Week in Review: February 27
ALPINE
Laura Flood Memorial
“Use your senses, go with your feelings and instincts, dare to be different, dare to experience.” These words, which were spoken by Laura Flood and grace the trophy for the annual event which bears her name, remind athletes to trust themselves, acknowledge their individuality in lieu of conformism, and to choose their own routes in life. Hosted by the SVSEF annually in honor of Laura, the series featured three days of slalom and giant slalom racing. “Conditions were good, even though we received snow on Monday. This was a really unique opportunity to be able to race the U.S. National GS venue before anyone else has had a chance to race it,” commented Alpine Program Coordinator Riley Berman. “Having this new track is a game-changer for the Intermountain division. Our athletes were energized and eager to put their all into this course, and it was a great weekend of racing.”A big thanks to volunteers who kept the event running smoothly and who dedicated their time and effort to make it happen.
Taking home the Laura Sharpe Flood perpetual trophy, awarded to combined winners from the series, were SVSEF’s Maddie Ferris and Jackson Hole’s Oliver Parazette. Maddie had a strong series, finishing third in the slalom and second in both giant slaloms. Teammate Lily Fitzgerald joined her on the slalom podium in first. Marit Kaiser grabbed two fifths and a seventh place (GS). Carly Walther-Porino, Sage Curtis, Grace Pepin and Elizabeth Vanderkloot all secured top-10s throughout the weekend for a strong SVSEF showing. Spencer Wright, Thomas Klose, Buey Grossman and Charlie Snyder took first, third, fourth and sixth to start the weekend with a bang for SVSEF in the slalom. Thomas Klose again found the podium in the first giant slalom in third, and Buey, Charlier and Jake Blackburn rounded out the top-10 in eighth, ninth and tenth. The men went three-for-three on finding the podium, with Buey taking third in the second giant slalom. Jake finished fifth, Finn Mallinen ninth and Ian Hanna 10th.
RESULTS
USSA
The following athletes have qualified for the Western Region U16 Championships in Alaska. March 20-26, 2018.
Men: Ryder Sarchett, Buey Grossman, Charlie Snyder, Ridley Lindstrom, Finn Mallinen, Josh Blackburn, and Max Moss.
Women: Marit Kaiser, Carly Walther-Porino, Sage Curtis, Anhwei Kirk, Falon Hanna, and Emma MacGuffie.
North Series
The North Series team headed to McCall for the Cranston Cup, with slalom and giant slalom races. A highlight for the weekend was Tucker Smith taking the overall win for both days for boys.
“Our kids skied so well this weekend, considering they have not been on soft snow with big ruts all year,” remarked Head Coach Adele Savaria. “Since it dumped light, fresh snow the whole weekend, they all had a great time in and around their race runs powder skiing. There were lots of smiles and laughter all weekend.”
Top finishes:
U10 Boys:
Joey Pierre – 8th
U12 Boys:
Tucker Smith – 1st, Max Meucci – 3rd, Will Kogelmann – 5th, Paxton Sammis – 8th, Owen Walker – 9th, Drew Kogelmann – 15th, Jensen Pierre – 11th, Sacha Stern-Pre – 16th, Abel Marx – 20th, Bodin Lee – 21st
U14 Boys:
Levi Loomis – 4th, Bryce Kanowsky – 6th
U10 Girls:
Reese Kelley – 6th
U12 Girls:
Natalie Gowe – 2nd, Ruby Crist – 3rd, Taylor Hovey – 6th, Norah Davis-Jeffers – 7th, Ripley Scales- 12th, Bridgette Normand – 13th, Josie Sarchett – 16th, Scarlet Rixon – 17th, Ava Agnew – 20th, Rowan Desler – 21st, Ella Shaughnessy – 22nd, Scarlett Carruth – 24th, Marina Monschke – 30th, Hanna Bailey – 32nd, Molly Belle Poderick – 34th
U14 Girls:
Samanatha Beaudoin – 5th
RESULTS
FIS
FIS athletes competed at Steamboat Springs in University races – this was a great opportunity to test limits against athletes attending top ski universities in the west, as well as international racers representing those schools.
Top results:
Erin Smith – 24th in 2/23 slalom
Haley Cutler (alumni) – 17th in 2/25 giant slalom
Tanner Farrow (alumni) – 19th 2/23 slalom
John Blackburn – 43rd 2/23 slalom
Max Noddings – 48th 2/23 slalom
Hayden Terjeson – 59th 2/25 giant slalom
Noah Leininger – 55th 2/24 giant slalom
Bennett Snyder – 59th 2/24 giant slalom
RESULTS
PARK & PIPE
IFSA Big Mountain
SVSEF Big Mountain skiers returned to Targhee, this time for national-level competition – the event brought athletes from all over the U.S., with representatives from the reaches of Maine and Alaska. Thursday, February 22nd were qualifiers for 12-14 year olds, 15-18 year olds had qualifiers on the 23rd, and finals for all were on the 24th. Five SVSEF athletes made it past the qualifying rounds into finals. Paris Pratt was fourth for girls 15-18 and Molly Kucher was fifth, and SVSEF athletes Charlie Stumph, Axel Diehl and Alex LaFleur finished 11th, 12th and 14th, respectively in the boys 15-18 category. “The athletes who ended up having faults or crashes had some really cool lines picked out, and I’m glad that everyone got after it,” said Head Coach Conor Davis. The team headed out for some freeskiing afterwards, and are preparing for their next regional competition at Bogus Basin.
