SVSEF Welcomes New Staff to the Team
Chuck Harris, Alpine Men’s FIS Prep Program Head Coach
SVSEF welcomes Chuck Harris to the program, who comes to us with over 20 years of coaching experience. Harris will fill the new role of the Alpine Men’s FIS Prep Program Head Coach. To further define and support the FIS Team going into the 2016-2017 season, the Alpine Team has conscientiously delineated programming, and has added a Men’s FIS Prep Program.
Harris was born in Portland, Oregon, and attended Eastern Oregon University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in history. He proceeded to direct and lead ski programs across the country, thereby gaining ample familiarity with various programs and with different approaches to coaching and FIS programming, specifically. From 1994 through 1999 he was the Men’s FIS Coach at Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont, and from 1999 through 2002 he coached both Men’s and Women’s FIS for Ski Club Vail in Colorado. He continued his travels westward, acting as the McCall Ski Racing Team Program Director for FIS/U16 from 2002 through 2014 in Idaho and the head U16 coach at Jackson Hole Ski Club in Wyoming from 2014 through 2016.
SVSEF is eager to have Harris on board. SVSEF Alpine Program Director Scott McGrew remarked, “His attention to detail, adept technical knowledge, and commitment to athletic and character development will be a great value to our club and we are excited to welcome Chuck into our community.”
Pat Lee, Snowboard Team Manager
Pat Lee, originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is stepping into a new role for SVSEF as Snowboard Team Manager. In this position, Lee will oversee the Snowboard Team operations, as well as coach within the program. The position is embedded in the entire Pipe and Park Program, which is under the leadership of Tyler Conway. Lee attended Sierra Nevada College in Lake Tahoe where he earned his bachelor’s degree in international business. Lee has been a competitive freestyle snowboarder for over a decade. His enthusiasm for winter sports has resonated with his prior occupations; Lee has been a Smith Sport Optics athlete, a member of the operations crew for Prospecting Idaho (a Smith Optics web series/private snow cat operation) for four years, and has worked for the U.S. Snowboard Team in Grand Prix events operations and as head of operations and branding for the Rev Tour. Lee was a coach for SVSEF in 2008, and is looking forward to rejoining the program. Said Lee, “I am truly excited to join the SVSEF snowboarding program, and look forward to working with the talented kids and staff. I am fire up to help the athletes set goals and work towards achieving and developing the skills necessary to exceed their expectations. I love snowboarding and feel it is important to pass the tradition down to future generations.”
Chris Mallory, Cross Country Gold Team Head Coach
Chris Mallory returns to SVSEF and the Wood River Valley after a three-year hiatus, during which time he coached for cross-country powerhouse, the University of Vermont. Mallory will be replacing fellow Vermonter Colin Rodgers as head coach for the SVSEF Cross Country Gold Team, as Rodgers is returning to Vermont to assume the role of Green Mountain Valley School Cross Country Program Director. Mallory grew up racing first out of Colchester, Vermont, and then for the University of New Hampshire. Rick Kapala, SVSEF Program Director, said of Mallory’s hire, “We are really excited to have Chris returning to our SVSEF Cross Country program. Chris has a track record of demonstrated success at every level and he brings the depth of knowledge combined with a high energy work ethic that is critical for success at the Gold Team level.”
Erika Rixon, Director of Academics
Erika Rixon is transitioning from the role of Alpine North Series Head Coach to the SVSEF Director of Academics. In this position, Rixon will act as a liaison between SVSEF and the local school systems to better support athletes in balancing school and SVSEF athletics. Rixon will work with school counselors to develop programs that allow athletes to get adequate training while at the same time keeping up with their credit requirements for graduation. Rixon is no stranger to the other side of the equation, with a background in coaching since the 2007-2008 season, and having been a successful student-athlete herself. Rixon grew up skiing in the east before she attended the University of Colorado and the University of Utah for her undergraduate degree in sociology, during which time she also raced for the NCAA Alpine Ski Team. Rixon earned a M.A. in sport and performance psychology in 2012 from the University of the Rockies. With SVSEF, Rixon was an assistant coach for the U18-U21 program, before moving into the position of Head Women’s FIS coach. In the 2014-2015 season she traveled the World Cup circuit as a coach for Hailey Duke, before returning to SVSEF in her role as North Series Team Head Coach. Said Rixon on the importance of this program, “I watched so many kids phase out of skiing after years and hours of commitment and dedication for various reasons, but one is often times that school is hard to manage with how much is missed. Therefore, I look forward to the opportunity to make sure that the kids are getting the best of both worlds, education and ski, while recognizing that their ski career can be involved in their lives even after SVSEF.”
