Blackwell, Sarchett share in SVSEF Athlete of the Week

Story by Julia Seyferth

For the second time in a row, there are two SVSEF Athletes of the Week; this speaks to the high level at which these athletes are performing, and the drive and dynamism they are bringing to their respective sports.

Hanna Blackwell is a 15-year-old sophomore at Wood River High School. A member of the Freeskiing A Team, she capitalized this past week at Freestyle and Freeskiing Junior Nationals here in Ketchum, leaving it all at the line in her three events, slopestyle, halfpipe and big air. Hanna skied with grit and confidence and moved into the finals in all three disciplines. She finished seventh overall in the women’s slopestyle event and was the third F17 finisher. In the halfpipe she was fourth overall and the first F17, and in the big air competition she was fifth overall and the third F17. Landing three podiums and pushing the envelope in style and precision, Hanna ended the week of Junior National events on the podium, again; this time in third place for freeskiing combined, which is based on the total points earned overall across slopestyle, halfpipe, and big air events.
 

Hanna Blackwell

Hanna Blackwell

 
Freeskiing Travel A/B Team Head Coach Reed Snyderman was impressed with Hanna’s performance at Junior Nationals, saying she “demonstrated some of the best skiing I have ever seen out of her. Hanna is a competitor and I appreciate her hard work and dedication. Hanna ended up getting third in freeskiing combined, which is strong work given the high caliber of the athletes at the event and the fact that she is quite young. We will see how far her passion for skiing takes her!”
RyderThe other Athlete of the Week is IMD Alpine Team skier Ryder Sarchett. Ryder is a seventh grader at the Sage School. At the U14 Western Region Championships this past week, he bagged eighth place in the super-G, second in the slalom and second in the giant slalom. At the end of the week, he had the least number of race points of any male after the three events, making him the overall IMD champion for U14’s.
IMD Head Coach James Tautkus summed up the charisma and energy that Ryder brings to the sport: “The best part about Ryder accepting this award is that he was the only athlete who got up on the podium on the third day still in his ski boots. After photos were taken, he hopped off the podium and kept skiing. This kid has a bright future in this sport with a genuine desire to be on his skis. We are very proud of him and his effort this season, but Ryder is a unique individual who has a deep motivation and sincerely enjoys the process of getting better. It's awesome and refreshing to coach him.”
Congratulations to both athletes on stellar performances at these end-of-season competitions; we’re looking forward to seeing what else is in store.

 
 
 

Ryder Sarchett

by Leif Jensen

Bumps, Jumps, Air, Park & Pipe: 2016 Junior National Freestyle/Freeskiing Championships

Junior Freestyle/Freeskiing National Championships featured SVSEF athletes on their home terrain.

Despite warm temperatures and the occasional spattering of rain, Junior Freestyle/Freeskiing National Championship events were beautifully orchestrated and well-attended in Sun Valley this past week. Athletes from across the country brought their A-game to the slopes of Baldy and Dollar mountains, where they competed March 10-13.
 
It was a big undertaking, and Freestyle and Freeskiing Program Director Andy Ware acknowledged the effort that went in to making the event a success.
 
Said Ware, “I love this community.  We took on one of the largest and most difficult USSA freestyle and freeskiing events to produce and not only made it happen, we made it an incredible experience for everyone who participated.  Those were the worst weather conditions we could have had and [we] still pulled off events. Many of the teams and families from around the country have never been to the Wood River Valley and they were amazed not just with the beauty of it but with the welcoming feeling of everyone here.”
 
Thursday was the first day of competition; the men took to the moguls, while the women started off with slopestyle. On Friday, roles were reversed; the men competed in slopestyle, while the women attacked the mogul course. Alex LaFleur skied strongly to 14th place overall in the men’s mogul, the best finish by a SVSEF skier in eight years in the event. SVSEF’s Hunter Diehl was third in his age class. In the women’s slopestyle, Hanna Blackwell was third in her age class. On Friday Alvaro Jiraldo skied well in the men’s slopestyle event and took home 24th overall and eighth in his age class. Sammy Smith, who competed in the women’s moguls, was 29th overall as an F11; she was one of the youngest competitors out there.
 
Competition continued on Saturday with the halfpipe at Dollar Mountain and aerials at Baldy on Roundhouse slope. Jed Waters finished in 16th in the men’s halfpipe, while the women had a strong showing with fourth, seventh and eighth place finishes by Hanna Blackwell, Liesl Beyer and Amanda Brown.
 
The week of events ended Sunday with the big air competition at Dollar and the dual mogul competition for both men and women on Roundhouse slope. Jedson Waters finished in the top 20 in the big air event, taking 14th overall. Hanna Blackwell finished the weekend on a high note with a fifth place finish on the women’s side.
 
Commented Ware on the events overall, “It was an amazing display of athleticism from athletes around the country on both Baldy and Dollar.  Watching kids perform such incredibly difficult aerial maneuvers and skiing so fast with so much competitive pressure on them is just incredible.”
 
The professionalism and care put into making the competition a great one would not have been possible without help from the local community. Ware noted, “I am so grateful to our local sponsors; Atkinson’s Markets and Sun Valley Sotheby’s Realty, Dembergh Brown Builders and Sturtevants Mtn. Outfitters. The many parent volunteers who donated their time, the SVSEF and the Sun Valley Company for putting so many people and resources towards this event.”
 
Results:
Overall top 3/SVSEF members 
Men’s Moguls, March 10

  1. Abe Studler, M19, Eastern
  2. Jack Kariotis, M19, Intermountain
  3. Jesse Andringa, M19, Rocky

SVSEF athletes:
14- Alex LaFleur, M17
38- Wilson Dunn, M17
39- Hunter Diehl, M15
49- Henry Cherp, M15
65- Luke Rizzo, M15
 
Women’s Slopestyle, March 10

  1. Rell Harwood, F15, Intermountain
  2. Marin Hamill, F15, Intermountain
  3. Caroline Claire, F17, Eastern

SVSEF athletes:

  1. Hanna Blackwell, F17

 
Men’s Slopestyle, March 11

  1. Quinn Wolferman, M19, Northern
  2. Joseph Lauer, M19, Intermountain
  3. Nathan Miceli, M19, Intermountain

SVSEF athletes:
24- Alvaro Jiraldo, M17
26- Jed Waters, M15
82- Will Griffith, M17
 
Women’s Moguls, March 11

  1. Olivia Giaccio, F17, Rocky
  2. Hannah Soar, F17, Eastern
  3. Maggie Ryan, F19, Rocky

SVSEF athletes:
29- Sammy Smith, F11
43- Katie Markthaler, F15
55- Devon Brown, F17
56- Eliza Marks, F15
58- Addie Rafford, F15
 
Men’s Halfpipe, March 12

  1. Cody LaPlante, M15, Far West
  2. Felix Coudouy, M17, Rocky
  3. Keenan McIntyre, M19, Rocky

SVSEF:
16- Jed Waters, M15
21- Joey Markthaler, M13
22- Ridge Dirksmeier, M13
27- Will Griffith, M17
29- George Murray, M13
30- Sam Ware, M13
36- Trey Potter, M19
37- Charlie Price, M13
38- Alvaro Jiraldo, M17
53- Dylan Mills, M13
59- Lachlan McFarland, M13
61- Luke Higgins, M13
 