Travel
Ryan Dobi, Harper Mallett and Will Griffith competed among the nation’s best at the Aspen Snowmass Freeskiing Open. Harper laid it on the line in the halfpipe, walking away with 15th overall in a field of 41 – although he didn’t make it into finals, this was a great finish for the caliber of athletes in attendance. Will, who finished 66th in slopestyle, next heads to Park City to compete in the Rev Tour slopestyle event. Ryan’s top finish was 57th in slopestyle.
RESULTS
CROSS COUNTRY
Prep/Devo
Prep and Devo athletes raced at the Intermountain Youth Championships in Jackson Hole, which brings elementary and middle school aged students from across the Intermountain region together for a final weekend of racing. Athletes competed in 2/3km freestyle and classic races, as well as a “skiercross” race, which featured jumps, tables and obstacles. Despite cold temperatures, overcast days, snow and strong winds, the skiers prepared well, stayed focused and raced hard both days. Taking home the girls U14 Cup was Sammy Smith, who won all three events for U14 girls, and won the skiercross event overall (including male and female athletes, U12-U16). This title was based on races throughout the season. Anja Grover was a close second overall, having won a few races previously. Anja placed second, sixth and third in the freestyle, skiercross and classic races for the weekend. Other highlights from the weekend included a sweep by Berkeley Canfield in all three U12 girls races, a fourth place finish for Teddy Hobbs in the U12 boys skiercross and second for McCallen Campbell in the U10 boys freestyle. U10 boys had a three-four-five streak (Zach Torres, McCallen and Huxley Flood) in the skiercross, and Eloise Hebert and Anika Vandenburgh took third and fourth in the U14 girls skiercross. Teammate Gretel Huss was ninth.
RESULTS
Alumni
Katie Feldman (senior) and Peter Wolter (freshman), SVSEF alumni who are athletes on the Middlebury Ski Team, have qualified for NCAAs, which start next week in Steamboat. Peter also received the Rookie of the Year award for EISA (Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association). Katie was named to the EISA All-East Second Team, and PG alum and Middlebury athlete Sam Wood joined Peter in being named to the EISA All-East Second Team for men.
PHOTOS/EISA ALL-EAST TEAMS
13 SVSEF Alpine Skiers Qualify for 2018 Western Region U16 Championships
The following SVSEF athletes have qualified to compete at the 2018 Western Region U16 Championships, to be held this year in Alyeska, Alaska, March 22-25.
Men: Ryder Sarchett, Buey Grossman, Charlie Snyder, Ridley Lindstrom, Finn Mallinen, Josh Blackburn, Max Moss
Women: Marit Kaiser, Carly Walther-Porino, Sage Curtis, Anhwei Kirk, Falon Hanna, Emma MacGuffie
Selection is based on qualification procedures established by each of the five divisions of the Western Region. The event has a base field size of 170 athletes, and will feature slalom, giant slalom, super G and skillsquest competition.
Week in Review: February 21
CROSS COUNTRY
Comp/PG
Comp and PG athletes competed in the final JNQ of the season at McCall, with a classic sprint race on Saturday and a 5/10km distance race on Sunday.
Snow flew on Saturday as SVSEF skiers found their stride on McCall’s sprint loop, which was relatively short with a steep climb mid-course. Sprints are not just one short effort; Program Director Rick Kapala described the challenges that come with sprinting. “First, there is the preliminary effort to get seeded into heats. If a skier makes it all the way to the finals, they will have raced three more races at absolute maximum effort within just a couple of hours.” In this sprint, many SVSEF skiers had their best races of the season. U18 girls had a standout showing, with three skiers qualifying for the A final; Sophia Mazzoni, Sydney Palmer-Leger and Lily Brunelle.
“The skate distance races, held at Ponderosa Park (site of the 1998 and 2002 Junior Nationals) offered the skiers a good test of their skating skills,” explained Kapala. “The course features gradual climbing throughout without much rest.” Anja Jensen powered through the hills, leading the SVSEF squad with another silver in the U16 girls division. Prep Team skier Anja Grover improved on her second from Saturday with a win in the U14 girls event on Sunday.