Program Start Dates
Please note the start date below for your specific program; if you have any questions, please contact your coach or call the office at (208) 726-4129.
Alpine FIS: September 6
Alpine USSA: September 6
Alpine Intermountain: October 3
Alpine North Series: October 10
Alpine Mini World Cup: October 10
Alpine Devo: November 1
Alpine LASAR: January 11
Cross Country Comp: May 1
Cross Country Prep: October 17
Cross Country Lake Creek Devo: October 31
Cross Country Croy Devo: November 29
Freeskiing Travel A: November 1 (Dryland is available in the Fall at no extra fee)
Freeskiing Travel B: November 1 (Dryland is available in the Fall at no extra fee)
Freeskiing Comp Home: December 1 (Dryland is available in the Fall at no extra fee)
Freestyle A and B: November 1 (Dryland is available in the Fall at no extra fee)
Freestyle Comp Home: December 1 (Dryland is available in the Fall at no extra fee)
Freestyle/Freeskiing Prep Team: December 2 on snow; dryland at the Airbarn is available in November for an additional fee
Freestyle/Freeskiing Devo Team: Early December on snow; dryland at the Airbarn is available in November for an additional fee
2016-2017 Gold Team Preview
A bizarrely sizeable portion of my tenth year around the sun was spent practicing my autograph on soccer balls, so I would have it down pat when the U.S. National Team decided they wanted me to join the lineup. Despite the absurdity of this rehearsal of sorts, I do not think my dreams of glory and prestige in athletics were an anomaly to those of the general public. But despite the draw of making a living competing in a sport you love, hardly any of us end up taking the chance and making the sacrifices to try to turn those ambitions into reality. To do so takes immense self-discipline, a good amount of natural, raw talent and unsurpassed levels of dedication to the sport. It is a steep and unpredictable mountain to conquer, if you consider the odds, but one that the SVSEF Gold Team athletes here in Sun Valley are tackling in full force.
At SVSEF, there are thirteen athletes who have taken the leap and are pursuing their dreams of competing at a high level in their respective sports. This foray into competitive, professional athletics is far from easy; each athlete is training constantly but often holds down another job, and there are numerous side projects that have become required in order to make it in the industry – one must have a prominent social media presence, secure sponsors and write blog posts or make appearances at events that engage their specific sport, to name a few of the additional demands.
The Gold Team, originally called the Olympic Development Team, was incorporated into SVSEF in 2005. The program was founded with the intention of assisting athletes who have risen to compete at national and international levels; athletes receive financial assistance and access to top-tier training environments. Their involvement in the local community encourages healthy active lifestyles for the younger SVSEF athletes and greater knowledge and support of snow sports.
Some of the SVSEF Gold Team athletes were born and raised in the Wood River Valley. Others spent a brief period of time here to train or race, and still others are completely new to the program. Regardless, a few constants remain true across the board; these skiers and snowboarders are full-time athletes who are dedicated to sharing their enthusiasm and appreciation for the sport both here in our community and to a broader audience across the U.S. and the world.
Eight athletes form the Cross Country Gold Team – of these, four are new to the team this year. It’s a strong group of skiers who have seen success at the collegiate level and beyond – with the caliber of these athletes, the team is looking cohesive and competitive this season. Head Coach Colin Rodgers laid out the principal team goals for this season:
Cole, Jack and Kelsey will be gunning for the U-23 World Championships which will be hosted by Soldier Hollow in Midway, UT. Qualification will be dependent upon results at the U.S. Championships in January. It will be exciting to have these athletes have the opportunity to pursue a World Championship birth on American soil!
Older athletes will be targeting U.S. Nationals, also to be held at Soldier Hollow in January 2017 – and then if those races go well they may be named to the U.S. World Championship Team. Lahti, Finland will be hosting the championships this year in February.
Returning from previous seasons with the Gold Team are Matt Gelso, Rogan Brown, Mary Rose and Deedra Irwin. The new athletes you will see out on the trails, cruising along on a distance ski or pounding out a set of intervals, are Jack Hegman, Cole Morgan, Kelsey Phinney and Annie Pokorny.