Women’s Halfpipe, March 12

  1. Marin Hamill, F15, Intermountain
  2. Zoe Atkin, F13, Intermountain
  3. Svea Irving, F15, Rocky

SVSEF:
4- Hanna Blackwell, F17, Intermountain
7- Liesl Beyer, F11, Intermountain
8- Amanda Brown, F13, Intermountain
 
Men’s Aerials, March 12

  1. Patrick O’Flynn, M19, Eastern
  2. Michael Lillis, M17, Eastern
  3. Justin Schoenefeld, M19, Central

 
Women’s Aerials, March 12

  1. Winter Vinecki, F19, Intermountain
  2. Megan Smallhouse, F15, Eastern
  3. Tyra Izor, F19, Eastern

 
Men’s Big Air, March 13

  1. Kiernan Fagan, M15, Rocky
  2. Scott McLaughlin, M19, Northern
  3. Mac Forehand, M15, Eastern

SVSEF:
14- Jedson Waters, M15
44- Ridge Dirksmeier, M13
25- Will Griffith, M17
35- Alvaro Jiraldo, M17
43- Joey Markthaler, M13
76- Trey Potter, M19
 
Women’s Big Air, March 13

  1. Caroline Claire, F17, Eastern
  2. Isabella Gold, F19, Far West
  3. Nikita Rubocki, F17, Intermountain

SVSEF:
5- Hanna Blackwell, F17
 
Men’s Dual Moguls, March 13

  1. Abe Studler, M19, Eastern
  2. Jesse Andringa, M19, Rocky
  3. George McQuinn, M19, Rocky

 
Women’s Dual Moguls, March 13

  1. Hallee Ray, F19, Rocky
  2. Sophia Marseilles, F19, Far West
  3. Hannah Soar, F17, Eastern

 
USSA FREESKIING/FREESTYLE COMPLETE RESULTS
HALFPIPE - USSA JR Champs 2016_HP
SLOPESTYLE - USSA JR Champs 2016_SS
AERIALS - USSA JR Champs 2016_AE
BIG AIR - USSA JR Champs 2016_BA
SINGLE MOGULS - USSA JR Champs 2016_MO
DUAL MOGULS - dualsofficialresults
COMBINED RESULTS/FREESTYLE  USSA JR Champs 2016 Combined
COMBINED RESULTS/FREESKIING USSA JR Champs 2016 Freeskiing Combined
 
 
4 freestyle girls

SVSEF competitors Katie Markthaler, Eliza Marks, Addie Rafford and Devon Brown are all smiles. Courtesy photo.

by Scott McGrew

Springboard for Success: SVSEF Athletes Dive Into End-of-Year Competitions

SVSEF reporting by Julia Seyferth

 

SVSEF hosts Junior Freestyle/Freeskiing Championships at Sun Valley
The Junior Freestyle and Freeskiing Championships are currently underway on Baldy – the event runs through March 13th. Crews have been working hard to prepare for a week of moguls and dual moguls, as well as big air, aerial, halfpipe and slopestyle competitions. SVSEF athletes who have qualified to compete at home are listed below.
 
Moguls and dual mogul athletes:
Alex LaFleur
Wilson Dunn
Luke Rizzo
Hunter Diehl
Henry Cherp (3rd alternate)
Addie Rafford
Katie Markthaler
Eliza Marks
Devon Brown
Sam Smith
 
Halfpipe, Slopestyle, Big Air, Aerials:
Ridge Dirksmeier
Alvaro Jiraldo
Harper Mallett
Jed Waters
Will Griffith
George Murray
Trey Potter
Lachlan McFarland
Luke Higgins
Braden Buchanan
Charlie Price
Sam Ware
Hanna Blackwell
Amanda Brown
Liesl Beyer
Barrett Beyer
Sarah Kope
Joey Markthaler
Dylan Mills
 

Alpine FIS team stands out at U19 National Junior Championships

The FIS Team competed at the U19 National Junior Championships, February 28-March 4.
 
Haley Cutler powered through the week with standout performances; the SVSEF athlete won the ladies’ super G, finished seventh in the slalom, 15th in the first downhill and tied for ninth in the second downhill. Teammate Erin Smith raced with tenacity, earning a fifth place finish in the first ladies’ downhill and 15th in the super G. Skylar Cooley finished 25th in the ladies’ slalom.
 
On the men’s side, Yuri McClure secured 10th in the men’s super G while Jay Fitzgerald took home 29th in the men’s slalom.
 
Full results:
http://www.fis-ski.com/dynamic/event-details.html?event_id=38255
 
 

Nordic Comp Team off to a strong start at Junior Nationals

SVSEF Comp Team skiers who qualified for Junior Nationals completed their first day of racing in Cable, Wisconsin, on Monday, March 7th. The event was a 10km classic interval start for men and a 5km classic interval start for women.
 
SVSEF saw standout performances for the Intermountain team by Peter Wolter, who finished seventh in the U18/U20 men’s category, Lily Brunelle, who was 17th in the U16 women’s race, and Johnny Hagenbuch, who landed in ninth in the U16 men’s race.
 
Wednesday will be the next day of racing with a classic sprint, followed by a 15km/10km/5km freestyle mass start on Friday and a freestyle relay on Saturday.
 
Full results:
http://raceresults.sportstats.us/events.xhtml?eventname=2016%20USSA%20Junior%20National%20Championships&racetype=4&companies=[1,2,9,8]
 
 

SNOWBOARDING

Payton Bacca is on a roll – following a stint at the USSA Revolution Tour last month, the 14-year old competed in the Burton U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships in Vail, Colorado, on March 1. In the past, the event has hosted the likes of Ayumu Hirano, Pat Moore and Hannah Teter, to name a few of the successful snowboarders who can count the Junior Jam as one of their early forays into upper-level competition. The event featured 10 boys and five girls under the age of 14 who were invited to throw down on a 22-foot halfpipe. Bacca stood on the podium at the end of the competition in third in the ladies’ event, behind Tessa Maud in first and Isabella Gomez in second.
 
Results:
http://events.burton.com/burton-us-open/uso-latest/what-went-down-junior-jam/
 
(Information sourced from snowboarder.com / author Mary Walsh)
http://www.snowboarder.com/photos/burton-us-open-snowboarding-championships-2016-judd-henkes-soars-his-way-to-victory-in-the-junior-jam/#s4ICEWHlacmj0uxK.97
 
Chase Josey is also making waves in the snowboarding world. After bringing home bronze in the men’s snowboard superpipe event at the Oslo X Games, he moved on to the U.S. Open in Vail, Colorado, to compete in the longest running halfpipe event. Shaun White won the men’s event, followed by Ben Ferguson and Taku Hiraoka. Josey earned 18th place in the semifinals, preventing him from qualifying for finals, as only the top 10 moved on.
 