Saturday – Top tens in classic sprint
U18/20 Boys: Hagenbuch – 5, Will Solow – 7
U16 Boys: Cash Dart 12 – qualified 3rd
U18/20 Girls; Mazzoni – 3, Sydney Palmer Leger – 4, Lily -5, Ella – 7
U16 Girls: Anja Jensen – 2, Luci Ludwig -7
U14 Girls – Anja Grover - 2
U10 Boys – McCallen Campbell - 2
Sunday – Top tens in skate 10/5km distance
U18/20 Boys – J Hagenbuch -5, Henry Raff – 6, Will Solow – 8
U16 Boys Kai Nelson – 11, Sebi Radl Jones – 16
U18/20 Girls – Sydney Palmer Leger – 2, Eve Jensen – 6, Lily Brunelle – 11 U16 Girls – Anja Jensen – 2 , Sascha Leidecker – 7, Luci Ludwig – 9
U14 Girls - Anja Grover – 1
RESULTS
15 SVSEF cross country athletes qualify for Junior Nationals
The weekend of February 17-18 brought with it the final Intermountain qualifying event for SVSEF cross country athletes who have had their sights set on Junior Nationals this season. Junior Nationals, to be held in Soldier Hollow March 6-10, brings the top junior athletes together by region to compete for national titles.
SVSEF skiers Johnny Hagenbuch and Sydney Palmer-Leger both secured their spots at Junior Nationals at the beginning of January, when they posted top results at U.S. Nationals in Anchorage. Both Johnny and Sydney represented the U.S. at the International Scandinavian Series, held in Vuokatti, Finland, at the end of January.
The following thirteen SVSEF athletes will join Johnny and Sydney as part of the Intermountain Team, based on their results at JN Selection Series races this season. The Intermountain team, comprised of 45 athletes, will compete against over 350 other skiers from across the U.S.
In addition to these 15 skiers, alumni Peter Wolter and Eli Jensen, who ski for Middlebury College and University of Montana, respectively, have also qualified for Junior Nationals.
For more information about Junior Nationals, visit their website here.
U20 Boys (18-19)
Henry Raff – 3rd Junior Nationals
Will Solow – 3rd Junior Nationals
Drew Palmer Leger – 3rd Junior Nationals
U18 Boys (16-17)
Johnny Hagenbuch – 3rd Junior Nationals
U16 Boys (14-15)
Cash Dart – 2nd Junior Nationals
U18 Girls (16-17)
Sophia Mazzoni – 3rd Junior Nationals
Lily Brunelle = 4th Junior Nationals
Eve Jensen = 2nd Junior Nationals
Ella Wolter – 3rd Junior Nationals
Kirsys Campbell – 1st Junior Nationals
U16 Girls (14-15)
Sydney Palmer-Leger 4th Junior Nationals
Anja Jensen – 2nd Junior Nationals
Logan Smith – 1st Junior Nationals
Sascha Leidecker – 1st Junior Nationals
Luci Ludwig – 1st Junior Nationals
Gold Team: Four SVSEF Athletes Selected to Compete in Europe
An update from Head Coach Chris Mallory
Kevin Bolger, a two year post grad with SVSEF and first-year Gold Team member, put together a string of top races in Ishpeming, MI, at the recent SuperTour event. He skied away from the field to win the skate sprint Thursday, February 15, then took second and sixth in the 20km skate and 10km classic events. These results secured his position on top of the US SuperTour points list; he’ll now head to Scandinavia for Period 4 World Cup starts in Lahti, Drammen, Oslo and Falun.
Jack Hegman also had a stand out weekend, taking second in the sprint and seventh and fifth in the distance events.
Rogan Brown suffered a broken pole in the skate distance, taking him out of contention, and Matt Gelso had to sit out due to illness, but they’ll look to bounce back in this weekend’s American Birkie.
Kelsey Phinney, Jack Hegman, and Rogan Brown were selected to compete for the U.S. in the OPA Cup Finals, which get underway in March in Italy and Spain.
PARK AND PIPE
Snowboarders Payton and Zoe Bacca traveled to Maine to compete in NorAm and RevTour snowboard cross events. In NorAms at Sunday River, Payton took 16th on February 13 and 21 on February 14 in fields of 40 women. Sister Zoe competed in the RevTour on Februrary 15, where she placed 12th in snowboard cross, and was the third U16 finisher.
RESULTS - PAYTON
RESULTS - ZOE
Will Griffith competed in his first RevTour event at Waterville Valley, New Hampshire. In the men’s freeski slopestyle, Will finished 26 and 27 in a field of 39 athletes, February 15-16.
RESULTS
ALPINE
FIS Wild West Snow King
The FIS series at Snow King started with women’s races and transitioned into men’s. Top finishes came for Alli Rathfon, who was 11 in the women’s giant slalom, Maddi Ferris, who also found 11 in the women’s second giant slalom. Jack Smith, who was ninth in the men’s first GS, tied for fifth with teammate Hayden Terjeson in the men’s giant slalom on February 20th. Racing finishes up with men’s slalom on the 21st.
RESULTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
Alpine: Laura Flood Memorial (24-26)
Alpine: North Series, McCall (23-25)
Alpine FIS: University Races, Steamboat (23-26)
IFSA Big Mtn: Targhee National Competition (21-25)
P&P: Aspen Open (19-25)
Cross Country Prep and Devo: Intermountain Youth Championships, Jackson (24-25)
15 SVSEF Cross Country Athletes Qualify for Junior Nationals
The weekend of February 17-18 brought with it the final Intermountain qualifying event for SVSEF cross country athletes who have had their sights set on Junior Nationals this season. Junior Nationals, to be held in Soldier Hollow March 6-10, brings the top junior athletes together by region to compete for national titles.
SVSEF skiers Johnny Hagenbuch and Sydney Palmer-Leger both secured their spots at Junior Nationals at the beginning of January, when they posted top results at U.S. Nationals in Anchorage. Both Johnny and Sydney represented the U.S. at the International Scandinavian Series, held in Vuokatti, Finland, at the end of January.
The following thirteen SVSEF athletes will join Johnny and Sydney as part of the Intermountain Team, based on their results at JN Selection Series races this season. The Intermountain team, comprised of 45 athletes, will compete against over 350 other skiers from across the U.S.
For more information about Junior Nationals, visit their website here.
U20 Boys (18-19)
Henry Raff – 3rd Junior Nationals
Will Solow – 3rd Junior Nationals
Drew Palmer Leger – 3rd Junior Nationals
U18 Boys (16-17)
Johnny Hagenbuch – 3rd Junior Nationals
U16 Boys (14-15)
Cash Dart – 2nd Junior Nationals
U18 Girls (16-17)
Sophia Mazzoni – 3rd Junior Nationals
Lily Brunelle = 4th Junior Nationals
Eve Jensen = 2nd Junior Nationals
Ella Wolter – 3rd Junior Nationals
Kirsys Campbell – 1st Junior Nationals
U16 Girls (14-15)
Sydney Palmer-Leger 4th Junior Nationals
Anja Jensen – 2nd Junior Nationals
Logan Smith – 1st Junior Nationals
Sascha Leidecker – 1st Junior Nationals
Luci Ludwig – 1st Junior Nationals
Week in Review: February 14
PARK & PIPE
Chase Josey Finishes Sixth in Men’s Olympic Snowboard Halfpipe
The stakes were high in the Olympic men’s snowboard halfpipe final, with all four Americans (Chase, Jake Pates, Ben Ferguson and Shaun White), Australian standout Scotty James, 2014 Olympic silver medalist Ayumu Hirano, and a host of other top athletes from around the world vying for gold.
SVSEF alumni Chase Josey, 22, went into the finals in seventh place after qualifiers the day before. In his first qualifying run, he clipped the lip of the halfpipe, had a funny landing and scored a 47.75. Chase made up for that run on his second and final in the qualifier, riding smoothly and moving up from 20th to seventh with a score of 83.75.
After Chase’s first run in the finals on February 14, he sat in third behind Shaun White and Scotty James. A spill on his second run after going big left it all up to the third and final run – he was in fourth after Ayumu Hirano moved into first with a second run score of 95.25. Chase improved upon his initial score of 87.75 with a top score of 88.00, and an amazing sixth place finish overall in the world’s most prestigious event for the sport.
Park & Pipe: USASA Park City
Park & Pipe athletes competed in Park City at a USASA event, with a Rev Tour qualifier in the Sunday event. “It was a super productive weekend for all the kids – they did extremely well, especially given they only had one day of riding pipe under their belts,” said Progression Team Head Coach Pat Lee. “Thursday was pipe training, in 50 degree weather with slushy snow – it couldn’t have been better for the kids to step into the pipe. Many SVSEF athletes found the podium throughout competition on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In Sunday’s qualifier for the Rev Tour, all of our male athletes (who weren’t already qualified) punched their tickets to the Tour.”
Athletes competed in two halfpipe events on February 9. Highlights include second place for Harper Mallett, third for Joey Markthaler and fourth for Ridge Dirksmeier for freeski youth men (14-15), and a podium finish for Jack Verhaeghe in second for snowboard breaker boys (12-13). Barrett Beyer, the youngest competitor, skied well in all events. Maddie Hothem and Olive Gilbert finished third and fourth for snowboard breaker girls (12-13), Nico Lerner stole first for snowboard grommet boys (8-9), as did Caleb Hothem for snowboard menehune boys (10-11). Phebe Ericksen and Channing Curci both took second for their age groups (snowboard open class, snowboard youth women).
In the second event, Harper Mallett and Ridge Dirksmeier found the podium, taking first and third for freeski youth (14-15). Jack Verhaeghe was second for snowboard breaker boys (12-13), Olive Gilbert nabbed a podium in third for snowboard breaker girlrs (12-13), Nico Lerner stole second for snowboard grommet (8-9) boys, and Caleb Hothem won the snowboard menehune (10-11) age group.
