Intermountain Youth Festival Race Information
Intermountain Youth Festival February 27-28, 2016
@ The SVSEF Lake Creek Training Center and ski trails
A great youth event for XC skiers 15 and younger; 2 days 4 events and even more fun!
For questions or more information concerning this event please email event coordinator Kelley Sinnott kelley@svsef.org or Race Secretary Lexie Praggastis xcrace@svsef.org
Detailed race information: IYC host info
Race Waiver: IYC Event Release
Team Race Registration Form: IYC 2016 final_SUN VALLEY
Gilt Complex: SVSEF Racers Medal in IMD Opener at Jackson Hole
SVSEF coaches Rick Kapala and Tommy Smith took a group of 32 racers to the Johnny Curtis Memorial races at Trail Creek in Jackson, Wyoming, and zeal for skiing was as contagious as flu in February.
"It was such a good weekend as a team," Kapala wrote to his athletes. "(A) really solid job at Jackson to all of you. Lots of team support and enthusiasm and really big efforts. Thanks for getting us coaches so psyched!"
The Intermountain Points Series consisted of a three-kilometer classic with interval start Friday and longer mass start freestyle Saturday. The gauntlet was thrown on Friday with SVSEF racers taking 10 podium finishes. Throughout the series, SVSEF racers displayed their depth with 12 different medalists.
The U18 Junior Men's group flexed its muscle in the opener, sweeping the podium with Ben Brunelle leading the charge, winning in 9:06, followed by Leo Lukens second in 9:09, and Eli Jensen third in 9:14.
"Then we kept right on going with a total of 10 of the top 11 places," Kapala said, noting the finish placements of Peter Wolter-4, Carter Ros-5, Max Polito-6, Luke Breechen-8, River Vorse-9, Henry Raff-10, Keene Morawitz-11, Cooper Roquet-17, Jacob Truxal-18 and Oier Ibergallratu-21. 52 men finished the race.
Lukash Platil and Danny Graves went one-two in the Junior Men's U20 class with Platil winning in 9:03 - the fastest time of the day. Tim Regan was 7th. Loni Unser collected 4th in the U20 Junior Women's division.
Logan Smith captured the U14 (12-13) Junior Women's podium winning her class by 13 seconds. Kate Horowitz was 9th. Cash Dart was runner-up in the U14 Junior Men's class. Moving up an age class, Johnny Hagenbuch scaled the podium in first place in the U16 Junior Men's division. In a chock-full field of 53, Joe Hall finished a solid 19th.
U16 racers Sophia Mazzoni and Lily Brunelle were second and third in the Junior Women's class. Ella Wolter (6th), Kirsys Campbell (8th), Chloe Tanous (9th) and Eve Jensen (10th) joined their teammates in the top 10 in a field of 32 finishers. Laine Allison was 13th and Katherine Estep 17th.
"The U16 girls put together a very solid effort," Kapala said.
In the U18 women's class, Emily Siegel continues to build form and function after rehabilitating a torn ACL last season, skiing to 11th place. Teammate Ellie Polk was 13th.
Over a three-kilometer distance, Logan Smith repeated as U14 champion on Saturday and Cash Dart skated to second place. Kate Horowitz moved up to 6th place.
Over a 5k distance, Johnny Hagenbuch was the silver medalist in the U16 class and Joe Hall 22nd. Lily Brunelle, Ella Wolter, Sophia Mazzoni, Kirsys Campbell and Eve Jensen went 5-10 in the U16 Junior Women's division. The quintet finished between 1:08 and 1:38 off the first-place pace of Sydney Palmer-Leger of PCNSC.
SVSEF's U18 crop showed anyone is capable of winning on any day with Peter Wolter claiming victory and setting the standard with the fastest time on the day of 19:56 over 7.5k. He was the only racer to break the 20-minute mark at that distance, although teammate Max Polito came with a hairsbreadth, finishing second in 20.01. Eli Jensen was third, Luke Brecheen 4th, Ben Brunelle 5th, Henry Raff 7th, and Leo Lukens 10th. Also, Cooper Roquet-11, Keene Morawitz-12, Carter Ros-14, River Vorse-19, Oier Ibergallartu-21, and Jacob Truxal-33.
Emily Siegel finished 11th and Ellie Polk 21st in the U18 women's 7.5k.
Danny Graves and Luk Platil swapped spots as top dog in the U20 class with Graves winning the men's 7.5k in 20:08. Loni Unser was 4th.
Competitive racers will travel to Houghton, Michigan, at the end of this month for the U.S. World Junior Scando Trials.