Full results:
http://events.burton.com/burton-us-open/uso-results/
 
The SVSEF Snowboard Team held their ground at the USASA King of the Wasatch, a weekend of park and pipe events in Park City, Utah. The weather was beautiful, although rain hit on Sunday; a big thanks to the park crew who salted the course and kept the components in good shape for the events throughout the weekend.
 
Highlights include a third place finish for Elk Spenser in both slopestyle and halfpipe, a win for Aidan Green and Payton Bacca in the halfpipe, and a strong second place finish for Zoe Bacca in two halfpipe events.
 
Full results:
https://www.usasa.org/index.php/events/regional-events
 
 

FREESKIING

The SVSEF Freeskiing Travel Team also spent the weekend in Park City for the King of the Wasatch event, March 3-6. The athletes skied well and took home the hardware to show for it.
 
Results
Slopestyle 1:
Boys (13-15): 4- Jedson Waters
Girls (13-15): 1- Hanna Blackwell
Halfpipe 1:
Men Open Class: 2- Alvaro Jiraldo
Boys (13-15): 1- Jedson Waters
Boys (10-12): 3- Dylan Mills; 4- Sam Ware; 5- Lachlan McFarland
Girls (13-15): 1- Hanna Blackwell
Slopestyle 2:
Men (16-18): 3- Trey Potter
Boys (13-15): 6- Jedson Waters
Girls (13-15): 1- Hanna Blackwell
Halfpipe 2:
Men: Open Class: 1- Alvaro Jiraldo
Men (16-18): 1- Trey Potter
Boys (13-15): 1- Jedson Waters; 2- Will Griffith
Boys (10-12): 2- Sam Ware
Girls (13-15): 1- Hanna Blackwell
 
Full results:
https://www.usasa.org/index.php/events/regional-events
 
 

FREESTYLE

Following a focused season of competition, eight SVSEF athletes have qualified for the 2016 USSA Freestyle National Championships in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, March 15-21. Wilson Dunn, Addie Rafford, Luke Rizzo, Hunter Diehl, Henry Cherp, Eliza Marks, Devon Brown and Alex LaFleur have all received the nod. They will compete in both moguls and dual moguls.
 
 

NORDIC

Members of the SVSEF Gold and Comp Nordic Teams trekked over to the familiar stomping grounds of West Yellowstone for the Rendezvous races. “Everyone had good races and the conditions stayed fast for the races in the AM. Perfect West Yellowstone corduroy,” commented Gold Team coach Colin Rodgers.
 
Isabella Bourret was third in the 5km skate female 14-15 year old category. Joe Hall was sixth in the 25km skate male 13-17 category. In the longer distances, PG and Gold Team athletes all had strong races – in the 25km classic race, Mary Rose (Gold Team) was the top female finisher. Ben Lustgarten (Gold Team) was the second overall male, and Mark Pollock (PG guest from Australia) was third. In the 25km skate race, Comp team coach David Vanderpool was the second overall male. In the 50km skate, Matt Gelso (Gold Team) claimed the top spot, Rogan Brown (Gold Team) was just two seconds behind him in second, and Henry Gorman (PG) was third.
 
Full results:
http://www.skirunbikemt.com/race-results.html
 
Another contingent of the SVSEF Nordic Team is training and racing in Canmore, Alberta, and is ending the trip by watching World Cup races. Skiers competed in the Lake Louise Loppet on Sunday, March 6. The annual event featured a 10km and a 20km classic race that began on the picturesque Lake Louise and then wound its way through narrow, wooded trails. Cash Dart and Anja Jensen both won their 10km 11-14 age groups. SVSEF swept the top three spots in the 20km men’s 15-19 category; Keene Morowitz won, followed by Danny Graves in second and Max Polito in third. Jacob Truxal was seventh and Tim Regan was eighth. Coach Mikey Sinnott also raced, and was fourth in the men’s 30-39 category. On the women’s side, Loni Unser was fifth in the 20km 15-19 category, Katherine Estep was sixth, and Ellie Polk was eighth.
 
Full results:
http://calgaryskiclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/loppet_2016_results.pdf
 
 

ALPINE

FIS – Western Region Junior Championships
 
The FIS Team has been putting on the miles for a number of series and races; most recently, they traveled to Schweitzer Mountain in Idaho for the Western Region Junior Championships. Spencer Wright, Kristian DeWolfe and John Blackburn came out strong with fourth, eighth and ninth place finishes, respectively, in the men’s slalom event on March 5. Noah Leininger took 11th in the men’s giant slalom on Sunday, and Sage Rheinschild took 13th in the ladies’ super G on the same day.
 
Giant slalom and super G events still remain.
 
Full results:
http://www.fis-ski.com/dynamic/event-details.html?event_id=37624&cal_suchsector=AL
 
 

IMD Team at Western Region U14 Championships

The IMD Team is headed to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, March 10-13, for the Western Region U14 Championships, the premier event for the team this season. SVSVEF has four girls and four boys competing, which is as many as any other team in the division. Buey Grossman​, Ryder Sarchett, Ridley Lindstrom, Charlie Snyder, Marit Kaiser, Falon Hanna, Sage Curtis and Sage Holter will represent SVSEF at the championships.
 
The athletes are coming off a tough long weekend in Utah at Snowbasin, which featured three super G events. Sage Holter had a notable performance, as she fought hard to qualify for the Western Region U14 Championships. Buey Grossman won overall for the weekend.
 
Results:
Race 1:
Boys: Buey Grossman- 1; Ryder Sarchett- 4; Shaw Dean- 10; Ridley Lindstrom- 13; Charlie Snyder- 15; Falon Hanna- 3
Girls: Marit Kaiser- 8; Sage Holter- 12; Emma MacGuffie- 15
Race 2:
Boys: Buey Grossman- 2; Ryder Sarchett- 11; Shaw Dean- 12; Charlie Snyder- 15
Girls: Marit Kaiser- 11; Sage Holter- 13
Race 3:
Boys: Buey Grossman- 3; Ryder Sarchett- 4; Ridley Lindstrom- 5; Shaw Dean- 9 (tie); Charlie Snyder- 9 (tie)
Girls: Marit Kaiser- 5; Anhwei Kirk- 9; Emma MacGuffie- 11
 
Full results:
http://www.ussa-imd.org/alpine/races15/U14.htm
 

North Series

A number of SVSEF athletes have qualified for the IMD Championships, which take place at Brundage Mountain in McCall, Idaho, March 10-13. The event is for athletes U12 and younger.
 
Qualified Athletes:
 
Boys:
Colin Hanna
Leo Molter
Carter Sammis
Cole Curci
Tommy Normand
Russell Stumph
Taylor Rixon
Colin MacGuffie
John Tumolo
 
Girls:
Jessica Blackburn
Tatum Minor
Hannah Ferris
Paige DeHart
Saba Grossman
Logan Lindstrom
Goldie Kirk
Agnes Kind
Laura Daves
Elgyn Monge
Isabella Hattrup
Mattigan Monschke
Maile Dorland
Niki Cohen
Anabel Viesturs
 
 

Mini World Cup Team

The Mini World Cup Team had the chance to put their skills to the test at Dollar Mountain in Sun Valley. The March 5th event saw a strong field of young athletes who competed with verve and enthusiasm in the super G.
 
