It was truly a celebration of ski racing and ski heritage, and was a great way to round out the season. SVSEF hosted the event this year as it falls on the heels of U.S. Alpine Championships, and Sun Valley is completing a four-year schedule. This has involved alternating hosting with the eastern resort of Sugarloaf, Maine, from 2015-2018, and is part of U.S. Ski and Snowboard’s long-term plan of moving the annual event to different resorts and ski racing communities across the country.
The Alpine Junior Championships series featured U21 and U19 athletes, who are the up-and-comers in the sport of alpine skiing. They have worked hard to get to this point – it takes commitment and dedication, a willingness to travel long distances for comparatively short races, and the decision to put the sport before other interests. Each region has standardized quota selection procedures based on points earned at races throughout the season. This year, SVSEF has nine athletes who have qualified for U.S. Junior Alpine Championships: Erin Smith, Lily Fitzgerald, Skylar Cooley, Allison Rathfon, Madison Ferris, Spencer Wright, Jack Smith, Hayden Terjeson and John Blackburn.
On the bulletproof courses extending from Warmsprings to Hemingway to Greyhawk for the super G, and Greyhawk for the giant slalom and slalom, athletes didn’t hold back. With a total of 120 athletes the first day and 150 the second, one third of the field did not finish in the super G, and one half did not finish in the giant slalom. Athletes who stayed on from U.S. Nationals, also held in Sun Valley, were slightly more familiarized with the courses. AJ Hurt, who won the alpine combined and the giant slalom and was second in the super G at U.S. Nationals, took top spots at Juniors Championships, as well. The same went for Roni Remme for women, and River Radamus, George Steffey and Kyle Negomir, who all had top results at Nationals.
In the men’s super G on Wednesday, River Radamus came out on top, ahead of Louis Muhlen-Schulte and Jacob Dilling. SVSEF’s Hayden Terjeson was 20th, Spencer Wright finished 24th and John Blackburn 27th.
In the women’s super G, AJ Hurt took the winning spot, followed by Roni Remme and Alix Wilkinson. SVSEF’s Alli Rathfon had a superb race, finishing eighth on the day. Erin Smith also clocked a good time, tying for 12th, just ahead of Lily Fitzgerald in 14th.
The giant slalom was the next event on Thursday. George Steffey skied to first, River Radamus to second and Andrew Miller to third. In the women’s event, Alix Wilkinson took a step up from her previous finish, winning the event. Stefanie Fleckenstein was second, and Roni Remme third. Erin Smith and Maddie Ferris were SVSEF’s only finishers for the day, with Erin taking 11th and Maddie 24th.
In the final event, the slalom, George Steffey again walked away with the win. Tim Gavett and Jacob Dilling rounded out the podium in second and third. John Blackburn skied to 28th. For women, Stefanie Fleckenstein followed up with a win this time, with AJ Hurt in second and Sandra Schoepke in third. Lily Fitzgerald finished 19th and Maddie Ferris was 24th.
The top three overall for the series were George Steffey, River Radamus and Jacob Dilling for men, and Stefanie Fleckenstein, AJ Hurt and Alix Wilkinson for women. Erin Smith was SVSEF’s top overall finisher in 15th. The Rocky/Central region was the overall winning team with 142 points, followed by the Western region (including the Intermountain division) in second with 107 and the Eastern region in third, with 82 points. This scoring was based on the top 10 U.S. athletes in each race. See full results, from individual races and overall, here.
Awards for Wednesday’s super G event took place in Ketchum Town Square, and were given to the top 10 men and women. They were handed out by local Olympian Chase Josey, Olympic Gold Medalist and U.S. Women’s Hockey Team member Hilary Knight, her teammates Hannah Brandt, Haley Skarupa, Nic Hensley, Kelly Pannek and Lee Stecklein, and snowboarder and Olympic Bronze Medalist Arielle Gold. NBC host Steve Porino announced, and the event ended with a unique bib draw for Thursday’s giant slalom, which involved a group of young SVSEF alpine athletes and some celebratory flame throwers. Old Death Whisper, a local favorite, performed at the event, and vendors KB’s, Smoke Over Baldy, Warfield Brewery & Distillery and Sawtooth Brewery provided food and beverage.
As part of a parent, coach and officials gathering, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Director of Sport Education Jon Casson discussed the concepts of Long Term Athlete Development and how these principles can be applied to developing ski racers. He delved into strategies that athletes, coaches and parents can use to give aspiring ski racers of all ages the best chance to reach their goals. As we are always working towards giving our athletes and their families the best experience possible, it was great to have Jon’s insight and to continue the conversation.
The U.S. Alpine Junior Championships were a great opportunity to watch high-quality racing at home. Anyone who skis or rides on Baldy knows the terrain, and it was inspiring to watch these athletes tackle it in a competitive setting. For the younger generation of skiers, it was a brief but important glimpse into the world of ski racing, and a group of athletes to look up to.
Thank you to sponsors Smartwool, City of Ketchum and Sun Valley Company for the support! And thank you to all of the volunteers – we could not host events like these without you.
To see more photos of all athletes, go to Smiley's Mountain Photo and use code 52F71471 for a 10% discount. For other photos, visit SVSEF's Smugmug page.
Week in Review: March 27
ALPINE
USSA
The SVSEF USSA Team has seven athletes who have qualified for U16 Nationals, to be held at Mission Ridge, Washington, March 30th-April 4th. The athletes who have qualified are Marit Kaiser, Ryder Sarchett, Charlie Snyder, Ridley Lindstrom, Finn Mallinen, Josh Blackburn, and Buey Grossman.
