Bengtson, DeGennaro, Questad, and Smiley earn berths to Snow King as Alpine U16 team excels in Palisades Tahoe

Fifteen Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation Alpine U16 athletes competed at the U16 Western Region Championships in Palisades Tahoe from March 12-15. The four-day championship featured two Super G races, one Giant Slalom, and one Slalom, with SVSEF athletes delivering strong performances across all disciplines in warm, sunny conditions that still provided excellent racing.

The highlight of the weekend came as four SVSEF athletes earned qualification to the U16 National Championships at Snow King, Wyoming based on their performances at Western Regionals. Colter Bengtson, Neena DeGennaro, Henry Questad, and Jasmine Smiley will represent SVSEF at the national championship after posting consistently strong results throughout the week.

Bengtson led the way for SVSEF’s men, recording top-15 finishes in all four races, highlighted by a fifth-place result in the Slalom Western Region Championship Race and seventh place in the second Super G. DeGennaro matched that consistency on the women’s side, finishing in the top 20 in all four events, including a sixth-place showing in the Women’s Giant Slalom Western Region Championship Race.

“SVSEF U16 Athletes performed well in Palisades Tahoe at U16 Western Region Championships,” said Nate Schwing, SVSEF U16 Head Coach. “Courses were challenging but fun, and provided an excellent progression where athletes were gaining confidence daily. Many SVSEF athletes had races or performances they should be proud of!”

Smiley demonstrated versatility across all disciplines, posting top-15 finishes in three of four races, including an 11th-place result in both the second Super G and the Women’s Slalom Western Region Championship Race. Questad rounded out the national qualifiers with strong performances in the speed events, placing 12th in the second Super G and 11th in the Men’s Slalom.

Beyond the four national qualifiers, SVSEF athletes showed impressive depth throughout the field. Paxton Harris posted back-to-back top-16 finishes in the Super G races, while Corbin Flood earned 10th place in the second Super G and 17th in Giant Slalom. Bianca Smith, Henry Nordstrom, Cameron Beck, Wyatt Limburg, and Jake Schlatter all contributed solid results to round out a successful team performance.

The Western Region Championships served as the qualifying event for the U16 National Championships, bringing together the top junior alpine racers from across the western United States. The challenging courses at Palisades Tahoe tested athletes’ technical skills and speed across all four alpine disciplines.

Photo: SVSEF Alpine U16 Regionals squad at Palisades Tahoe.

SVSEF Athlete Results

Thursday, March 12 – Men’s Super G
15th – Colter Bengtson
16th – Paxton Harris

Thursday, March 12 – Women’s Super G
14th – Jasmine Smiley
18th – Neena DeGennaro

Friday, March 13 – Men’s Super G (Western Region Championship Race)
7th – Colter Bengtson
10th – Corbin Flood
12th – Henry Questad
14th – Paxton Harris

Friday, March 13 – Women’s Super G (Western Region Championship Race)
11th – Jasmine Smiley
14th – Neena DeGennaro

Saturday, March 14 – Men’s Slalom (Western Region Championship Race)
5th – Colter Bengtson
11th – Henry Questad
13th – Henry Nordstrom
16th – Cameron Beck
20th – Wyatt Limburg

Saturday, March 14 – Women’s Giant Slalom (Western Region Championship Race)
6th – Neena DeGennaro
10th – Jasmine Smiley
19th – Bianca Smith

Sunday, March 15 – Men’s Giant Slalom (Western Region Championship Race)
13th – Colter Bengtson
17th – Corbin Flood
19th – Jake Schlatter

Sunday, March 15 – Women’s Slalom (Western Region Championship Race)
11th – Jasmine Smiley

SVSEF U16 National Championships Qualifiers
Colter Bengtson
Neena DeGennaro
Henry Questad
Jasmine Smiley

Complete results for the U16 Western Region Championships may be found at: https://live-timing.com

Up Next for SVSEF Alpine U16: U16 National Championships at Snow King, Wyoming on March 28-April 1.

About the U16 Western Region Championships

The U16 Western Region Championships is the premier regional championship event for U16 alpine ski racers in the western United States. The event serves as the primary qualifier for the U16 National Championships and brings together the top junior athletes from clubs across the western region to compete in all four alpine disciplines.