Results:
Boys

  1. Max Meucci
  2. Jesse Keefe
  3. Eric Parris
  4. Zephyr Carruth
  5. Sacha Stern-Pre
  6. Luca Broussard
  7. Paxton Sammis
  8. Thomas DeKlotz
  9. Holden Archie
  10. Owen Walker
  11. Bodin Lee
  12. Abel Marx
  13. TJ Campbell
  14. Calder Baty
  15. Alec Wiedemann
  16. Rylan Mann

 
Girls

  1. Lena Nelson
  2. Maya Lightner
  3. Lowie Watkins
  4. Chloe Vogel
  5. Natalie Gowe
  6. Caroline Dean
  7. Charlotte Davis-Jeffers
  8. Ripley Scales
  9. Kendall Felker
  10. Maeve Bailey
  11. Taylor Hovey
  12. Ava Agnew
  13. Scarlet Rixon

by Scott McGrew

All The World's A Stage and SVSEF Athletes Have Starring Roles

ALPINE
 
Haley Cutler earns win at U19 Nationals
The SVSEF FIS team is currently at U19 Nationals at Copper Mountain in Colorado, where athletes are putting it all on the line. Events include slalom, giant slalom, super G and downhill.
 
Haley Cutler had a breakout performance in the super G on March 1st, winning the race and securing a spot at the U.S. National Alpine Championships here in Sun Valley, March 22-27.
 
Cutler skied a technically sound slalom race on February 28 to place seventh overall. Erin Smith dug in for 15th in the giant slalom on February 29.
IMG_8561

Haley Cutler racing at Schweitzer, Montana, earlier in the season. Photo by Brett Jacobson.

 
Results, Slalom
U19 Men: Jay Fitzgerald 29-S, DNF-GS; Will Snyder 42-S, DNF-GS; Yuri McClure 47-S, 40-GS; Duncan Fuller DNF-S, 45-GS
 
U19 Women: Haley Cutler 7-S, DNF-GS; Skylar Cooley 25-S, 19-GS; Erin Smith DNF-S, 13-GS; Ruby Marden 44-S, 36-GS; Katelyn Rathfon 46-S, 20-GS
 
Men’s slalom:
http://data.fis-ski.com/dynamic/results.html?sector=AL&raceid=84802
 
Women’s slalom:
http://data.fis-ski.com/dynamic/results.html?sector=AL&raceid=84803
 
Men’s GS:
http://data.fis-ski.com/dynamic/results.html?sector=AL&raceid=84804
 
Women’s GS:
http://data.fis-ski.com/dynamic/results.html?sector=AL&raceid=84805
 

NORDIC

 
Peter Wolter rises to the occasion at U18 Nations’ Cup
pw
SVSEF nordic skier Peter Wolter traveled to Otepaa, Estonia to race in the U18 Nations’ Cup after qualifying with top performances at the U.S. Cross Country Nationals. Wolter was one of twelve Americans who competed against athletes from Norway, Sweden, Finland and Estonia.
 
The Nations’ Cup began with a 1.3-kilometer freestyle sprint on Friday – Wolter qualified for the quarterfinals in 26th place out of 44. He did not move on past quarterfinals and ended up finihsing 24th overall.

Left, Peter Wolter in team relay

On Saturday, the men battled it out in a 10-kilometer classic event. This was Wolter’s stand-out performance of the weekend – the Hailey native skied a smart race to finish 15th overall in a field of 41 competitors with a time of 26:14.7; he was the fourth American for the day. Norway swept the podium, with Joergen Lippert completing the course in 24:04.1 for the win.
 
Wolter started things off for his relay team as the first leg of three on Sunday, skiing five kilometers of classic before passing off to the subsequent five-kilometer skate legs. Wolter’s team, which included U.S. athletes Karl Schulz and Noel Keeffe, was ranked ninth going into the race; the team drove it home to finish eighth.
 
For full results:
Skate sprint: http://www.suusaliit.ee/bw_client_files/suusaliit/public/img/File/BOYS_SP_F_RESULTS.pdf
 
Classic 10km: http://www.suusaliit.ee/bw_client_files/suusaliit/public/img/File/BOYS_10_CL_RESULTS.pdf
 
Relay: http://www.suusaliit.ee/bw_client_files/suusaliit/public/img/File/BOYS_RELAY_RESULTS.pdf
 
 
 
Prep and Devo teams take home the hardware at Intermountain Youth Champs
SVSEF hosted the Intermountain Youth Championships February 27-28 at Lake Creek; the event was a chance for young competitors, whether new to the sport or veterans in their own right, to come together and participate in a variety of races – 270 athletes attended, with ages ranging from six to 15 years old. Athletes traveled from Boise, Bozeman, Glacier, Jackson Hole, Park City, West Yellowstone, McCall, Salt Lake City, Missoula, and Logan, Montana, for the event.
 
“The stoke was high and as the Norwegians would say, ‘the shape was good,’” observed SVSEF Nordic Program Director Rick Kapala. who served as chief of course for the event.
 
Saturday was a full day, with a mass start skate race (ranging from .75 to five kilometers in distance) followed by a downhill event (in which competitors ripped down Torin’s Tuck’er) and an obstacle course.
 
Icy conditions on Sunday made for a fast yet dodgy course for the classic race, which saw a number of falls on one sharp corner or another. The course was the same as the it was for the skate race on Saturday (again ranging from .75 to five kilometers in distance).
 
Highlights of the weekend were a sweep by Logan Smith in all four U14 girl’s events, wins for U14 Cash Dart in both the 3-kilometer skate event and the “Flying Downhill,” and a podium sweep by the U14 girls in the skate race, the downhill, and the obstacle course.
 
Two final awards were given out at the end of the weekend; one for sportsmanship, and the other for the overall team champion, based on points. Bozeman took home the Sportsmanship Award, while SVSEF won the Overall Team Award.
 
Concluded Kelley Sinnott, SVSEF assistant nordic program director, head prep team coach, and this weekend’s chief of competition, “[It was a] great event! We are really excited to see so many competitors from Intermountain out on the race courses; the future for Intermountain is bright! I am so proud of the SVSEF team racing hard on their home turf and winning the Team Overall [award]. Thank you so much to all of our volunteers – there is no way we could have put on this event without them.”
 
IYCs_John Gorham

The gang's all here! Photo by John Gorham.

Results, IMD Youth Championships 
IYC Skate Results
IYC Classic Results
Flying Downhill Results
IYC Obstacle Course Results
 
Gold Team
Nordic Gold Team member Miles Havlick has qualified for the OPA Cup (Central European World Cup B) competitions in Arber, Germany, (March 5-6) and Toblach, Italy, (March 11-13) – he is currently across the pond getting acclimated and geared up to represent SVSEF and the U.S. Ski Team at these races.
 