U16 Western Region Championships, Alyeska
SVSEF USSA athletes impressed at U16 Western Region Championships in Alyeska, Alaska, walking away with a number of podiums and top-10s throughout the series. Ryder Sarchett was the overall men’s winner, with two overwhelming victories and a third place, to boot.
Prior to three days of racing, athletes completed SkillsQuest, a U.S. Ski and Snowboard program focusing on improving abilities over a range of activities. Athletes had combined scores from an off piste freeski, hourglass, lane change and an outside ski turn – Buey Grossman and Marit Kaiser had top-10 scores, with Buey having the third best score for men and Marit the fourth best for women.
In the men’s giant slalom, Ryder Sarchett won by two seconds, and Ridley Lindstrom had the best giant slalom race of his career, finishing third. Buey Grossman was fourth, Charlie Snyder 13th and Finn Mallinen 18th. Josh Blackburn and Max Moss did not finish. On the same day, women competed in the slalom. SVSEF had two finishers in the top 10, with Marit Kaiser in ninth and Sage Curtis in 10th, meaning SVSEF had five athletes in the top 10 across men and women’s competition for the day. Carly Walther-Porino was 15th, Emma MacGuffie 45th, Anhwei Kirk 49th and Falon Hanna 53rd.
The men tackled the slalom the next day, with Ryder Sarchett again topping the podium, this time with an even larger lead of over three seconds. Charlie Snyder was fourth overall. Josh Blackburn won the Hard Charger award for the race, starting 63rd and moving into 11th. Finn Mallinen was 15th. In the women’s giant slalom race on the same day, Merumo Ishimaru skied to fifth, Marit Kaiser to 16th, Sage Curtis to 30th and Carly Walther-Porino to 32nd. Falon Hanna tied for 48th, as did Anhwei Kirk for 52nd, and Emma MacGuffie finished 54th.
The final event of the series was the super G – SVSEF kept plowing along, with two athletes on the podium. Charlie Snyder had a great race and finished second, and Ryder Sarchett upped his podium count to three with a third place finish. Finn Mallinen was eighth and Ridley Lindstrom ninth, putting four boys in the top 10. Josh Blackburn was 11th, Buey Grossman 15th and Max Moss 36th. In the women’s event, Marit Kaiser skied to 11th, Sage Curtis to 13th and Falon Hanna to 22nd. Merumo Ishimaru finished 35th, Emma MacGuffie 39th and Anhwei Kirk 47th.
Full results
FIS, Alumni
Nationals
With fluctuations in temperatures and precipitation, Nationals in Sun Valley were touch-and-go, and SVSEF athletes took the adjustments in stride. For a number of them, this was their first Nationals. Alumnus Haley Cutler, who now skis for the University of New Mexico, skied near the top of the field in the super G, finishing sixth on March 21 and fifth on March 23. Erin Smith’s best finish was 17th in the super G, while Lily Fitzgerald’s was 20th in the alpine combined. Alumni Kipling Weisel and Tanner Farrow went back and forth throughout the week; in the March 21 super G, Tanner was 11th and Kipling 13th, and they finished 11th and 12th in the alpine combined. Similarly, in the March 23 super G, Kipling skied to 15th and Tanner to 16th. Jack Smith found his stride in the March 23 super G, coming in 25th overall, as Spencer Wright did in the slalom with a 35th place result. Hayden Terjeson had his top result in the alpine combined, finishing 17th.
Lily, Erin, Jack, Hayden, Spencer and John Blackburn (who qualified for Nationals and competed in the giant slalom, but did not finish) will be joined by Skylar Cooley, Allison Rathfon and Maddie Ferris for U.S. Alpine Junior Championships, which begin March 28 in Sun Valley.
Full results
IMD
Tri-Divisional Champs, Snowbasin
Athletes headed to Snowbasin for Tri-Divisional Championships, which they qualified for according to IMD procedures. IMD athletes competed in fields populated by skiers from Alaska and Northern Divisions, and U14s and U16s had a combined seeding.
In the giant slalom, Axel Hattrup was 12th overall and the 12th U16. Robert Cullen was 28th for U14 boys, Zephyr Carruth was 30th, Taylor Rixon 32nd, and Tommy Normand 37th. For U14 girls, Reece Walther-Porino led the SVSEF group in fifth. She was followed by Isabella Hattrup in sixth, Izzy Gaggero in 16th, Laura Daves in 26th, Mattigan Monschke in 29th and Lena Nelson in 30th. Charlotte Davis-Jeffers finished 34th, Maile Dorland 46th and Dakota Barth 52nd for U14s.
In the slalom, Axel Hattrup was eighth for U16 boys. Taylor Rixon skied to 13th for U14 boys, Jesse Keefe to 32nd, Zephyr Carruth to 37th and Tommy Normand to 49th. For girls, Reece Walther-Porino and Maile Dorland had great finishes in sixth and seventh, as did Laura Daves in 13th. Isabella Hattrup was 27th, Izzy Gaggero to 34th, Charlotte Davis-Jeffers to 36th, and Dakota Barth to 40th. Mattigan Monschke was 48th, and Lena Nelson 60th.