Veteran Matt Gelso has been skiing with the SVSEF Gold Team for six years, since graduating from the University of Colorado. He has raced throughout Europe and the U.S. and has competed at FIS World Cups and the FIS World Ski Championships. Gelso has garnered top three results at U.S. National Championships, and won an NCAA individual championship. Gelso hopes to make it to the World Ski Championships again this February.
Rogan Brown, originally from Durango, Colorado, is 24 years old and received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Vermont, where he was a member of the ski team. His main goals this season are to improve his sprint racing and land on the podium at U.S. Nationals this January, which will take place in Utah. Having lived in the Wood River Valley for two years, Brown is “continually impressed by its unity and ski culture.”
Mary Rose also grew up skiing in Colorado, in Steamboat Springs and then for the University of Colorado at Boulder. Since graduating, Rose has posted competitive results, setting her up for elite racing opportunities. In 2014, she competed at the Under-23 World Championships, multiple Scandinavian Cup races, Europa Cup races and Europa (OPA) Cup Finals. The following season, she had two top 10 finishes at the U.S. National Championships, qualifying her for the U.S. Ski Team’s OPA Cup trip in Central Europe. Domestically, Rose has been successful on the SuperTour circuit, with a win, a second place and a fifth place finish. This season, Rose is focusing on the SuperTour circuit, where she will look to qualify for the FIS World Cup and World Championships.
The fourth returning cross country Gold Team skier is Deedra Irwin, who hails from Wisconsin. This will be Irwin’s second season with the Gold Team; last year, she led the charge for the female athletes, with multiple top 15 results, a few top 10 results, and a win in both the Elite Birkebeiner Sprints and the American Classic Birkebeiner in Hayward, Wisconsin. In 2015, Irwin qualified to compete in Almaty, Kazakhstan as part of the U23 World Junior Team. The athlete went to school at Michigan Technological University, where she majored in exercise science, minored in international Spanish and coaching, and competed on the cross country running, track and cross country ski teams. Going into this season, Irwin will be concentrating on classic sprinting.
New to the team this year are former University of Vermont skiers, Jack Hegman and Cole Morgan. Hegman is originally from Huntington, Vermont, and studied Computer Science at UVM. He is a three-time NCAA All-American and has represented the U.S. at the World Junior Championships. Hegman’s current and former teammate Cole Morgan is from Bozeman, Montana, and skied for UVM after a post-graduate year skiing for SVSEF back in 2012. Morgan was the third American in the 2015 U.S. National Championships classic sprint, and has been named to two World Junior Championships teams. This season he is focusing on the U23 World Championships in Soldier Hollow, Utah.
The other two new recruits to the Cross Country Gold Team also attended school in Vermont; both skied for Middlebury College. Kelsey Phinney grew up in Boulder, Colorado, and attended Middlebury, where she studied neuroscience. Phinney skied for the U.S. at the U23 World Championships this past winter in Romania, and has her sights set on U23 Worlds in Utah this season. Her teammate Annie Pokorny skied for Middlebury but is originally from the West, where she grew up racing between Park City, Utah, and Spokane, Washington. She joined SVSEF as a junior in high school in 2009 and attended the Community School. At Middlebury, Pokorny majored in philosophy, was an NCAA All-American, a three-time member of the U.S. U23 World Championship team, and raced on Europe’s Scandinavian and Europa Cup circuits.
Returning to the Gold Team alpine lineup are Tanner Farrow and Kipling Weisel. Both athletes grew up skiing with SVSEF. Farrow has been involved with SVSEF since he was eight years old; he recently turned 23. The athlete attended Wood River High School and was named to the U.S. Ski Team on his 18th birthday – he has spent the past four seasons competing at the Nor Am and Europa Cup level. Although he was not renamed to the U.S. Ski Team at the completion of the 2015-2016 season, he will continue to pursue skiing at the World Cup and Olympic levels. Farrow recently accepted an offer to compete for the University of Denver, whose ski team is the reigning NCAA national champion. Kipling Weisel, also a SVSEF alum, now skis for Dartmouth College and is a member of the U.S. Alpine C Team. Last season he posted strong results, finishing 16th overall on the NorAm circuit and earning six top 10 results. At the U.S. Alpine Championships here in Sun Valley this past March, Weisel finished ninth in alpine combined and was the third junior racer overall in the event. He will graduate from Dartmouth in 2018.