 
 

ALPINE


Monroe Cup
This weekend marked the 19th year of the Monroe Cup in Sun Valley at Bald Mountain, held in honor of former SVSEF executive director and coach Lane Monroe. Racers flocked from Jackson Hole, McCall, Bogus Basin, and Teton Village for a giant slalom event on Saturday and slalom on Sunday, which ran down Hemingway and Greyhawk. SVSEF had 67 athletes participate in the event, the largest number from any one team.
 

Lane Monroe and overall champs, SVSEF's Colin Hanna and Victoria Clancy of Jackson Hole

SVSEF racers tore down the mountain, earning top spots across the age classes. In the giant slalom on Saturday, Bogus Basin’s Meredith Bromley took the win in the girl’s U8 race in 1:33.56; right behind her were SVSEF’s Lowie Watkins and Natalie Gowe in second and third. In the boy’s U8 event, Jay Blackburn of SVSEF topped the podium with a time of 1:47.43, followed by McCall’s Cooper Harvey and Marcus Brouse. In the girl’s U10 race, McCall’s Lakota Hovey won in a time of 2:05.49, with SVSEF’s Taylor Hovey and Ava Agnew coming in right behind her in second and third. The top U10 boy’s finisher was SVSEF’s Max Meucci in 1:30.70, followed by Teton Village’s Gustin Clausen and SUNNY’s Trace Schroeder. In the U12 girl’s race, Annika Howard of Jackson Hole skied to a win in 1:29.42, with SVSEF’s Hannah Ferris and Tatum Minor rounding out the podium. Jackson Hole had a strong group of U12 boys, with Sam Clausen, Christien Gabriel Woiwode and Charles Hoelscher claiming the top spots. Colin Hanna was SVSEF’s first U12 finisher in fifth, and Cartier Sammis came in eighth. SVSEF swept the girl’s U14 category, with Taylor Dorland winning the race in 1:33.02, and Gillian Simcoe and Bel Clayton finishing in second and third. Bryce Foster was the top U14 boy with a time of 1:28.39, Bo Swenke was second, and Owen Robb was third; all of SVSEF.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Hannah Ferries digs in. Photos by Chase Millemann

 
In the slalom event on Sunday, SVSEF’s Lowie Watkins was the champion for the U10 girl’s race with a time of 1:17.45. Jackson Hole took the next two places, with Tegan Ritter in second and Savannah Kenney in third. Lucas Broussard was SVSEF’s top U10 boy in fourth, and behind him were Sacha Stern-Pre in sixth and Tucker Smith in seventh.
 
Thirty-eight overall champions have been named at the Monroe Cup between 1997 and 2015, and 21 of those have been SVSEF racers. This year’s overall champions were Colin Hanna of SVSEF and Victoria Clancy of Jackson Hole.
 
U12 Championships this year will be held March 11-13 at Brundage Mountain in McCall, Idaho.
 
For full results:
 
http://www.ussa-imd.org/alpine/races15/north.php
 
 
Soldier Mountain USSA races
After two days of private access to Soldier Mountain in Fairfield, Idaho, during which time athletes worked with high-caliber coaches to build upon speed and terrain skills, U16 and U19 athletes competed in two USSA scored downhill races on Wednesday, February 24.
 
SVSEF and U.S. Ski Team athlete Tanner Farrow won the men’s first downhill in 1:30.69. SVSEF’s John Blackburn, Griffin Curtis and Yuri McClure came in first, second and third for the men’s U19 category. Matt O’Connor was fifth overall and the first U16 finisher; Ian Hanna was second, and Jake Blackburn was third; all are SVSEF skiers.
 
On the women’s side, Haley Cutler won the U19 race in 1:38.70. Erin Smith was second and Sage Rheinschild third to round out the SVSEF podium. SVSEF’s Lily Fitzgerald won the U16 cateogry, followed by Allison Rathfon (SVSEF) and Kaia Jensen (SVSEF) in second and third.
 
In the second downhill event of the day, Farrow again took the win, this time in 1:34.04. John Blackburn, Griffin Curtis, and Yuri McClure were again first, second and third for U19 men. Matt O’Connor had his second win of the day in the U16 category, followed by Bennett Snyder and Ian Hanna (all of SVSEF).
 
The women’s second U19 podium was a repeat of the first event, with Haley Cutler in first, Erin Smith in second, and Sage Rheinschild in third. Allison Rathfon won the U16 girl’s race, with Kaia Jensen and Lily Fitzgerald in second and third.
 Results
#1 men's downhill
#2 men's downhill
#1 ladies downhill
#2 ladies downhill
 
 
Trudi Bolinder Memorial Races
Following a successful training camp, the USSA team moved on to Bogus Basin for the Trudi Bolinder Memorial IMC/U16 qualifiers. Rain on Saturday kept athletes from racing; the women ended up squeezing in two races on Sunday for a total of three super G events, while the men were only able to complete two races.
 
Despite the challenges associated with the weather conditions, SVSEF athletes stayed focused and showed strong performances across the board.
 
On Friday, the U16 girls raced the super G on Paradise. Lily Fitzgerald tied for fourth with a time of 1:25.14. Allison Rathfon finished in sixth, Ella Viesturs in seventh, and Kaia Jensen in eighth. Molly Milgard was 11th and Libby Kaiser was 14th.
 
Sunday was a full day of racing. The women’s second super G of the weekend was a strong one for SVSEF: Allison Rathfon won the race in 1:22.53, and Lily Fitzgerald came in second. Molly Milgard was sixth, Kaia Jensen and Libby Kaiser tied for 10th, and Ella Viesturs was 13th.
 
The second women’s super G of the day saw solid performances again by SVSEF athletes. Lily Fitzgerald won with a time of 1:22.09, and Allison Rathfon made the podium in second place. Libby Kaiswer was fifth, Ella Viesturs sixth and Kaia Jensen 10th.
 
In the men’s first super G on Sunday, Max Noddings was the top SVSEF finisher in seventh place. Carter Jendrezak finished 19th, and Wyatt Minor was 20th.
 
In the second men’s super G, Max Noddings finished sixth, Bennett Snyder eighth, and Jake Blackburn 13th.
 
For full results:
http://www.ussa-imd.org/alpine/races15/U16.htm
 
 
 
IMD Team at Snowbasin
 
The IMD team traveled to Snowbasin, Utah, for another round of U14 qualifiers.
In the super G on Friday, Falon Hanna of SVSEF raced her way to third, while teammate Marit Kaiser finished eighth. Sage Holter skied to 12th place.
 
On Saturday, SVSEF’s Buey Grossman won the first boy’s super G event of the day. Ryder Sarchett was fourth, Shaw Dean 10th, and Ridley Lindstrom 13th.
 
On the girl’s side, Marit Kaiser finished 11th, Sage Holter 13th, and Sage Curtis 21st.
 
For the boy’s second event of the day, Buey Grossman again made his way to the top, this time in second place. Ryder Sarchett was 11th, Shaw Dean 12th, and Charlie Snyder 15th.
 