SVSEF racers - great competitors and comrades. Cooper Roquet is cheered on by his teammates.
SVSEF, Sawtooth Mountain Guides Offer Avalanche 1 Certification
The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation is offering the first installment of its Mountain Adventure Curriculum in conjunction with Sawtooth Mountain Guides. The two organizations are teaming up to provide an Avalanche 1 Certification for youth athletes.
The educational opportunity consists of a backcountry skiing up to Williams Peak Yurt in the Sawtooth Mountains and spending three days learning backcountry safety and survival skills. Participants will leave early on December 19, head up to the yurt and spend the remainder of that day through Dec. 21, going through all the aspects of how to safely navigate avalanche terrain. The trip returns to the Engl Training Center around dinnertime on the 21.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand key decision making concepts and how these affect our risk
- Develop a trip plan and choose appropriate terrain before heading into the backcountry
- Learn to make and record appropriate field observations
- Work as a team to make good decisions and terrain choices
- Practice safe travel techniques in avalanche terrain
- Demonstrate effective companion rescue during realistic scenarios
This course is open to all SVSEF athletes ages 15 and up, and participants will be required to have alpine touring skis, and a medium sized backpack for each day. Food while at the yurt is included and avalanche rescue gear is available to use while on the trip. Estimated cost of the trip is $650. To register, go to "My Account" on SVSEF homepage and click on "Projects."
Additional details and a full equipment list will be provided closer to the trip.
Attached is Sawtooth Mountains Guide’s description of their typical AIARE Level 1 Hut Trip.
http://sawtoothguides.com/trips/aiare-level-1-avalanche-course/
Photos courtesy of Sawtooth Mountain Guides
Second Set of USSA Super Tour Races in the Books
The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation welcomed a high-caliber field of nearly 200 competitors for USSA Super Tour races Saturday and Sunday at Lake Creek.
Classic was the discipline for sprint and distance racing on the Lake Creek Trail System, which was made possible by Mother Nature and the hard work of volunteers. SVSEF Assistant Program Director Kelley Sinnott remarked, “Visiting coaches and officials at the event were complimentary of the recently revamped 2.2k and 1.3k courses and were impressed that with the help of many volunteers and shovels SVSEF was able to provide such a high-quality course so early in the snow season.”
As expected, one of the nation’s leading sprinters, Dakota Blackhorse-Von Jess of Bend Endurance Academy won the men’s sprint final over Reese Hanneman of Alaska-Pacific University. SVSEF Gold Team member Miles Havlick claimed the B Final, finishing seventh overall. Former SVSEF post-grad Kevin Bolger (University of Utah) was runner-up to Havlick. Gold racers Ben Lustgarten, Cole Morgan and Matt Gelso bowed out in the quarterfinals.
APU’s Becca Rorabaugh led the women’s sprints over Craftsbury Racing Project skiers Kaitlynn Miller and Caitlin Patterson. SVSEF Gold Team racer Deedra Irwin was seventh overall and the winner of the B Final. SVSEF alum Sloan Storey (University of Utah) and Annie Pokorny (Statton Mountain School) both cracked the top 20.
In the Junior Women’s sprint, SVSEF’s Annika Landis landed on the podium in third place – the same day she learned of her acceptance at Middlebury College. Lily Brunelle, a second-year U16, was sixth overall. Teammate Ella Wolter was 12th.
APU swept the top spots on the podium Sunday with former SVSEF Gold Team racer Chelsea Holmes winning the women’s10k in 31:29. She crossed the finish line .09.7 ahead of teammate Rorabaugh. Patterson was third. Once again, Irwin had a great day finishing 14th in 34:25. Storey was 11th in 34:05 and Pokorny 16th in 34:29.
Scott Patterson was a half-minute ahead of the field, winning the men’s 15k in 40:35. Colorado University’s Mads Stroem was second in 41:07 and Eric Packer (APU) third in 41:09. A trio of SVSEF racers cracked the top ten Havlick eighth in 41:54, Lustgarten ninth in 42:02 and Gelso tenth in 42:17. Rogan Brown was 12th in 42:36.
“Racers were greeted by another beautiful Sun Valley blue sky day and despite low snow conditions were able to compete on a well groomed but difficult hilly course,” Sinnott said.