FIS
WR Open Tech Series, Snowbird
FIS athletes were at Snowbird for a Western Region Open Tech Series. This is the second tier of FIS racing within the region; as an introductory series, athletes from the five divisions gain valuable FIS-level experience. In the giant slalom, John Blackburn finished 19th, Max Noddings was 21st and Will Snyder (alum, Williams) was 23rd. Allison Rathon led the way for the women, finishing 10th overall in the giant slalom. Maddie Ferris charged to 13th, Grace Pepin was 31st, Skylar Cooley 35th and Elizabeth Vanderkloot 39th. In the NJR slalom, Will Snyder was ninth, Max Noddings 19th and Thomas Klose 22nd. Cailin Chandler was the only SVSEF woman to finish the NJR slalom – she was 19th.
The series wrapped up with two slaloms. Will Snyder was 12th and 10th, Bennett Snyder 27th and 18th, and Max Noddings did not finish the first slalom but was 22nd in the second. Ella Pepin, an alum who skis for St. Lawrence, finished seventh for women in the first race, and sister Grace finished 24th and 28th. Allison Rathfon did not finish in the first slalom, but bounced back for the second, coming in 19th. Maddie Ferris, Elizabeth Vanderkloot and Cailin Chandler went 29, 33 and 37 in the first slalom, and did not finish in the second. Skylar Cooley was 29th in the first.
Full results
North Series
IMD Finals, Bogus Basin
Four athletes competed at IMD Finals at Bogus Basin. “It was a really great way to end the season for these four kids, they skied great races,” said coach Adele Savaria. “It’s always nice to have the advantage of competing close to home – Bogus was a great venue.” Bodin Lee found the podium in the boy’s U12 slalom in third, and Bryce Kanowsky was 14th for U14s. In the girls’ U10 category, Reese Kelley finished fourth, and Alyssa Huntsman was sixth. In the giant slalom, Bodin finished fifth, and Bryce did not finish. Reese was fifth and Alyssa seventh for U10 girls.
Full results
CROSS COUNTRY
Gold, PG, Comp
The SuperTour Finals are the culmination of the domestic SuperTour circuit, and this year they were held at Craftsbury, Vermont. Gold, PG and Comp athletes participated, as well as alumni who are skiing for colleges out east. Kelsey Phinney of the Gold Team led the SVSEF women in the classic sprint, finishing ninth overall. Katie Feldman (alum, Middlebury) was 36, U16 Comp athlete Anja Jensen was 61st, and PG Ingrid Norton finished 77th. Gold Team skiers Cole Morgan and Kevin Bolger finished 13th and 14th, Matt Gelso was 39th, alum Peter Wolter represented Middlebury in 40th, as did Sam Wood in 48th. Alum Henry Gorman (UNH) finished 63rd, Will Solow 67th (PG) and Max Polito (alum, Middlebury) 82nd.
Following the sprint was a mass start skate 10/15km. Kelsey Phinney finished 18th, Annika Landis (alum, Middlebury) 36th, Katie Feldman 37th, Anja Jensen 61st, Comp skier Ella Wolter 79th and alum (St. Lawrence) Emily Siegel 84th. Jack Hegman of the Gold Team had a solid result in the men’s 15km, finishing eighth among top U.S. peers. Matt Gelso did, as well, coming in 11th. Sam Wood was 35th, Rogan Brown 37th, Kevin Bolger 39th, Peter Wolter 56th, Henry Gorman 60th, Cole Morgan 63rd, Will Solow 65th and Max Polito 96th.
A team relay was the third event, with two men and two women each skiing a 5km leg. The Middlebury College team, which had Peter Wolter scrambling and Katie Feldman anchoring, took ninth.SVSEF’s team of Jack Hegman, Anja Jensen, Rogan Brown and Kelsey Phinney finished 14th, and Sam Wood and Annika Landis’ Middlebury team was 16th.
Racing winds down Tuesday and Wednesday with the women’s 30km and the men’s 50km classic mass start.
Full results
Alpine Jr. National Championships Presents: "The Process," a Discussion led by U.S. Ski and Snowboard Director of Sport Education Jon Casson
“The Process”
How can athletes, coaches and parents work together to provide a great athletic development experience for aspiring ski racers.
Join Jon Casson, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Director of Sport Education, for an in-depth discussion of the concepts of Long Term Athlete Development and how these principles can be applied to developing ski racers. Jon will give an overview of LTAD concepts and how U.S. Ski and Snowboard is working to implement these ideas. He will also discuss specific strategies that athletes, coaches and parents can employ to provide an outstanding experience in the sport and give aspiring ski racers of all ages the best chance to reach their goals.
Thursday March 29th, 5:30 – 6:30pm
Silver Creek Room at the Limelight Hotel in Ketchum
Week in Review: March 20
CROSS COUNTRY
Alumni
Alum Jake Adicoff took silver in the men's VI 10km classic on Saturday in Pyeongchang. Jake, who was disqualified in the sprint earlier in the week post-event, stayed positive, stayed focused, and put together a great race to end the individual portion of his Paralympic competition. He was guided by Sawyer Kesselheim, who works at Galena Lodge. In the 4x2.5 km mixed relay on Sunday, Jake anchored a team that included Kendall Gretsch (sit skier, skied two legs) and Ruslan Reiter (standing) to seventh place.
PARK & PIPE
Payton and Zoe Bacca
Payton Bacca, a member of the snowboard team, has been traveling the U.S. to get more high-level competition under her belt. She recently competed in two NorAm Cup snowboardcross events at Sugarloaf, Maine, and one RevTour snowboardcross event. The fields hosted athletes from U.S., Canadian, Australian and Romanian national teams. Payton had a successful week, finding the podium in third at the RevTour SBX. In the NorAm events, she qualified and made finals both days, with 13th and 15th place finishes. Currently, Payton is the third ranked 2001 athlete in the U.S., and the #12 ranked 2001 athlete in the world on the March FIS list.