Slopestyle on February 10 had a bigger showing, with 136 competitors. Charlie Price was eighth for freeski breaker boys (12-13), while Easton Turck and Zeppelin Pilaro went four and five for freeski menehune boys (10-11). Will Griffith placed fifth in the freeski open class, with 10 competitors. Ridge Dirksmeier and Joey Markthaler both had a great day, taking top spots on the podium in second and third for freeski youth (14-15) in a field of 13. Jack Verhaeghe also made the podium for snowboard breaker boys (12-13). Maddie Hothem and Olive Gilbert went hard for snowboard breaker girls, finishing third and fourth. Nico Lerner had another great day, topping the snowboard grommet (8-9) podium. Julian Gluck, who hails from Boise but who comes and trains with SVSEF, won the snowboard junior men class (16-17). Caleb Hothem took second for snowboard menehune boys (10-11), Phebe Ericksen was second for snowboard open women, and Channing Curci was second for snowboard youth women (14-15).
The final day of competition was another halfpipe event. Rylan Mann stepped it up and took home third for freeski menehune boys (10-11), and teammates Spencer Ferries and Easton Turck were close behind in fourth and sixth. Ridge Dirksmeier, Harper Mallett and Joey Markthaler went one-two-three for freeski youth (14-15). In snowboarding, Maddie Hothem and Olive Gilbert again finished third and fourth. Nico Lerner grabbed another podium in second for grommet boys, as did Caleb Hothem in first for menehune boys. Channing Curci got her third second place for women’s snowboard youth.
RESULTS – FEB. 9 (1)
RESULTS – FEB. 9 (2)
RESULTS – FEB. 10
RESULTS – FEB. 11
ALPINE
FIS: Eastern NorAms
FIS skiers Erin Smith and Lily Fitzgerald headed east for Eastern NorAms. Following training at Burke and an Eastern Cup at Middlebury to prep for Whiteface, Erin and Lily jumped into giant slalom competition on 2/13. In her first NorAm race, Lily finished 26th, and Erin finished 29th in tough, icy conditions. Competition continues today with another giant slalom, followed by two days of slalom. Experience on the NorAm circuit is helpful in setting up points for start positions for next year, and in getting a feel for racing at a high level. Alumni Kipling Weisel is also on the East Coast for NorAms – he posted 20th in the giant slalom at Stowe Mountain Resort/Spruce Peak.
RESULTS
Snowbasin Intermountain Cup U16 SG Qualifier/Park City Intermountain Cup U16 Slalom Qualifier
SVSEF athletes competed in three super G qualifiers at Snowbasin. Two skiers found a spot on the podium; Josh Blackburn finished third in the first super G, and Carly Walther-Porino also took bronze in the women’s second super G. Marit Kaiser, Finn Mallinen and Charlie Snyder all had top finishes in fifth, and Buey Grossman had a top result in sixth. SVSEF had strong groupings, with three athletes in the top 10 in the first men’s race and four in the third. Similarly, the women had three in the top 10 in the first competition, four in the second, and three in the third. Athletes switched to slalom qualifiers for a final day at Park City; Buey Grossman took fourth, Charlie Snyder sixth and Ridley Lindstrom eighth. Park City dominated the top ten on the women’s side, but Marit Kaiser found her way to ninth and Carly Walther-Porino 11th.
RESULTS
Ryder Sarchett at OPA Cup
After a successful stint at the U16 National Performance Series at Burke, Ryder Sarchett (one of our SVSEF athletes of the month for January) competed in Malbun, Liechtenstein, at the OPA Cup. This event featured top U16 racers from the strong eastern European countries. Ryder led the American contingent, with a 10th place finish in the slalom on February 8. Ryder was the second fastest skier in the first run of the giant slalom race on February 9, but did not complete his second run.
“It was a great experience for Ryder,” said coach Chuck Harris, who traveled with Ryder to Europe. “He got better everyday. When he got off the plane, he was not the fastest U.S. athlete, but by the time the trip was over he was clearly the best. Whether that carries over for the rest of the season…time will tell.”
MOGULS
Mogul Regional Championships
SVSEF mogul athletes traveled to Park City to compete at Regionals, with two singles and one dual event. Sammy Smith led the charge for SVSEF women, winning her age group (F13) in both singles events, and finishing sixth and eighth overall in a field of athletes who ranged from F13 to FSr. Rainey Wilson was consistent throughout the weekend, with strong 12th place finishes in both singles events. Tilly Babcock, a F13 like Sammy, finished 31st in the strong women’s field. Luke Rizzo posted a sixth and 14th in singles, and Toby Rafford stepped up with a 13th place overall finish as a M15. Henry Buell had a weekend best of 22nd, and Alex Austin 23rd. Erik Babcock was 33rd in both singles events. In the make-up events, which had smaller competitive fields, Rainey was eighth in duals, and Tilly was 12th. Alex was 10th for men, Erik 18th, Henry 20th and Luke 27th. In the singles make-up event, Rainey finished 6th, Tilly 13th, Luke 9th, Henry 13th, Alex 17th and Erik 23rd.