In the snowboarding world, SVSEF Gold Team member Chase Josey continues to impress. Josey grew up snowboarding for SVSEF here in Sun Valley. The athlete had standout results throughout last season, with a second place finish at the Mammoth Mountain Grand Prix and a bronze medal in halfpipe at X Games Oslo. In 2015 he won the renowned Red Bull Double Pipe.
Gold Team freeskier Jacob Beebe has proven to be a promising competitor, and he has many years ahead of him as a seventeen-year old. Beebe is on the U.S. Rookie Halfpipe Team and resides in Bend, Oregon, where he attends Summit High School. In 2016, Beebe was 12th in the halfpipe at X Games Oslo and fifth at the Aspen Snowmass Freeskiing Open Halfpipe. His goals for this coming season are to qualify for X Games Aspen and to make finals at Dew Tour and Grand Prix events.
Rounding out the Gold Team is freeskier Tai Barrymore. Barrymore grew up in Sun Valley and graduated from Wood River High School in 2010; he was a skier for SVSEF beginning his junior year of high school. The 24-year old took first place at the Copper Mountain Grand Prix World Cup in 2012, second place at the Killington Dew Tour in 2013, is a four-time X Games athlete and seven-time Dew Tour athlete. Barrymore participated in every Olympic qualifier in 2014 for Sochi. The athlete suffered a torn ACL last year and is eager to get back into competition this season.
We are excited to see what the 2016-2017 season has in store for our Gold Team athletes; we know they will do big things, and we are glad to be along for the ride.
If you are interested in supporting SVSEF Gold Team athletes, there is a fundraiser on August 16th whose proceeds benefit the Gold Team. For more information about the Golf for Gold Tournament, please visit the website at svsef.org or contact Jody Zarkos with questions (jody@svsef.org, 208-726-4129 ext. 102).
107 SVSEF Athletes Receive Academic Award
Managing a full-time athletic schedule while handling a rigorous academic curriculum is a delicate balancing act for SVSEF student-athletes. Fatigue from hard workouts, competition and travel can take its toll in the classroom. Being able to juggle the demands of school and athletics, often among those of other commitments and hobbies, is no easy task. However, the restrictions on time and energy often come with the benefit of keeping one focused, organized and able to prioritize.
This year, SVSEF is proud to recognize 107 student-athletes for their achievements in academia; the athletes listed below have “earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or greater while training and competing with the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation,” according to SVSEF Academic Director Matt Leidecker. Cumulative GPA implies that the record keeping begins when the athlete enters ninth grade, and the award only recognizes the 9-12 grade levels.
Academic Award Recipients:
Alpine: Madison Ferris, Lily Fitzgerald, Bennett Snyder, Cooper Dart, Ruby Marden, Elizabeth Vanderkloot, Libby Lindstrom, Lucy More, Hayden Terjeson, Charlie Stumph, Ella Viesturs, Skylar Cooley, Cailin Chandler, Will Snyder, Nikolette Sabiers, Molly Milgard, Lauren Ashley Helm, Walter Lafky, Ian Hanna, Charlie Lamb, Keegan Webber, John Blackburn, Erin Smith, Katelyn Rathfon, Matt O’Connor, Wyatt Minor, Max Noddings, Abby Norton, Jake Blackburn, Sage Rheinschild, Lukas DeWolfe, Hunter Kern, Grace Pepin, Carter Jendrezak, Griffin Curtis, Jay Fitzgerald, Kristian DeWolfe, Blake Deilke, Duncan Fuller, Libby Kaiser, Addy Jacobsen, Kaia Jensen, Ransom Bleyer, Wyatt Barth, Anastasie Echeverria, Jackson Swenke, Yuri McClure, Noah Leininger, Wyatt Smith
Freestyle/Freeskiing: Eliza Marks, Hunter Diehl, Alex LaFleur, Henry Cherp, Blake Harmon, Addison Rafford, Wilson Dunn, Andrew Wharton Bickley, Tobias Verheijen, Evathea Drougas, Devon Brown, Trey Potter, Benjamin Anderson, Enrique Dolores, Alvaro Jiraldo, Katherine Markthaler, Luke Rizzo, Parker Nance, Hanna Blackwell, Brody Buchwalter, Lieder Schwartz, Rainey Wilson, Sarah Kope