Both Payton and her younger sister Zoe competed at the Toyota Super Girl Snow Pro at Big Bear in Southern California this past weekend. The event is a professional-level snowboardcross and halfpipe showcase event, that also incorporates athletes at the developmental level. The SBX even was led this year by 10-time X Games gold medalist and four-time U.S. Olympian Lindsey Jacobellis. Zoe and Payton competed as pros, among names like Lindsey Jacobellis, Faye Gulini and Meghan Tierney. A slew of big guns were there for halfpipe, as well – from Hannah Teter to Kelly Clark, Torah Bright and Jamie Anderson.
The SBX pro event had 16 competitors (three who just came off of performances at the 2018 Olympics). Because there were no time trails as there usually are for events like World Cups and NorAms, places 9-16 were determined by how an athlete finished in her heat. Payton was third in her heat, meaning she tied for ninth place, and Zoe was fourth and tied for 13th.
| Nation | Age | Team | |||||
| 1 | Faye | Gulini | USA | 25 | US Snowboard Team | 2018 Olympics | |
| 2 | Lindsey | Jacobellis | USA | 32 | US Snowboard Team | 2018 Olympics | |
| 3 | Colleen | Healey | USA | 21 | USA / Team Healey | ||
| 4 | Isabella | Gomez | USA | 16 | Summit at Snoqualmie | ||
| 5 | Meghan | Tierney | USA | 21 | US Snowboard Team | 2018 Olympics | |
| 6 | Nellie | Steinhoff | USA | 23 | Auburn Ski Club, CA | ||
| 7 | Anna | Miller | USA | 21 | Team Reign-USA | ||
| 8 | Livi | Molodyh | USA | 18 | Mt. Bachelor- MBSEF | ||
| 9 | Payton | Bacca | USA | 16 | Sun Valley-SVSEF | ||
| 9 | Tamara | Cowley | AUS | 17 | Team Reign-Australia | ||
| 9 | Haili | Moyer | CAN | 22 | Ontario Ski Club | ||
| 9 | Alex | White | CAN | 17 | CAN /BC Provincal Team | ||
| 13 | Shannon | Maguire | USA | 19 | Park City SBX Team | ||
| 13 | Zoe | Bacca | USA | 14 | Sun Valley-SVSEF | ||
| 13 | Audry | Shieh | CAN | 18 | CAN /BC Provincal Team | ||
| 13 | Megan | Hebert | CAN | 25 | CAN /BC Provincal Team | ||
Travel
Will Griffith, who qualified for the Rev Tour, competed at Mammoth for the series in freeski big air and slopestyle. He had a great result in 12th in the big air competition, and finished 42nd in slopestyle.
RESULTS
IFSA Big Mountain
IFSA Big Mountain athletes were scattered throughout the West this week, with some at home, others at Whistler for a national level competition, and still others at Snowbird for another national event. Esmee Verheijen led the charge at Whistler for women, taking eighth, just in front of teammates Katie Markthaler and Addie Rafford in ninth and 12th in the 15-18 age class. Alex LaFleur threw down a solid run, placing sixth overall for 15-18 men. Hunter Diehl was 10th, Wilson Dunn 12th and Wyatt Minor 22nd. At Snowbird, Joe Goitiandia was 36th overall for 12-14 year old men. Axel Diehl finished 47th in the 15-18 category, and Molly Kucher finished 11th for 15-18 women. Paris Pratt received a TDQ (time disqualification).
WHISTLER RESULTS
SNOWBIRD RESULTS
ALPINE
FIS
NorAm finals, Kimberly, BC
Both Lily Fitzgerald and Alli Rathfon scored their first NorAm points at NorAm finals in Kimberly, BC – a huge accomplishment, as you have to be top 30 in the field, as well as within 8% of the winner. Lily scored points in both the super G (27th place) and the alpine combined (23rd), and Alli scored points in the second super G (28th).
“It was a great experience for both of them, being around high caliber athletes and getting to see how they work in this setting,” noted coach Brett Morris.
FIS
Western Region Junior Champs, Schweitzer
SVSEF FIS athletes competed in six events; two giant slalom, two super G and two slalom races, over the course of six days at Schweitzer. Two different SVSEF athletes found the podium, and a number made top ten throughout the week, speaking to the strength of this team. Spencer Wright was second in the men’s first super G, with teammates Jack Smith and Hayden Terjeson also breaking the top 10 in seventh and ninth. Jack took second in the same discipline the next day, with Spencer joining him in third. John Blackburn had a solid finish in sixth in the same event. John’s sibling Jake Blackburn had his best finish in the giant slalom, skiing to 22nd. Max Noddings also clocked his top result in the same race, finishing 19th. Ian Hanna’s top finish was in the super G in 77th, Bennett Snyder’s was in the super G in 12th, and Thomas Klose had a solid finish in the slalom in 23rd.
For women, Maddie Ferris had her top result in the giant slalom, in which she finished seventh overall. Cailin Chandler’s top posting was 41st in slalom.