RESULTS
CROSS COUNTRY
Gold Team Update
Kelsey Phinney was sixth in the Norwegian Cup Skate sprint in Aasen, NOR. She’ll race again in Trondhiem in a Scando Cup series in a week and a half.
Jack Hegman won the Dartmouth Carnival/Eastern Cup 10k Skate, and Rogan Brown was second. Matt Gelso won the Denver RMISA 10km Classic.
For March, Jack and Kelsey have qualified for US Team OPA Cup trip. Rogan is an alternate for that trip as of now.
After this weekend the Super Tour leader will receive period 4 World Cup starts. Kevin Bolger is currently leading.
SVSEF Alumni Chase Josey Sixth in the World at Olympic Snowboard Halfpipe Finals
The stakes were high in the Olympic men’s snowboard halfpipe final, with all four Americans (Chase, Jake Pates, Ben Ferguson and Shaun White), Australian standout Scotty James, 2014 Olympic silver medalist Ayumu Hirano, and a host of other top athletes from around the world vying for gold.
SVSEF alumni Chase Josey, 22, went into the finals in seventh place after qualifiers the day before. In his first qualifying run, he clipped the lip of the halfpipe, had a funny landing and scored a 47.75. Chase made up for that run on his second and final in the qualifier, riding smoothly and moving up from 20th to seventh with a score of 83.75.
After Chase’s first run in the finals on February 14, he sat in third behind Shaun White and Scotty James. A spill on his second run after going big left it all up to the third and final run – he was in fourth after Ayumu Hirano moved into first with a second run score of 95.25. Chase improved upon his initial score of 87.75 with a top score of 88.00, and an amazing sixth place finish overall in the world’s most prestigious event for the sport.
Athletes of the Month: January
SVSEF athletes of the month are selected collectively by program directors, based on successful athletic performance in competition. Sammy Smith, who is a member of both the cross country prep team and the moguls travel team, and Ryder Sarchett, a member of the alpine USSA team, are the athletes of the month for January.
RYDER SARCHETT
Ryder Sarchett, a member of the Alpine USSA Team, has had quite an incredible month. Great results qualified him for the U16 National Performance Series, held at Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont, January 9-12. The NPS series was a qualifying race for the best U16s in the country. Battling a back injury, Ryder was forced to skip one of the races; despite this setback, he was able to come back the next day and compete. A third place in the slalom race and a third in the giant slalom secured his ticket to Europe, representing the U.S. at the Seven Nations Cup (now the OPA Cup).
One of six U.S. male skiers to compete at the OPA Cup, Ryder took tenth in the slalom on February 8, and was the top American finisher. In the giant slalom on February 9, he finished second overall for his first run, but did not complete his second run.
USSA Head Coach Chuck Harris, who accompanied Ryder to the NPS event as well as the OPA Cup in Liechtenstein spoke to Ryder’s motivation. “Ryder has a tremendous drive. He can never ski enough. He is continuously the first one at training and the last one to leave. His time, commitment, and love of the sport is far and above anything I have ever been a part of. He pushes the coaches, he pushes his teammates, and most importantly he pushes himself.
SAMMY SMITH
As a first-year U14, Sammy is currently ranked first for female U14 athletes in the Intermountain Region in cross country skiing. Highlights include a double win at home at the Sun Valley junior national qualifiers, January 22-23.
“Sammy is one of the hardest workers we’ve had on the team,” said Prep Team Head Coach Kelley Sinnott. “Only in the sixth grade but already a leader amongst her peers, even the older boys have to fight to keep up with her on a hard effort training day. The other kids feed off her positive energy and hard work.”
Setting Sammy apart is her keen body awareness – a lot of kids her age have trouble translating words into action. Sammy is able to hear feedback about her technique and make the physical adjustment quickly and seamlessly. Her understanding of technique and body position is very apparent – Sammy has some of the best V2 technique of any skier in the program, boy or girl, through Comp Team.
Also distinctive is Sammy’s eagerness to rise to the challenge – she seems to feed off both her competitive drive and the intensity of the workout. “She flourishes in the tougher moments,” said Sinnott. “Sammy would rather do double pole intervals up the hardest hill than give in or choose an easier path.”
Sammy is as formidable a threat in moguls as she is in cross country. Only 12 years old, she is currently the 15th ranked junior in the country (juniors are 18 and under). Highlights so far this season include winning back-to-back at Squaw Valley and finishing third at Deer Valley on the World Cup course, Champion. Currently at Divisional Championships in Park City, Sammy was the top finisher in her age group (F13) in two moguls events on February 10 and 11, taking eighth overall on the 10th and sixth overall on the 11th. Two U.S. Team athletes were in the field, one of whom just skied in the World Cup at Deer Valley.