Snowboarding: Elk Spencer, Cora Kaiser, Landon Moore, Payton Bacca, Aidan Green, Phebe Ericksen
Nordic: Isabella Bourret, Sophia Mazzoni, Kiran Merchant, Keene Morawitz, Joe Hall, Annika Landis, Katherine Estep, Max Tanous, Henry Raff, Emily Siegel, Peter Wolter, Naia Drougas, Ella Wolter, Max Polito, Ellie Polk, Leo Lukens, Luke Brecheen, Ben Brunelle, Lily Brunelle, Jenna Nurge, Landon Nurge, Sarah Truxal, Danny Graves, Dane Thompson, Carter Ros, Jacob Truxal, Ellie Gorham, Cooper Roquet, Loni Unser, River Vorse, Lexi Day, Michaela Petty, Eve Jensen
Accolades Abound for SVSEF Athletes
Freeskiers invited to Project Gold Camp
Six SVSEF athletes have been invited to the 2016 Project Gold Camp, which runs May 1-8 at Mammoth Mountain. Participants will have access to a phenomenal coaching staff, a 22-foot pipe cut off with air bags, two to three jumps, and assorted rails. Athletes were chosen based on performances at the Revolution Tour, USASA Nationals and Junior Nationals – others were selected based on discretion.
The SVSEF athletes who have been invited to attend are Alvaro Jiraldo, Hanna Blackwell, Jed Waters, Ridge Dirksmeier, Harper Mallett, and SVSEF Gold Team and U.S. Rookie Halfpipe Team Member Jacob Beebe.
Alvaro Jiraldo is one of six SVSEF athletes invited to attend the 2016 Project Gold Camp
Program Director Andy Ware noted, “This is the most athletes ever invited from our team. Our athletes and their coaches have had an outstanding season together and to receive this type of recognition from the ‘higher ups’ of the U.S. Freeskiing Team speaks to the level of effort they have given this season.”
FIS Team finishes season at Mt. Bachelor
The FIS Alpine team spent the past week at Mt. Bachelor, Oregon, for their final races of the season. Athletes competed in two super G events, followed by one downhill event. A second downhill race scheduled for April 18 was cancelled.
On April 13, the first day of racing, Yuri McClure finished 12th in the men’s super G. Spencer Wright was 25th and Will Snyder was 29th. John Blackburn finished 36th, Hayden Terjeson 40th, Noah Leininger 49th and Wyatt Smith 50th. In the women’s event, Haley Cutler was a big contender, ending up in second place behind Kathryn Parker, an Australian racer. Erin Smith narrowly missed the podium, landing in fourth place. Skylar Cooley was eighth and Ruby Marden 17th.
Another super G event followed on April 15. Will Snyder finished fifth, Griffin Curtis 13th and John Blackburn 28th. Hayden Terjeson was 31st, Spencer Wright was 42nd, Noah Leininger 48th, Charlie Lamb tied for 50th, and Wyatt Smith was 60th. Haley Cutler again finished second in the women’s event. Skylar Cooley was fifth, Ruby Marden eighth, Erin Smith 11th and Sage Rheinschild 26th.
In the men’s downhill on April 17, the top SVSEF men’s skiers were Will Snyder and Spencer Wright, who were 24th and 26th, respectively. Hayden Terjeson finished 33rd, Griffin Curtis 41st, John Blackburn 44th, Noah Leininger 53rd and Charlie Lamb 54th. Haley Cutler bested her previous second place finishes, clinching first place in the women’s downhill event. Erin Smith was sixth, Ruby Marden 10th and Sage Rheinschild 11th.
Full results:
http://data.fis-ski.com/alpine-skiing/results.html
End-of-season awards celebrate SVSEF athletes
Snowboarding:
Devo team
Love of Snowboarding: Callie Allen
Superstar teammate: Sophie Smith, Cash Landrum- Duval, Slader Landrum-Duval, Kiki Pate
Progression Beta/Alpha Team
Most Improved: Caleb and Madison Hothem
Most Inspirational: Zoe Bacca
Travel Beta/Alpha Team
Standout season: Payton Bacca, Aidan Green
Most Improved: Landon Moore
Most Inspirational: Phebe Ericksen
Freestyle and Freeskiing:
The freestyle and freeskiing “standout season” awards are given to the athletes who have made the most of every training session, understanding that their ability to improve depends on their attitude, their willingness, their focus and their effort.