Women’s GS 1
Maddie Ferris - 7, Cailin Chandler - 48
Men’s super G 1
Spence Wright - 2, Jack Smith - 7, Hayden Terjeson - 9, John Blackburn - 11, Max Noddings - 21, Bennett Snyder - 23, Jake Blackburn - 39, Thomas Klose - 56, Ian Hanna - 91
Women’s GS 2
Maddie - DNF, Cailin - DNF
Men’s super G 2
Jack - 2, Spencer - 3, John - 6, Hayden - 11, Bennett - 12, Max - 23, Jake - 49, Thomas - 58, Ian - 77
Men’s GS 1
John - 5, Spencer - 10, Jack - 15, Hayden - 16, Max - 22, Jake - 29, Bennett - 46, Thomas - 56, Ian - DNF
Women’s super G 1
Maddie - 16, Cailin - 48
Men’s GS 2
Jack - 10, Max - 19, Spencer - 20, Jake - 22, Bennett - 48, Thomas - DNF, Hayden - DNF, John - DNF, Ian - DNF
Women’s super G 2
Maddie- 31, Cailin - 48
Women’s slalom 1
Maddie- 19, Cailin -42
Men’s slalom 1
Spencer - 5, Hayden - 7, Thomas - 23, Jake -25, Max - 26, Bennett - 27, Will Snyder (alum, attends Williams College) - 32, John - DNF, Ian - DNF, Jack - DNF
Women’s slalom 2
Maddie - 20, Cailin - 41
Men’s slalom 2
Will Snyder (alum) - 3, Hayden -9, Max - 20, Bennett - 23, Spencer -35, Jack - DNF, John- DNF, Jake - DNF, Ian- DNF, Thomas -DNF
RESULTS
IMD
U14 Western Region Champs, Jackson
SVSEF IMD skiers had a great weekend at U14 Western Region Championships in Jackson, with Logan Lindstrom taking the women’s overall win. Athletes Jessica Blackburn, Saba Grossman, Logan Lindstrom, Paige DeHart, and Colin Hanna were all top six overall for the weekend, and have therefore qualified for the Whistler Cup in April. An international race series for U14s and first year U16s, this is a big deal and a great opportunity for these athletes. SVSEF had the most athletes of any club qualify. "After seeing athletes from Far West, PSNA, Alaska, and Northern compete, it is pretty clear that Sun Valley and the Intermountain Division are doing something very right in our development,” reflected IMD head coach James Tautkus. “For us, every day we ski at home may feel like just another day; however, our days are filled with better, stronger development opportunities than any of these other divisions, and it showed in our athletes’ skiing this weekend.” Highlights for the weekend came in the form of Colin Hanna’s second place finish in the super G and sixth place in the giant slalom. Nils Galloway had a great slalom race, making the top 10 in seventh. In the women’s super G, SVSEF put four athletes in the top 10 – Jessica Blackburn was second, Saba Grossman third, Paige DeHart sixth and Logan Lindstrom seventh. Jessica was again second in the giant slalom, and Paige joined her on the podium in third. Logan Lindstrom was close behind in sixth, and skied to first the next day in the slalom. She was the overall women’s winner for the weekend, with strong, consistent performances (seventh in super G, sixth in giant slalom, first in slalom). Saba was second in the slalom, Hannah Ferris posted a great result in ninth, and Agnes Kind stepped it up and into 16th on the day. The women and men as a whole stayed consistently and collectively in the top half of the field throughout the weekend, speaking to the strong grouping this team possesses.
Men’s super G
Colin Hanna -2, Nils Galloway - 10, Carter Sammis - DNF
Women’s super G
Jessica Blackburn - 2, Saba Grossman - 3, Paige DeHart - 6, Logan Lindstrom - 7, Hannah Ferris - 11, Maya Lightner - 13, Agnes Kind - 28
Men’s GS
Colin Hanna - 6, Nils Galloway - 14, Carter Sammis - DNF
Women’s GS
Jessica Blackburn - 2, Paige DeHart - 3, Logan Lindstrom - 6, Saba Grossman - 11, Hannah Ferris - 23, Agnes Kind - 29, Maya Lightner - DNF
Men’s slalom
Nils Galloway - 7, Carter Sammis - DNF, Colin Hanna - DNF
Women’s slalom
Logan Lindstrom - 1, Saba Grossman - 2, Hannah Ferris - 9, Agnes Kind - 16, Paige DeHart - 29, Maya Lightner - DQ, Jessica Blackburn - DNF
RESULTS
North Series
IMD Champs, Grand Targhee
The North Series team traveled to Grand Targhee for IMD Championships. Max Meucci cranked out a win in the slalom, and Tucker Smith finished third in the giant slalom. Will Kogelmann joined Max and Tucker (seventh) in the top 10 in the slalom, skiing to ninth overall. Owen Walker and Will had good results in the giant slalom, as well, going 14-15. Natalie Gowe stepped onto the podium for girls, finishing third in the slalom, and teammate Ruby Crist clocked a fast time, coming in fifth. The athletes put it all on the line for the Championships; Norah Davis-Jeffers finished 17th in the slalom, Eden Grace Gardner 20th, and Ava Agnew 29th. Hanna Bailey (41st), Madda Mourier-Floyd (43rd), Rowan Desler (46th), Scarlet Rixon (48th), Simone Tumolo (50th) and Scarlet Pringle (62nd) all had their best results in the slalom, as well. Scarlett Carruth and Josie Sarchett both had their top races in the giant slalom event, skiing to 39th and 54th, respectively. Paxton Sammis skied fast in the slalom, coming in 22nd. Other SVSEF athletes who had their top result in the slalom were Sascha Stern-Pre, finishing 28th, Abel Marx (39th) and Drew Kogelmann (62nd). Tommy Hovey posted his best, 58th, in the giant slalom.
In duals, Tucker and Will qualified for the final round of eight; Will finished fourth and Tucker was eliminated in the first round.