Buey Grossman rounded out his podium placements for the weekend with a third place finish in the super G on Sunday. Ryder Sarchett raced into fourth, and Ridley Lindstrom fifth.
 
In the girl’s event, Marit Kaiser finished fifth, Anhwei Kirk ninth, and Emma MacGuffie 11th.
 
Results:
 
http://www.ussa-imd.org/alpine/races15/U14.php
 
 
Last week here at home, SVSEF racers joined in on a fun local race, the Super Duper Combined: the day consisted of two super G runs and two slalom runs, with times combined.
 
Girls:

  1. Marit Kaiser
  2. Anhwei Kirk
  3. Emma MacGuffie
  4. Lola Street
  5. Julia Ott
  6. Taylor Dorland

Boys:

  1. Ryder Sarchett
  2. Shaw Dean
  3. Will Penrose
  4. Nathan Gowe
  5. Nick Maumus
  6. Jett Carruth
  7. Ethan Marx
  8. Axel Hattrup
  9. Shaw McCoubrey

 
 
 

FREESTYLE

The SVSEF Freestyle Travel Team had the opportunity to compete on the World Cup course, Champion, at Deer Valley, Utah. It was a great weekend for all SVSEF athletes, who are getting ready to bring the energy back to Sun Valley for Junior Nationals on their home course.
 
Pulling away from the crowds were Addison Rafford, who made it onto the podium in third in the moguls event on Saturday, and Alex LaFleur, who placed fourth in the boys' category. On Sunday, Henry Cherp and Hunter Diehl stepped it up, coming in second and fourth place, respectively in the moguls. Luke Rizzo was in the mix, finishing seventh overall. In the duals, Addison Rafford again reached the podium, landing in third. Alex LaFleur won the boys' duals, just ahead of Henry Cherp in second.
 
Saturday Moguls:
http://intermountainfreestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/scan0014.pdf
Sunday Moguls:
http://intermountainfreestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/scan0015.pdf
Sunday Duals:
http://intermountainfreestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/scan0016.pdf
 
 

FREESKIING

Smooth sailing at Jackson Hole Slopestyle
The freeskiing team brought style and finesse down to Jackson Hole, where they competed in rail jam, slopestyle, and halfpipe events.
 
Highlights of the weekend were Sara Kope’s first place finish in the rail jam open women’s category and the slopestyle open women’s category, Hanna Blackwell’s win in both the U15 slopestyle and halfpipe events, and Lachlan MacFarlan’s fifth place finish in the U12 rail jam and second place finish in the U12 boy’s halfpipe. Other standouts were Sam Ware, who finished fifth in the U12 boy’s halfpipe, and Joey Markthaler, who won the U12 boys' halfpipe.
 
Results 
USASA Halfpipe
USASA Rail Jam
USASA Slopestyle
 
 
IMG_2486

SVSEF skiers take in the view at the USASA Big Mountain Series at Jackson Hole. Photo by Reed Snyderman

 

SNOWBOARD

Big Mountain West Series, Jacksonphebe
 
The snowboard travel team ventured down to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for the USASA Big Mountain West Series. Saturday morning’s slopestyle event brought with it a bout of snow, which cleared up for the rail jam and halfpipe events. Elk Spencer finished 2nd in the rail jam, 6th in slopestyle, and 4th in the halfpipe. Phebe Ericksen won the rail jam, slopestyle, and halfpipe. Aidan Green placed 7th in rail jam, 8th in slopestyle, and 1st in the halfpipe, with a best trick of highest air. (Please see results listed above).
 

Phebe Ericksen stepped up with a big first-place finish in Rail Jam.

 
Gold Team
as_snb_chase_2048Chase Josey wins bronze in second appearance at X Games
Chase Josey and Jacob Beebe, both SVSEF Gold and U.S. team members, were invited to participate in the first-ever X Games in Oslo, Norway, February 24-28. In the men’s snowboard superpipe event on Friday, February 26, Josey threw down three solid runs to earn a bronze medal behind Ayumu Hirano of Japan and Iouri Podladtchikov of Switzerland. Beebe held his own in the ski superpipe competition, earning 12th in the elimination round. This was Beebe’s first invitation to the X Games.
 
Chase Josey’s bronze medal run:
http://xgames.espn.go.com/xgames/video/14851767/chase-josey-wins-men-snowboard-superpipe-bronze
 

Chase Josey in Oslo

 
 

by Scott McGrew

SVSEF Gold Team racer Deedra Irwin Wins Birkie Title; Athletes Qualify for Championships

 

ALPINE

 
FIS Team
A total of twelve SVSEF U19 athletes have qualified for the U19 Championships, which will take place this year at Copper Mountain, Colorado, February 27- March 4. Athletes made the cut based on results at FIS races designated as U19 national qualifiers.
 
SVSEF athletes who have qualified for U19 Championships:
Hayden Terjeson
Austin Savaria
Will Snyder
Duncan Fuller
Jay Fitzgerald
Spencer Wright
Yuri McClure
 
Haley Cutler
Skylar Cooley
Erin Smith
Ruby Marden
Katelyn Rathfon
 
 
Alpine Team hones speed at Soldier Mountain
 
The alpine team (FIS, USSA, IMDB) will focus on building skills in the speed department while attending the Soldier Mountain Downhill Training Camp and Sammis Camas Cup in Fairfield, Idaho, which runs February 22-24. The mountain is closed to the public for the duration of the camp.
 
“The ski area is just going to be our playground and our classroom. We’ve got an A-list coaching staff with Erik Fisher out of Boise, Jonna Mendes here locally, Will Brandenburg, Phil McNichol, Adele Savaria, Skip Merrick – just an incredible cohort of speed coaches,” explained SVSEF Alpine Program Director Scotty McGrew.
 
Monday is a fundamentals day, while training on Tuesday focuses on sectioning and full-length skills, culminating with the Sammis Camas Cup Town Downhill. The Sammis Camas Cup is a non-scored race honoring Ketchum’s Brett Sammis, who passed away following a ski accident in 1997. Wednesday will consist of two USSA scored downhill races and is open to athletes U16 and older.
 
Monroe Cup
 
Younger SVSEF alpine skiers will have a chance to race on their home turf this weekend at the Monroe Cup races, February 27-28. The two-day event will feature a giant slalom and a slalom event. The event is held in honor of former SVSEF executive director Lane Monroe.
 
 
 

FREESKIING

 
Colorado’s Aspen Snowmass hosted the Freeskiing Open February 18-20, which featured slopestyle and superpipe. The SVSEF Alpha Freeskiing Team ventured south for the events – men’s slopestyle qualifiers were on Thursday, February 18, and men’s and women’s slopestyle finals were on Friday. More than 100 men showed their skills on the slopestyle course; it was excellent exposure for the SVSEF athletes, as it marked their first time competing in an AFP gold level event (competitors hailed from New Zealand, Japan and Switzerland, among other countries).
 