Freestyle Comp Home Team: Erik Babcock, Samantha Smith
Freeskiing Comp Home Team: Charlie Price
Freeskiing Travel Teams: Ridge Dirksmeier, Jed Waters, Hanna Blackwell
Freestyle Travel Teams: Luke Rizzo, Esmee Verhiejen
Most Inspirational: Luke Rizzo
Ron Von Hagen- Defining Success Award: Luke Rizzo & Hanna Blackwell
Nordic:
Prep Team
Outstanding skier: Cash Dart, Logan Smith
Most improved: Jackson Bevers, Kate Horowitz
Coaches’ award: Sebi Radl-Jones, Anja Jensen
Most inspirational: Aidan Birchmore, Logan Smith
Comp Team
Most Improved: Henry Raff, Emily Siegel
Rookie of the Year: Johnny Hagenbuch, Sophia Mazzoni
Outstanding Skier: Peter Wolter, Annika Landis
Coaches’ award: Loni Unser
Most Inspirational (voted on by teammates): Annika Landis, Peter Wolter
Engl Award: Annika Landis, Eli Jensen
Torin Norton Tucker Scholarship: Keene Morawitz
Alpine
Longevity Award (given to skiers who started on Devo Team and progress all the way through the program, presented by Doran Key): Jay Fitzgerald, Kristian DeWolfe, Griffin Curtis, Will Snyder
Longevity Award for the Hailey Ski Team (presented by former Hailey Ski Team coach Nate Schwing): Yuri McClure
Coaches’ Award
FIS: Hayden Terjeson, Skylar Cooley
USSA: Max Noddings, Grace Pepin
IMD: Ethan Marx, Sage Curtis
Most Improved
FIS: John Blackburn, Katelyn Rathfon
USSA: Carter Jendrezak, Kaia Jensen
IMD: Will Penrose, Julia Ott
Most Inspirational
FIS: Yuri McClure, Skylar Cooley
USSA: Lukas DeWolfe, Nikki Sabiers
IMD: Ryder Sarchett, Anwhei Kirk
Engl Award
FIS: Will Snyder, Erin Smith
IMD: Ryder Sarchett, Falon Hanna
Odmark Award
FIS: Yuri McClure, Ruby Marden
IMD: Charlie Snyder, Lola Street
Mountain Kidd Award (given to an athlete who embraces and epitomizes the mountain culture and lifestyle): Kristian DeWolfe
Howard Dean Scholarship (covers next year’s tuition, presented by Peggy Dean): Sage Holter
Post-Season Pride: SVSEF Athletes Mine Gold at Copper Mountain
Zoe Bacca secures a win at USASA Nationals
Fifteen riders from the SVSEF Snowboard Team qualified for USASA Nationals; nine of them traveled to Copper Mountain, Colorado, to represent the program at the event. SVSEF stacked up a number of top-10 finishes. Phebe Eriksen finished eighth in the halfpipe, Caleb Hothem was ninth in the halfpipe. Aiden Green was sixth in the halfpipe and Landon Moore seventh. Payton Bacca rode well in both the halfpipe and boardercross, earning fourth in the pipe and fifth in boardercross.
Zoe Bacca owned the day, winning the national championship in the boardercross event in the Breaker Girls (12-13) class. The athlete won all four of her heats along with the final. The field consisted of 36 competitors from across the country; athletes from as far east as Maine and as far west as Washington convened to tackle the course for the final major competition of the year. Bacca blew the competition away, beating out Vermont’s Ty Schnorrbusch and Massachusetts’ Morgan Dardia.
"With a young team and strong finishes across the board, the SVSEF Snowboard Team looks to be in a good position heading into next season," commented Snowboard Progression Beta Team Coach Andy Gilbert.