Men’s giant slalom
Tucker Smith - 3, Owen Walker -14, Will Kogelmann -15, Paxton Sammis - 28, Abel Marx- 42, Sacha Stern-Pre - 45, Tommy Hovey - 58, Max Meucci - DNF, Jensen Pierre - DQ, Drew Kogelmann - DQ
Women’s giant slalom
Natalie Gowe - 10, Ruby Crist - 13, Eden Grace Gardner - 27, Scarlett Carruth - 39, Rowan Desler - 48, Madda Mourier-Floyd - 50, Ava Agnew - 52, Josie Sarchett - 54, Scarlet Rixon - 60
Simone Tumolo - 61, Hanna Bailey - 64, Norah Davis-Jeffers - 70, Scarlet Pringle - 77, Taylor Hovey - DQ
Men’s slalom
Max Meucci - 1, Tucker Smith - 7, Will Kogelmann - 9, Paxton Sammis - 22, Sacha Stern-Pre -28, Abel Marx - 39, Drew Kogelmann - 62, Tommy Hovey - 76, Jensen Pierre - DNF, Owen Walker - DQ
Women’s slalom
Natalie Gowe - 3, Ruby Crist - 5, Norah Davis-Jeffers - 17, Eden Grace Gardner - 20, Ava Agnew - 29, Hanna Bailey 41, Madda Mourier-Floyd - 43, Rowan Desler - 46, Scarlet Rixon - 48, Simone Tumolo - 50, Scarlet Pringle - 62, Taylor Hovey - DNF, Scarlett Carruth - DQ, Josie Sarchett - DQ
RESULTS
Janss 2018: A Recap
The Janss Pro-Am Classic is, first and foremost, a celebration of the joys of skiing, community, the younger generation and costumes; all things that were championed by the late Bill Janss. Staged over the course of three days, the event featured an opening celebration and pro presentation at Michel’s Christiania, which was generously hosted by Dave Wilson and Trish Wilson, David Pyle and families, and Michel Rudigoz, two days of head-to-head giant slalom racing, a gala dinner and a closing party. This year’s theme for the 21st iteration of the event was “Jukebox Heroes: Songs You Know and Love,” and teams ran the gamut. From “The Lonely Goatherd” to “Thunderstruck” to “Baby Got Back,” teams tapped into a wide variety of generations and genres.
This event makes your standard college Halloween party seem vastly mediocre – Janss participants wear their costumes for a considerably longer period of time, through multiple ski races, multiple meals and multiple dance moves. They tend to adopt – whether on purpose or merely due to the duration of time spent in costume, I’m not sure – the mannerisms of their characters.
Walking into the Janss tent is a sight to behold. Over there sits the “Rock and Roll All Nite” team, who are putting the finishing touches on their all-black getup by applying with resolute focus that unmistakable KISS facepaint. Turn around, and here are the Beach Boys of team “Fun, Fun, Fun,” who have the tans and demeanor, to boot. Members of “Rhinestone Cowboys” walk around in their light-up hats and bedazzled jackets, sending glints of cheery reflections dancing around the tent. As you leave to catch the lift for your run, you do a double take; Elvis is here, and he’s chatting with Felipe Rose, some goats, a member of Devo (not without his energy dome and keyboard) and a large mass of blonde wigs, which you come to recognize as Poison. It’s all slightly confounding, but in the most wonderful way – which is the essence of the Janss, and a very special thing to witness.
Through snow flurries, racers tackled the dual giant slalom course on Friday, March 16 and Saturday, March 17. A total of 20 teams participated in this year’s event. The final four teams that vied for the Janss Cup were The Lonely Goatherd, Talk Dirty to Me, Jean Genie and Baby Got Back, comprised entirely of SVSEF female alumni. When the racing was over, Talk Dirty to Me, a first-year Janss participant, walked away victorious with John Vanderkloot, George Vanderkloot, Jeff Barber, Patrick McCain, Robby Cullen and pro Aaron Fabish. Jean Genie was second, Baby Got Back, sponsored by Freddy Johnson, third, and The Lonely Goatherd fourth.
The Most Inspirational award was voted on by participants and sponsored by Lee Gilman; John Lee and Mike Gilman have sponsored this award and participated in the Janss for six consecutive years. This year’s winners were Charlotte Gourlay and Liz Brown of Rhinestone Cowboy, and LeRoy Kingland of Jailhouse Rock. Also decided by vote was best costume. With 16 of the 20 ballots with votes to their name, Baby Got Back, sponsored by Freddy Johnson, was the overwhelming winner, followed by Whip It of Lee Gilman, who staged three costume changes throughout the weekend. I Wanna Rock and Roll All Nite came in third.
Best role player (or living dramatically during the Janss) went to Sarah Schwing of Baby Got Back and Sam Herrick of Walk This Way. Best crash went to Amy Taylor of Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys and Paul Hoagland of Rocket Man and the fastest recreational racers were Charlotte Gourlay of Rhinestone Cowboys and KJ Savaria of Texas Tornadoes.
The Speed Cup champion for the third straight year went to Texas Tornadoes, a team comprised of SVSEF alumni and sponsored by Buddy and Shay Wilton. Carl Rixon (17 straight years on winning Speed Cup team), Hunter Storey, KJ Savaria, Sean Higgins, Austin Savaria and pro Biche Rudigoz clocking a combined time of 96.41. In second was Dancing Queen, who finished in 1:14.77, and the third fastest team was Baby Got Back, with a time of 1:18.03. All three Speed Cup teams were made up of SVSEF alumni, current racers and coaches, and, in the case of Jim DeWolfe, SVSEF board president.