Both cross country and mogul coaches appreciate Sammy’s attitude and temperament, on top of her athletic success. “She is one of the kindest, most polite and most modest kids we’ve had – she is thankful for what she has and the work and time her coaches dedicate to her success, and she accepts accolades without fanfare,” noted Sinnott.
With such a packed schedule, Sammy’s high level of maturity and great time management are key. “She always shows up to team on time ready to work, takes full advantage of our training sessions, and always has big smile on her face,” added Josh Zuck, Sammy’s moguls coach.
“Sammy is a great skier, and at such a young age, we can’t wait to see what she is capable of as she grows bigger and gets older,” concluded Sinnott. “I and the other coaches all enjoy coaching her immensely.”
Week in Review: February 6
ALPINE
Monroe Cup
SVSEF hosted over 150 U10 and U12 athletes from the Intermountain division at the annual Monroe Cup, named for former SVSEF coach and executive director, Lane Monroe. The event featured two slalom competitions, starting on Hemingway and finishing on Greyhawk. Despite unruly winds, the surface was outstanding and athletes from the Devo forerunners to Mini World Cup and North Series skiers came to the hill with a good attitude. For Mini World Cup athletes, this was a great way to dabble in racing while still emphasizing the importance of having fun. “We are doing this race for experience, of course a bit of speed, but most importantly, for FUN,” remarked MWC head coach Tor Jensen. “It is a great opportunity to try something new, test the waters in the next level and be that much more prepared for next year.”
For North Series athletes, the Monroe Cup was an opportunity to put hard work into practice. “It’s always great to have one of our races be at home because the kids know the race hill and they get to sleep in their own beds,” said North Series head coach Adele Savaria. “As always, it feels like we have a lot of support from the community when they come out to watch, too.”
SVSEF’s own Max Meucci took home the men’s overall win for the weekend, with nearly a five second lead over the second place finisher in Saturday’s slalom, and another victory on Sunday. Paxton Sammis broke the top ten for U12 men on Saturday, Tommy Hovey had a solid weekend for U10 boys with a podium on Saturday and a sixth place on Sunday, and Jay Blackburn earned second for U10 boys on Sunday. Alyssa Huntsman and Reese Kelley broke the top 10 for U10 girls, with Alyssa in 10th on Saturday and Reese in ninth on Sunday. SVSEF U12 girls took four of the top 10 spots on Saturday (Taylor Hovey 4, Ruby Crist 5, Norah Davis-Jeffers 8 and Rowan Desler 9). Natalie Gowe had a great race on Sunday, finishing on the podium in second, and teammates Taylor and Ruby went six and seven.
Results
FIS Western Region Speed Series at Schweitzer
This past week was a huge showing for SVSEF at the FIS Elite Speed Series. Program Director Scott McGrew noted that it was “quite possibly the first sweep for a club at this level of event.” Charlie Lamb, Spencer Wright and Hayden Terjeson took the top spots in the men’s downhill on February 1, with Matt O’Connor finishing fifth. Wright clocked top times for two more second place finishes at the series (2/1 downhill and 2/4 super G). Other SVSEF athletes skied to the top of the field throughout the week: Skylar Cooley finished fourth in downhill and second in super G, Alli Rathfon had a fourth place finish and two sixths, Jack Smith won the final super G and Hayden Terjeson was just off the podium in fourth in the same race.
From Nick Stenicka, assitant women's FIS coach:
The women's FIS team has returned from a successful Schweitzer speed series! Notable performances came from Skylar Cooley, Maddie Ferris, Alli Rathfon, who all acquired major qualification points towards US Nationals with their top ten finishes in the SG races. In addition to the top ten finishes achieved by Skylar, Maddie, and Alli, our girls took home two Hard Charger Awards. The Hard Charger Award was granted each day of the series to the athlete that achieved the best finish position from the highest start position. Alli Rathfon won the Hard Charger Award after moving from 29th position into sixth in the first DH race while her teammate Cailin Chandler won the award in the second DH race after moving from the 27th position into 12th.
Looking forward, our women hope to build on this positive momentum at their upcoming Wild West race series at Snowking Resort in Jackson, Wyoming. The Wild West series is also a qualifier for US Nationals. With the FIS team coming into the peak of the race season the group is excited for a week-long training block on hard snow at Baldy and Dollar.
Results
U14 IMD Junior Speed Event Qualifier at Snowbasin
Podium sweeps and top finishes were a trend for SVSEF Alpine athletes this past week. At U14 IMD Junior Speed Qualifiers at Snowbasin, Jessica Blackburn, Saba Grossman and Maya Lightner swept the women’s opening super G podium. Logan Lindstrom took second in the second super G, with Saba staying near the top in fourth. In the final super G, Saba topped the podium, and Logan again finished second. Saba’s streak of top finishes put her in first overall for the weekend. Paige DeHart and Lily Dean had strong results, with Paige in 11th in the second event and Lily in 10th in the final race. In the men’s events, Colin Hanna cruised to a win in the final super G and finished fourth the first day of racing. Nils Galloway had a significant weekend, finishing sixth on days one and two, and fifth in the final competition. Jake Charpentier stepped it up, with ninth and 12th places.