Zoe Bacca reacts after crossing the boardercross finish line in first
Top SVSEF finishes:
Payton Bacca- Fifth, Youth Women (14-15), boardercross
Zoe Bacca- First, Breaker Girls (12-13), boardercross
Channing Curci- 21st, Breaker Girls (12-13), halfpipe
Phebe Ericksen- Eighth, Youth Women (14-15), slopestyle
Aidan Green- Sixth, Youth Men (14-15), halfpipe
Maddie Hothem-14th, Menehune Girls (10-11), boardercross
Landon Moore- Seventh, Junior Men (16-17), halfpipe
Full results:
http://www.rockymountainseries.com/mobileusasa/2016%20Snowboard%20Results/
Hanna Blackwell takes the USASA National Championship title in halfpipe
USASA National Championships are currently underway at Copper Mountain, Colorado. SVSEF freeskier Hanna Blackwell took the win in the halfpipe for the Skier Women (13-15) category. Her teammates Ridge Dirksmeier and Joey Markthaler were third and fifth in the Skier Boys (10-12) category in the halfpipe, and Dylan Mills was 10th in the same category. Will Griffith impressed and finished in ninth in the Skier Men (13-15) group in halfpipe. Competition at Copper continues through tomorrow.
Results:
Joey Markthaler- 11th, Skier Boys (10-12), slopestyle
Ridge Dirksmeier- Third, Skier Boys (10-12), halfpipe
Joey Markthaler- Fifth, Skier Boys (10-12), halfpipe
Harper Mallett- Eighth, Skier Boys (10-12), halfpipe
Dylan Mills- 10th, Skier Boys (10-12), halfpipe
Luke Higgins- 26th, Skier Boys (10-12), halfpipe
Will Griffith- Ninth, Skier Men (13-15), halfpipe
Jedson Waters- 12th, Skier Men (13-15), halfpipe
Full results:
http://www.rockymountainseries.com/mobileusasa/2016%20Skier%20Results/
Hanna Blackwell tops the podium
USSA Alpine finishes season at Snowbird
SVSEF alpine racers headed to Snowbird in Utah, where they competed in the Snow Cup April 6-10. Athletes raced super G, giant slalom and slalom throughout the week. This race series marked the end of the 2015-16 season, and the Bryce Astle IMD Intermountain Cup Awards were given at the end of the week; these were awarded to athletes based on overall results throughout the season. SVSEF skiers made their mark, with Lily Fitzgerald winning the IMD cup overall for women. Bennett Snyder was on the podium for the overall season. In slalom he was third, and he won the giant slalom overall title for the season; teammate Charlie Stumph was second in giant slalom. Lily was second in giant slalom for the overall season, and first in super G. Alli Rathfon was second overall for the super G season standings.
The team at Snowbird
Thirty SVSEF skiers raced in the actual race series. Standout performances came from Madison Ferris, who was second in the first super G race; Lily Fitzgerald was second in the second super G, and teammate Alli Rathfon skied to third. Bennett Snyder was fourth in the men’s second slalom event.
“It was a good weekend, with lots of kids scoring their career best point results for USSA; close to half the team accomplished this feat,” reflected USSA Head Coach Will Brandenburg. “To cap off the season, we went to a Real Salt Lake game – it was great to go as a team. This was a really amazing season – if there was a team overall award for the season, these athletes surely would’ve won the team IMD cup.”
Off-season training ramps up mid-May for the SVSEF athletes.
Full results:
http://www.ussa-imd.org/alpine/races15/U14.php
FIS at Mt. Bachelor
Competition starts today for SVSEF FIS skiers, who are at Mt. Bachelor, Oregon, for the Spring Speed series. Athletes will race super G and downhill for their final events of the season.
Team banquets
With the end of the season come the awards banquets:
Snowboarding: Tuesday, April 12, 6-8pm, Whiskey Jacques
Freestyle/freeskiing, comp home and above: Monday, April 18, 6-8pm, Whiskey Jacques
Alpine: Tuesday, April 19, 6-8pm, Whiskey Jacques
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
- Max Meucci
- Jesse Keefe
- Eric Parris
- Zephyr Carruth
- Sacha Stern-Pre
- Luca Broussard
- Paxton Sammis
- Thomas DeKlotz
- Holden Archie
- Owen Walker
- Bodin Lee
- Abel Marx
- TJ Campbell
- Calder Baty
- Alec Wiedemann
- Rylan Mann
Girls
- Lena Nelson
- Maya Lightner
- Lowie Watkins
- Chloe Vogel
- Natalie Gowe
- Caroline Dean
- Charlotte Davis-Jeffers
- Ripley Scales
- Kendall Felker
- Maeve Bailey
- Taylor Hovey
- Ava Agnew
- Scarlet Rixon