The Janss could not be what it is without the support and generosity of its benefators, patrons and volunteers. Special thanks go to Robert Cimino and family, host of headquarters tent, the race crew of Brian Ros and Chelle and Baird Gourlay, race announcer Kevin Clarke, photographers Becky Smith, Avery Ardovino, and Glen Allison, and over 100 volunteers.
Thank you, as well, to our sponsors for helping make this event possible.
Double Black Diamond: Sun Valley Company, Jim & Barbara Cimino Foundation
Black Diamond: Stan and Kristine Baty
Platinum: Ketchum Chiropractic/Dr. Tom West, Lee Gilman Builders, the Connelly Family
Gold: Coca-Cola, That’s Entertainment, Pennay’s at River Run, John Demetre, Dave Wilson & David Pyle, Intermountain Eye Centers, Tom & Anne Warde, Davis Embroidery
Silver: Fits Socks, Patron, Clear Creek Disposal, Starbucks, Tabasco, Zenergy, Southern Glazers, Wills Toyota, Brass Ranch, Atkinsons’, Sue Engelmann/Sotheby’s
Bronze: Galena Lodge, Krispy Kreme, Sawtooth Brewery, Chums, Cirque, Windy City Arts, Beyond Coastal, Warfield Distillery & Brewery, 44° North, Chobani, RBC, the Spoor Family, Continental Floral Greens, Sun Valley Magazine
Contributors: Perry’s, Lutz Rental, The Cellar Pub, Quay Australia, Sushi on Second, Knob Hill Inn, Knob Hill Grill, Wrap City, Clif Bar, The Pioneer Saloon, The Elephant’s Perch, Pure, Eddie Bauer, Neecy’s, Sturtevants, Brooks Welding, Watkins Distributing, Bigwood Bread
Team Sponsors: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Shay and Buddy Wilton, Jr., Freddy Johnson, First Lite, The Conner Family, Robert Cimino and Friends of Puerto Rico.
Week in Review: March 13
CROSS COUNTRY
COMP/PG
Junior Nationals
Junior Nationals bring together the best cross country athletes from each region throughout the U.S. for four races.Over 350 racers took part. This year, Junior Nationals were held at Soldier Hollow in Utah, an Intermountain region venue. The week commenced with a 5/10km classic interval start, with SVSEF's Sydney Palmer-Leger leading the charge for SVSEF and the Intermountain region with a win in the U16 category. Annika Landis, a SVSEF alumni who now attends Middlebury College, also skied to first in the U20 age group. SVSEF's U16 girls had a great day all together, placing all girls close to the top half of the field – Sydney-1, Logan Smith-4, Anja Jensen-28, Sascha Leidecker-34 and Luci Ludwig-35. Despite illness, Johnny Hagenbuch was sixth for U18 men, and Henry Raff had his best result of the week in 14th for U20 men.
SVSEF skiers got off to a good start in the freestyle sprint qualifiers on Wednesday, March 7, with all U16 girls qualifying for rounds, Logan and Sydney qualifying for second and fourth places, Cash Dart qualifying for U16 heats in fifth, and PG Will Solow qualifying second for U20 men. Alumni Annika Landis and Emily Siegel qualified for U20 women in 12th and 16th, and U18 women Sophia Mazzoni and Lily Brunelle qualified for heats in 12th and 15th.
In heats, Sydney Palmer-Leger and Logan Smith made it all the way to the A final. Logan stuck with the front group in the final heat, powering past the athlete in the lead on the final big climb to assert herself in first for the remainder of the race. Logan won, and teammate Sydney finished third. Will Solow made it all the way to B finals, where he finished fifth in his heat and 11th overall. Johnny Hagenbuch won the B final for U18 men, putting him in seventh overall. In the U20 women's A finals, Annika Landis placed fifth.
The 5/10/15km mass start freestyle on March 10 was a tough race – over 30 competitors dropped out throughout the day. Conditions were rough, with warm temperatures and unpredictable snow. Sydney Palmer-Leger, who was leading the U16 women in the 5km, fell on a long downhill with rollers, leaving her with whiplash and concussion. Cash Dart injured separated his shoulder after a fall in the crowd at the start. Despite these setbacks, SVSEF had some highlights for the day – Johnny Hagenbuch found the podium in third for U18 men, and Annika Landis did the same, finishing second for her second podium of the week in the U20 women's 10km. Lily Brunelle skied will in the U18 5km category, finishing 14th overall, as did Kirsys Campbell and Eve Jensen, who finished 36th and 38th. Emily Siegel had a solid effort, finishing 15th in the U20 women's event. Drew Palmer-Leger did, as well, finishing 28th in the U20 men's 15km.
The last event was a team relay on Saturday, with three 3km classic legs. Annika Landis pulled her team up from sixth place onto the podium in third on her anchor leg, and Logan Smith anchored her U16 team, taking the group into seventh.
The Intermountain region was fourth overall in the 10-team Alaska Cup standings, and SVSEF placed fifth in a group of 43 college and club teams, behind Loppet Nordic, Stratton Mountain School, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and Alaska Pacific Nordic.