According to Freeskiing Travel A/B Team Head Coach Reed Snyderman, the “highlight of [the] trip to Aspen was slopestyle on Thursday with all three athletes landing their personal best slopestyle runs.” Oddly enough, Will Griffith, Trey Potter and Jedson Waters all ended up in 20th in their heats of 35 competitors.
 
Remarked Snyderman, “Griffith skied well – the highlight of his slopestyle run was a double cork 720. Jedson stomped an impressive new trick, a double cork 1260, which was one of the highest degree of difficulty tricks that anybody was performing on this course.”
 
In the superpipe event on Saturday, athletes skied a beautiful X Games 22-foot superpipe. Hanna Blackwell ended up in 16th place in the women’s superpipe.
 
For full results:
https://www.aspensnowmass.com/while-you-are-here/events/aspen-snowmass-freeskiing-open/start-lists-and-results
 
 

FREESTYLE

 
 
SVSEF freestyle and freeskiing athletes qualify for Junior Nationals
 
SVSEF athletes will have the opportunity to showcase their skill, speed and creativity at the Junior Freestyle and Freeskiing Championships, which will take place here in Sun Valley, March 10-13. Junior Nationals include moguls, dual moguls, aerials, halfpipe, slopestyle and big air.
 
Qualified athletes:
 
Moguls:
Alex LaFleur
Wilson Dunn
Luke Rizzo
Addie Rafford
Sam Smith
Katie Markthaler
 
Dual Moguls:
Luke Rizzo
Hunter Diehl
Wilson Dunn
Alex LaFleur
Addie Rafford
Katie Markthaler
Sam Smith
 
Halfpipe:
Ridge Dirksmeier
Alvaro Jiraldo
Harper Mallett
Jed Waters
Will Griffith
George Murray
Trey Potter
Lachlan McFarland
Luke Higgins
Braden Buchanan
Charlie Price
Sam Ware
Hanna Blackwell
Amanda Brown
Liesl Beyer
 
Slopestyle:
Sarah Kope
Hanna Blackwell
 
Big Air:
Hanna Blackwell
Will Griffith
Jed Waters
George Murray
Ridge Dirksmeier
Trey Potter
 
Aerials:
Jed Waters
Joey Markthaler
Ridge Dirksmeier
Sam Ware
Will Griffith
Dylan Mills
 
The SVSEF Freestyle Comp Travel Alpha and Beta teams head to Deer Valley in Park City Utah, to compete February 27-28 at USSA Intermountain Freestyle Division Championships. Athletes will tackle moguls on Saturday and dual moguls on Sunday.
 
 

NORDIC

 
SVSEF Gold Team stands out at American Birkebeiner
 deedra
The American Birkebeiner is North America’s largest cross-country ski race, drawing over 10,000 participants to the event in recent years. This year the race was designated as a FIS Worldloppet Cup Race (the premiere international long distance racing series), as races in Estonia and France had to be cancelled earlier this season. The 43rd Slumberland American Birkebeiner course winds its way from Cable to Hayward, Wisconsin. Elite sprints took place on Thursday afternoon in the streets of Hayward, and the main event took place on Saturday. Competitors had the option of either skate or classic for technique; the skate race was a total of 51 kilometers and the classic was 54 kilometers. U.S. team member Caitlin Gregg won the women’s skate race with a time of 2:22:44.5. With her fourth Birkie victory, Gregg stands alone with the most wins ever – man or woman – in the event. In second place was France’s Aurelie Dabudyk (the current FIS Worldloppet Cup leader), and SMS T2 skier Erika Flowers rounded out the podium in third. In the men’s skate event, David Norris of Alaska Pacific University was the overall champion, finishing the race in 2:05:35.4 over second and third place finishers Ivan Perrillat Boiteux of France, and Benoit Chauvet, also of France.
 
SVSEF Gold Team athletes stood out in the sea of competitors. Wisconsin native Deedra Irwin skated to the top of the podium in the women’s elite sprints on Thursday, out-skiing Elisa Brocard (France) and Annie Hart (SMS T2). It was Irwin's fourth Birkie championship. Miles Havlick also had a strong showing in the sprints that wound throughout the town streets, ending up in second place in the men’s race behind Welly Ramsey and in front of Loic Guigonnet (France).
In the 51-kilometer skate race on Saturday, Havlick stayed in the elite front pack and finished in a remarkable 14th place. Not far behind him were teammates Rogan Brown and Ben Lustgarten, who tied for 23rd. Matt Gelso was off to a solid start until a broken ski stalled his race and pushed him back in the rankings. Paige Schember opted for the skate race for her first American Birkebeiner, and skied into 24th place overall in the women’s field. Deedra Irwin chose to race in the 54-kilometer classic event for her first American Birkie, and earned her second victory of the weekend, finishing in 3:11:58.8 over Isabel Caldwell of Peru, Vermont, and Josie Nelson of Medicine Lake, Minnesota. (Photo by James Netz).
 
For full results from the American Birkebeiner:
http://birkie.pttiming.com/results/2016/?r_page=pdf_results
 
Sprint results:
http://cdn.birkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/SprintResults.pdf
 
 
Peter Wolter reaches the international stage at U18 Nations’ Cup
 
SVSEF’s Peter Wolter, a nordic skier who has been in the program for 10 years, travels to Otepaa, Estonia, this week to race in the U18 Nations’ Cup. Wolter’s impressive performances at the US Cross Country National Championships in Houghton, Michigan this season earned him a spot on the international stage. The athlete finished third in the 15-kilomenter classic, sixth in the skate sprint and seventh in the 10-kilometer mass start skate. Wolter will get to see how he stacks up against racers from dominant countries like Norway and Sweden at the Nations’ Cup, which runs from February 21-29; an exciting opportunity when the majority of his career has been focused on racing the same athletes from Utah, Wyoming, and Montana.
 
For coverage of the U18 Nations’ Cup races:
http://sport.postimees.ee/
 
 

SNOWBOARDING

Payton Bacca tears through competition at REV Tour boardercross event
 Payton
Payton Bacca, a snowboarder on the SVSEF Alpha Travel Team, was one of two 14-year old competitors amongst a field of established racers at the USSA REV Tour boardercross event at Ski Cooper, Colorado, on February 21. Bacca earned the role of fore-runner for the Nor-AM boardercross races in the days leading up to the event, as athletes have to be 15 years old to compete in FIS-level SBX competitions.
 
For the REV Tour race, Bacca was qualified in the top 16, and advanced past her first four-man heat to the round of eight. In the round of eight, it was a photo finish for second place – she ended up third and moved on to the small final, finishing sixth overall in the event.
 
Bacca has been invited to the prestigious 2016 Burton U.S. Open Junior Jam, happening February 29 through March 1 in Vail, Colorado. She has a GoFundMe campaign to help with the costs of the trip; to make a contribution, please go to https://www.gofundme.com/xac6fxzv.
 