Older junior racers competed over the same distance as seniors. Lukash Platil (33rd overall) stepped up on the podium in third place with a time of 45:48. Thomas O’Harra of APU won the race in 43:58. Max Polito was sixth in 47:26, Leo Lukens ninth in 48:06, Danny Graves 10th in 48:14, Eli Jensen 11th in 48:48, Carter Ros 13th in 49:36, Keene Morawitz 17th in 50:43, Henry Raff 18th in 50:45, Luke Brecheen 22nd in 52:58, River Vorse 24th in 53:35, Landon Nurge 28th in 54:45. Max Tanous did not finish.
Stratton Mountain’s Katharine Ogden won the junior class 10k in 32:37. Landis (28th overall) clocked in at 37-minutes flat to place seventh. Ellie Polk was 18th in 42:07, Loni Unser 20th in 43:10 and Emily Siegel returned from last year’s knee injury with a 21st in 43:13.
U16 racers competed over a 4.4-kilometer distance. Johnny Hagenbuch was second in 15:05. Joe Hall placed sixth in 16:04 and Aidan Burchmore seventh in 20:40. Lily Brunelle’s time of 17:30 vaulted her in to third place. Teammates Sophia Mazzoni (18:01), Ella Wolter (18:10) and Jenna Nurge (18:22) went 4-5-6.
SVSEF girls and boys swept the U14 2.2 kilometer race. With a time of 9:07, Anja Jensen led teammates Logan Smith (9:11), Luci Ludwig (10:16) and Elle Mann (11:14) placing first through fourth. SVSEF boys repeated the feat with Cash Dart (8:20) first, followed by Sebi Radl-Jones (9:53), Jake Gorham (10:12) and Alex Shafer (10:46).
“All in all it was a great weekend of skiing and competition at Lake Creek,” Sinnott said.
Complete results may be found at www.svsupertour2015.com.
SVSEF to Host USSA Super Tour Races at Lake Creek
The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation is extremely pleased to welcome an estimated 200 skiers to USSA Super Tour races this weekend at Lake Creek.
SVSEF Cross Country Program Director and race organizer Rick Kapala remarked, “Basically everyone who is not in Europe is going to be here, which is a pretty solid group. From the U.S. Team we have Patrick Caldwell, Ben Saxton, Julia Kern and Katharine Ogden. Our Gold Team will also go against the top skiers from Alaska-Pacific University and the Craftsbury Senior Team. Dakota Blackhorse, the top sprinter in the country is here.”
An Olympic & Paralympic Training Site, the Lake Creek Trail System where the SVSEF Cross Country Team is based, features 15 kilometers of USSA/FIS homologated ski trails suitable for the highest standard of Nordic competition.
“We are very fortunate to have international standard courses right here in town,” Kapala said. “It allows us to train our skiers to the hardest course standards and racing on those same courses can be a big advantage. That said, even with home course advantage, we still have to go out there and race.”
Kapala said a total of 64 women and 84 men will compete in classic sprint races on Saturday, December 5. With the addition of SVSEF junior racers, the fields for classic mass start distance races will grow exponentially on Sunday, December 6.
U14 boys and girls will compete over a 3k distance, U16 5k, and U18 girls will race 10k. U18 boys and seniors will vie for supremacy on a 15k track. Awards will follow the men’s 15k race on Sunday. Racing begins at 10 a.m. on both days.
Despite a light early-season snowpack, Kapala termed the track at Lake Creek "solid."
"Of course, conditions could be better but we have had a lot of help shoveling up snow on the race loop and the courses will be an excellent early season test,” Kapala said.
Spectators are welcome and encouraged to come out and cheer. No skiing is allowed on course while racing is taking place. Shuttle service is available from the Hulen Meadows parking lot. There is no parking on Highway 75.
"We are really psyched to have Super Tour here to start the season. It helps both our juniors and Gold Team members to get a chance to race on our home trails early in the season,” Kapala said. “This year in particular we are shooting to have our juniors ready for World Junior Selections in early January, so going head-to-head with top level competition is key. For our Gold teamers, we are not chasing races around the West, which really puts a load on our skiers.”
For race details, please visit http://www.svsupertour2015.com/
SVSEF Gold Team racer Matt Gelso will be in the mix this weekend.
Miles Havlick on How To Recover From Hard Training Days
When it comes to ski racing, the hard part is not reaching the twenty-hour training goal for the week or hammering out another level-4 interval on a frosty bike path in October; what’s tough is bouncing back from those workouts. Recovery is quite simple, but it is often neglected because it is so simple. By taking care of the small things, we can get more out of every workout and recover more quickly enabling us to get back out for another training session or competition.
With the endless supply of recovery gimmicks out there, it’s easy to get caught up in all the marketing Kool-aid, some of which is supported by research but most of it not. What we can rely on however, are the tried-and-true methods of recovery that athletes have been utilizing since the days of Neanderthals (almost).