Top Finishes
U20 Men:
Will Solow- 11, skate sprint
Henry Raff- 14, classic distance
Drew Palmer-Leger- 28, skate distance
U20 Women:
Annika Landis- 1, classic distance
Emily Siegel- 15, skate distance
U18 Men:
Johnny Hagenbuch, 3, skate distance
U18 Women:
Sophia Mazzoni -13, skate sprint
Lily Brunelle - 14, skate distance, skate sprint
Kirsys Campbell 36, skate distance
Eve Jensen- 38, skate distance
Ella Wolter- 51, skate sprint
U16 Men:
Cash Dart, 17, skate sprint
U16 Women:
Sydney Palmer-Leger- 1, classic distance
Logan Smith- 1, skate sprint
Anja Jensen- 16, skate sprint
Sascha Leidecker- 18, skate sprint
Luci Ludwig- 28, skate sprint
RESULTS
ALUMNI
PARALYMPICS
SVSEF alum Jake Adicoff is currently representing the U.S. at the Paralympics in Pyeongchang. This is the Bowdoin senior's second Paralympic Games; he first competed in Sochi in 2014. In the men's VI 20km skate race on Monday, Jake took fifth overall. In the March 14 1.5km classic sprint, Jake had a strong qualifying race with the second fastest time. In his semifinal heat, he tied Canadian Brian McKeever, who has won multiple Paralympic medals, to progress to the finals. In a heat of four athletes, Jake was unfortunately disqualified on a skating violation. Next up is a 7.5km classic race on Saturday.
RESULTS
NCAAs
Five former SVSEF athletes represented their schools at NCAA Championships in Steamboat Springs, March. Peter Wolter and Katie Feldman, who are both alumni of the cross country program, represented Middlebury College and the East Region. Peter Wolter, in addition to being named to NCAAs, was the EISA Rookie of the Year. Joining Peter and Katie was Eli Jensen (Montana State), a longtime member of the program, and Sam Wood (Middlebury) and Braden Becker (Williams), who were both PG athletes in the SVSEF program and who have continued to train with us as members of the Summer Training Group.
In the women's 5km classic, Katie placed 19th overall. Braden was 15th in the men's 10km classic, one second ahead of Sam in 16th. Peter was 24th, and Eli finished 34th.
In the men's 20km skate, the top alumni finisher was again Braden, this time in 11th. Sam repeated his result from two days prior, skiing to 16th. Peter finished 25th and Eli 34th. Katie had a great race, coming in 13th in the women's 15km.
RESULTS
GOLD TEAM
Following his standout World Cup premier, in which he finished 11th in the skate sprint, Kevin Bolger competed in his first 50km in the infamous Holmenkollen, skiing to 52nd on the World Cup circuit. In the March 7 classic sprint, he finished 50th.
PARK & PIPE
JUNIOR NATIONALS
Two SVSEF athletes, Ben Fethke and Harper Mallett, competed at U.S. Freeskiing Junior Nationals in Park City. As an 11-year-old, Ben was the U13 national champion in halfpipe. In the overall field, which included athletes significantly older (mostly 15-19 year olds), Ben was eighth – an amazing result, given the competition. Harper Mallet also had a strong showing, finishing second in the U15 category and seventh overall. Ben also competed in the slopestyle event, which was held on a course that will be used for FIS World Championships next year. He came in second for U13s, and was 50 out of 86 overall. Both of Ben's results (in slopestyle and halfpipe) were the best for an 11-year-old at Junior Nationals in recent years.
IFSA BIG MOUNTAIN
IFSA big mountain skiers competed at Breckenridge Nationals. Paris Pratt had an outstanding two runs, edging out Crested Butte’s Avery Bernholtz for the win in the 15-18 female category. Joe Goitiandia had solid scores, as well, finishing 10th out of 40 competitors in the 12-14 male category. Wilson Dunn and Black Harmon stuck together, skiing to 46th and 48th in the 15-18 male group, and Molly Kucher was 23rd for 15-18 females.
RESULTS
TRAVEL
The Rev Tour at Mammoth got started yesterday with a slopestyle event. SVSEF’s Will Griffith finished 42nd overall in a field populated by 57 athletes, mainly from the U.S. and Canada. His next event is the big air competition on March 14.
RESULTS
ALUMNI
Chase Josey wrapped up his season at the U.S. Open in Vail (he finished third in the 2017 iteration of the event). The Olympian qualified second for men in the halfpipe semifinals on March 8, behind Ayumu Hirano, but clipped the deck in finals on March 10, compressing his back. Chase finished ninth overall.
RESULTS
ALPINE
Five SVSEF athletes have qualified for U.S. Alpine National Championships, and nine have qualified for U.S. Alpine Junior National Championships; both events will be held in Sun Valley this year. Additionally, three SVSEF alumni have qualified for Nationals. Read about our qualified athletes here.
Alpine FIS
Nor Am finals are underway as of Monday in Kimberly, British Columbia. SVSEF alumni Kipling Wiesel had a solid first race, with a ninth place finish in the giant slalom. In the second giant slalom on Tuesday, he was 16th. Lily Fitzgerald did not finish her second slalom run on Monday, and Alli Rathfon did not finish her first run. Competition continued Tuesday with another slalom; Lily finished 40th overall.
ALUMNI
Haley Cutler represented the University of New Mexico at NCAA Championships in Steamboat. In the March 7 giant slalom, Haley placed 13th, and was the third UNM skier. In the slalom on March 9, she was 21st.
MOGULS
TRAVEL
SVSEF athletes competed at Junior Nationals in Park City; the event hosted athletes based on the top 60 male and female U18 athletes in the country. A highlight of the week was Sammy Smith’s victory in the F13 singles, while achieving 10th overall in a field with athletes up to age 18. Rainey Wilson took 11th for F17 (34th overall), and Luke Rizzo finished fifth in the M17 category (19th overall).