"This was a very exciting weekend for SVSEF's IMD team," said Head Coach James Tautkus. "It's typically a struggle this time of year to maintain full focus and this team defied that. To start the weekend with a women's podium sweep felt pretty sweet, but following that up with two victories on Sunday brought fulfillment to the weekend. This team as a whole dug deep and earned every once of success it received. That in itself puts confidence in the direction of this program. No doubt on current trajectory there will be more success to be had this season!"
Results
CROSS COUNTRY
Town Sprints and Boulder Mountain Tour
As part of the annual Sun Valley Nordic Festival, many SVSEF athletes participated in the opening NordicTown USA Town Sprints in downtown Ketchum. Devo athletes started off with a mass start sprint, followed by Prep Team skiers. The main event featured two-person relays – Comp, PG and Gold athletes tagged off in a fast-paced, energetic race. SVSEF Gold Team skier Matt Gelso and Team Gregg athlete Caitlin Gregg won, followed by Cole Morgan (SVSEF) and Heather Mooney in second and Henry Raff (SVSEF) and Logan Smith (SVSEF) in third.
Two days after Two Sprints, a number of SVSEF opted to race in the Boulder Mountain Tour or the Half Boulder. Covering 34km, the nationally renowned race starts at Galena and winds down the Harriman Trail. The Half Boulder is a 15km course that starts at Baker Creek. SVSEF Gold Team skier Matt Gelso took home the overall win for the event in a field of nearly 600 racers, with a time of 1:10:28. Repeating for an overall win for women was Caitlin Gregg. Sawyer Kesselheim, who will guide SVSEF alumni Jake Adicoff at the 2018 Paralymipcs in Pyeongchang, finished fifth overall, followed by Gold Team athlete Cole Morgan in sixth. Berkeley Canfield, a U12 Prep Team skier, won the women’s Half Boulder with a finishing time of 41:34. Teammate Ruby Gardner was the fourth female finisher and Gina Greenberg was fifth.
Full Boulder Results
Half Boulder Results
Nor-Am Cup
Other members of the Gold Team traveled to Nakkertok Nordic Ski Centre, outside of Ottawa, for Nor Am races, featuring top Canadian and United States athletes. Jack Hegman had a standout distance race, winning the men’s 15km freestyle. Kevin Bolger showed consistency across disciplines and distances, finishing fifth in the men’s 1.4km classic sprint, fifth in the 15km freestyle, and sixth in the 15km pursuit. Jack edged out Kevin in the pursuit in fifth. Rogan Brown had solid distance races, skiing to eighth overall in the 15km freestyle and eighth again in the pursuit.
Results
PARK & PIPE
USASA Slopestyle and Rail Jam at Dollar Mountain
USASA hosted a great long weekend of slopestyle, rail jam and boardercross competition at Dollar. Despite high winds that required athletes to hike up for runs, rather than take the lift, all disciplines were executed. “It was a great weekend for the Park and Pipe team, with many top spots on the podium,” said Tyler Conway, Park & Pipe program director. “The stand out event was slopestyle. Not only was it impressive to watch (with 540s,720s, 900s and switch 270s pretzel 450s), but it was awesome to see SVSEF athletes take top spots in the most competitive age classes.”
Results
IFSA Big Mtn: Targhee Regional Competition
This event was cancelled due to unsafe conditions. The team still managed to get some solid training from the weekend; see what they were up to here.
MOGULS
MOGULSNorthern Series Regional Qualifier
Sun Valley moguls athletes headed to Snowbowl, Montana to compete in the Northern Series regional qualifier. “I’m extremely proud of all of our athletes’ performances this past weekend, and the direction the SVSEF moguls program is headed,” said Mogul Technical Director John Grigsby. “This past weekend we had a few athletes competing in their first competition ever, and a few of our veteran athletes had their personal best.”
Toby Rafford led the charge on Saturday with a second place finish, and Rainey Wilson took home fifth overall.
Saturday Singles Event
Toby 1st M15
Erik Babcock 4th M15
Rainey Wilson 1st F17
Will Hausmann 1st M11
Tillianne Babcock 1st F11
Sunday Singles Event
Rainey Wilson 1st Overall
Toby Rafford 1rd Overall
Tillianne Babcock 1st F11
Nick Rubenstein 2nd M13
Drake Lovlien 2nd M11
Erik Babcock 5th M15
Duals Event
Rainey Wilson 1st Overall
Toby Rafford 1rd Overall
Henry Buell 8th