While working out, our bodies are like glycogen sponges starting full and slowly being wrung out as more energy is needed. Immediately following a demanding workout, the sponge is particularly receptive and in desperate need of replenishment. Within 15-20 minutes of completing training, it is essential to consume something; preferably containing carbohydrates for glycogen replacement, protein to repair damaged muscle fibers, and fat for its caloric density. This will kick-start the recovery process and ensure that all that suffering pays off.
Another underutilized recovery tool is massage, which can do magic in transforming sore, tired legs into a brand new pair in a relatively short period of time. Massage has been proven to clear out waste products, increase circulation, and promote healing to damaged tissues. Unfortunately, most of us do not enjoy the perks of a full-time masseuse but there are some quality alternatives that can be performed on your own. Foam rolling, yoga, and good-old stretching are a great start and there is a wide array of instructional videos online to keep things from getting stagnant. Work it into the morning routine, be diligent, and feel the difference!
Most importantly in my mind and perhaps the most neglected aspect to recovery is rest. Despite what people may claim, training actually makes us weaker. Muscle fibers break down, glycogen in our muscles and liver are depleted and we eventually get tired. It is not until we eat and rest that the body is able to bounce back stronger than before. And don’t think that perusing Facebook or watching the latest Bourne movie is rest, I’m talking about sleep. Take a nap or get to bed early and let your body do what it does best so you can get back to chasing the dream.
Get out there, click into those skis, push that Garmin to its limits, but be sure to stay on top of the small things. Eat well, run through a self-massage routine, get to bed early and stroll up to that Senate Meadows start line with a little extra spring in your step!
Miles Havlick, SVSEF Gold Team Member
Hometown: Boulder, CO
Alma Mater: University of Utah
Favorite ski in the Valley: Billy’s Bridge Loop
A-Cross-Country Ties to the Greater Ski Community
Out of the woods... Former SVSEF coach and athlete duo - Chris Mallory and Max Durtschi reunite for a backcountry adventure in Lake Placid, New York this past week. Chris is now the Assistant Coach of the University of Vermont Ski Team, and Max is now racing for the U.S. Biathlon Team! Wherever we go #wearesvsef!
Know Before You Go: SVSEF to offer Wilderness First Aid Course
The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation is offering a Wilderness First Aid course for all athletes ages 15 and older. The course is administered through Wilderness Medicine Institute and part of SVSEF's Mountain Adventure Curriculum.
"This course has been very popular and sold out the last two seasons," SVSEF Alpine Program Director Scott McGrew said. "This is knowledge all athletes and outdoor enthusiasts should have. Every activity we do has the potential to become a situation requiring medical assistance. The information in this course can help you make the right decision when necessary."
Athletes who are younger than 15 and are interested in the course need to contact McGrew before registering. The Wilderness First Aid certification is good for two years and the course can also be submitted to most colleges for one credit. For more information on WMI visit http://www.nols.edu/wmi/.
The course will be staged on Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1 with students meeting at SVSEF's Engl Training Center at 215 Picabo Street at Warm Springs. Classwork will take place inside and outside. Sessions run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with registration beginning at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday. The cost is $175. Additional details and registration are available online through the SVSEF website via the following steps:
- Log in to your SVSEF account under "My Account"
- Click "Events"
- Click "Wilderness First Aid"
Rose rises to the occasion, wins Whiteface Climb to the Castle
Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation Cross Country Gold Team member Mary Rose won the women's title Sunday at the Climb to the Castle in Whiteface, New York. Rose, 24, rollerskied her way up Whiteface Mountain's 4,867 feet in 45:14.1.
"It's a testament how hard work pays off over time. She's clearly been putting the work in for the last several years and now one of the better distance skiers in the country. It is not a surprise she had success at this event. Good job, Mary," SVSEF Cross Country Program Director Rick Kapala said.
Rose crossed the finish line 27 seconds ahead of runner up Annalies Cook (USBA). SVSEF teammate Paige Schember was 6th in 51:51.3.
Fellow Gold Team members Rogan Brown, Miles Havlick (9th) and Ben Lustgarten (12th) were also in the mix. Brown finished fourth in the men's race, 15.3 seconds behind winner Patrick Caldwell. SVSEF alumni Max Durtschi was 10th.
Lake Placid, New York, where Whiteface Mountain is located, was the site of the 1980 Winter Olympics. The Gold Team has been training on the East Coast for the past couple of weeks with head coach Colin Rodgers.
For a full account of the event, please check out Faster Skier.