Jackson Hole is hosting the next round of the USASA Big Mountain West Series, February 26-28. The rail jam will take place at Snow King Resort, followed by slopestyle and halfpipe at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
 
 

SVSEF ALUMNI

 
SVSEF alumni made the trek from their various schools to spend the weekend racing at NCAA Regionals at Red Lodge, Montana. The giant slalom event on February 19 was followed by the slalom on February 20. In the men’s giant slalom, Harlan Collins, racing for Rocky Mountain College, finished in 10th, while the University of Denver’s Cole Caulkins landed in 20th.  In the women’s event, Sofia Leroux, skiing for the University of British Columbia, made it onto the podium in second place. Linnea Baysinger (RMC) was 16th, Madison Milgard (University of Washington) was 29th, and Josie Allison (DU) was 44th.
 
In Sunday’s slalom, Harlan Collins again placed 10th. Marc Leroux came in 21st for University of Colorado-Boulder, and Ben Kanellitsas finished 34th for DU. In the women’s slalom, Jordan Fitzgerald skied into sixth place in the slalom for UBC. Jordan Fitzgerald was sixth, Linnea Baysinger was 13th and Madison Milgard was 15th.
 
 

svsef alumni
SVSEF alum Josie Allison, Madi Milgard, Harlan Collins, Jordan Fitzgerald, Ben Kanellitsas, Linnea Baysinger, Marc Leroux, Sofi Leroux and Cole Caulkins.

 
 

by Scott McGrew

Alex LaFleur bags overall title and SVSEF Athlete of the Week

Going backward propelled freestyle skier Alex LaFleur forward as SVSEF’s Athlete of the Week. LaFleur, an eight-year member of the ski team, won his first overall title Saturday at the USSA Snowbowl Throwdown in Montana.
Five days before his 16th birthday, LaFleur executed a back full (a fully extended back flip with a 360 twist) to win the men’s title in single moguls at the Northern Division competition near Missoula.
“Winning my first overall title felt great! It is something I’ve had my eye on for the last couple years, so finally achieving it was incredible,” Alex said.
The Missoulian newspaper reported, “15-year-old Alex LaFleur and his 14-year-old teammate Luke Rizzo have been coming to the Missoula mogul competition from their home mountain in Sun Valley, Idaho, for the past four years. Both said Snowbowl is their favorite competition travel destination every winter.”
“You get to have a lot more fun and more time to concentrate because it isn’t quite as steep,” LaFleur told the Missoulian. Alex also finished fifth in the opening singles event and fifth in duals.
A sophomore at Community School, LaFleur has been working hard at refining his technique at the SVSEF-Community School Air Barn at Sagewillow Campus, which was equipped with a new air bag and tow-in ramp last summer thanks to the generosity of SVSEF supporters.
“He never tried a back flip until he hit the ramp and air bag,” said SVSEF Program Director Andy Ware. “I would like to think the training is paying off for the athletes who are fully engaged.”
Alex concurred, “It is really good to know that all my focus and hard work paid off in such an exciting way. As for what I attribute my win to, it is without question the new ramp in the barn. The back full that I’ve been obsessing over for the past several months came to fruition because of that outstanding training tool. Thank you to all that helped make the ramp a reality.”
Next up for Alex and his SVSEF teammates is the Sun Valley Freestyle Spectacular this weekend on Bald Mountain’s Roundhouse Slope. Mogul competition begins at 10:15 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Awards will follow each day at River Run Plaza.

Sun Valley Ski Education | Sun Valley Idaho
Alex LaFleur in action. Photo by Oliver Guy

by Leif Jensen

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

 
avalanche-rescue-800-600
 
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/
avalanche-courses-2-800-600

Photos courtesy of Sawtooth Mountain Guides

 

by Leif Jensen

SVSEF, Athletes Ready To Take Their Turns At Annual Thanksgiving Camp

Thanks to the support and assistance of Sun Valley Company, the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation’s Thanksgiving Camp promises to be bigger and better than ever.
 
Now in its fifth year, the preseason camp has unprecedented access to terrain as Sun Valley Company will open Upper College, Lower College, 42nd Street and Lower River Run to alpine racers skiers from clubs across the region. There will be more than 150 visiting athletes from across the Western United States representing college and club teams from Park City and Ogden, Utah, Billings, Montana, Hood River, Oregon, Reno, Nevada, Boise and McCall. In addition to visiting athletes, 125 local athletes will also be training to prepare for the coming winter season.
 
“This provides our club with an excellent opportunity for world-class skill development and training in the early part of the season,” said Scott McGrew, SVSEF’s Alpine director.  “We travel all over the world looking for opportunities to find training and conditions like this. We are thrilled to be able to have it right here in our backyard.”
 
The camp, open to alpine and freestyle skiers, will run from Saturday, November 21 to Wednesday, November 25. Training sessions will be broken down by age group and team.  The training is ongoing from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
 
In addition to the training taking place on the slopes, there will be off-snow activities and opportunities for the athletes. On Monday, November 23 there is a (sold out) showing of Warren Miller Entertainment and Red Bull Media House’s film Streif: One Hell of a Ride. This documentary vividly captures the famed Hahnenkamm downhill in Kitzbühel, Austria, as well as the intense athletic preparation required for athletes.  “We are beyond excited to have such a captive audience and energy going into the season, there is no better way for us to get our community together and celebrate the sport we love. The show will take place at the iconic Opera House in the Sun Valley resort and will supercharge the camp.”
 
Sun Valley Idaho | AlpineSVSEF has also partnered with Oregon Health and Sciences University’s Knight Cardiovascular Institute to facilitate an ongoing research study on young athletes and cardiovascular health.  The research team will be utilizing Electrocardiogram (EKG) technology to profile athletes’ hearts and conduct a long term study to help identify abnormalities and identify preventative measures.
“The research team is excited to come to Sun Valley and work with our local and visiting athletes,” McGrew said. “The opportunity to capture this demographic is a great way to advance ongoing research on health and wellness.  We are thrilled to be a part of the study, and look forward to more opportunities to work with OHSU researchers.”  The team will set up at River Run Lodge throughout the duration of the camp screening athletes.
For additional information or details, please contact SVSEF Alpine Program Director Scott McGrew, (208) 720-3829.
 

by Leif Jensen

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"

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by Leif Jensen

Web Redemption: Blaine County Student Season Ski Passes Available Online

Blaine County Student season ski passes for Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation athletes are now available for purchase through your family's SVSEF online account.

Sun Valley Company has set the pricing for a 2015-16 youth season ski pass for Bald and Dollar mountains at $399. While it is the same price to buy a pass from the resort, purchasing your child's pass through the SVSEF helps offset the cost for our organization's coaches passes.

All registered SVSEF alpine, snowboard, freestyle, freeskiing and cross country (if desired) athletes are eligible to order a pass. To order, go to the menu bar on our home page and click on My Account, Registration and Events.

Ski passes will be available for pick up by the general public at River Run Lodge beginning November 1. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days per week.  SVSEF athletes are asked to obtain their passes during one of two sessions when the resort will have extra staff on hand: November 6-8 (Friday-Sunday) and November 12-15 (Thursday-Sunday). Passes must be paid in full prior to pick up.

For additional information, please contact the SVSEF office at (208) 726-4129 or info@svsef.org.

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by Leif Jensen