Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation Names New Executive Director and Alpine Program Director
April 20, 2018
Ketchum, Idaho (April 20, 2018) – The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) announced a change in leadership today, naming current SVSEF Alpine Program Director Scott McGrew Executive Director. McGrew succeeds longtime SVSEF proponent and current Executive Director Sam Adicoff, who has tendered his resignation, effective June 30. Involved with SVSEF in multiple capacities since his move to Ketchum 18 years ago, Adicoff will continue to support the organization on a volunteer basis, and will help ensure a smooth transition.
Sam Adicoff has been involved with SVSEF since his family relocated to the Wood River Valley from California in 2000. His three children participated in SVSEF programming, and Adicoff joined the Board of Directors in July 2011. He served as Treasurer and Board Chair, stepping down from board duties in 2016 to become Interim Executive Director in May. In January 2017, the Board appointed Adicoff to the position of Executive Director. In this leadership role, Adicoff’s dedication to the organization, success in increasing communications with parents, staff and the community and implementation of various process improvements have continued to serve the organization and its 678 athletes.
“I have enjoyed working with the athletes, parents, Board of Directors, and especially our very dedicated staff, who are the real heroes of the organization,” said Adicoff. “I am ecstatic that the Board has selected Scotty to succeed me. He brings an extremely strong work ethic, organization knowledge and incredible passion to the position. I am confident he will be successful leading SVSEF for many years to come.”
“Sam has been an integral part of SVSEF for many years, and provided strong leadership and countless contributions, originally as the Board Chair and then as Executive Director,” said Jim DeWolfe, current Board Chair. “Sam’s tireless commitment has served to deepen our strategic relationships throughout the Valley and comprehensively organize the financial structure, and has provided keen oversight for administrative and programming initiatives. Sam will be missed on a day-to-day basis, however he will provide important guidance as Scotty takes the reins, and will remain a valuable advisor to the Foundation.”
In a meeting on Thursday, April 19, the SVSEF Board of Directors appointed Scott McGrew, who has extensive ties to the organization, to the position of Executive Director.
“Scotty brings a level of passion and commitment to SVSEF that is unparalleled,” remarked Board Chair Jim DeWolfe. “He is highly regarded throughout the Wood River
Valley, and will provide strong leadership for years to come as we strive to improve the Foundation’s programming from grassroots initiatives to the most elite competitive levels.”
“I’m honored to be selected as the SVSEF’s executive director,” said McGrew. “For the past 15 years that I’ve been professionally involved with the organization, I’ve seen a magnificent amount of evolution and change. I’m excited to steward that continued evolution as we work to provide impactful and transformative experiences for our community. SVSEF has a long-standing heritage of excellence through sport, and I’m excited to build on that heritage and further define SVSEF as one of the highest regarded winter sports clubs in the country. Thank you to Sam Adicoff and all the previous EDs and coaches who have built an amazing launch point for the future of the club. “
McGrew has been involved with SVSEF since its early days. He was a member of the alpine program from the age of eight until he graduated high school, gaining important perspective that would prove invaluable when he returned years later. McGrew attended the University of New Mexico, where he earned two B.S. degrees in biochemistry and cultural anthropology. He later pursued a graduate degree, earning a Master of Business Administration from Boise State University in October 2016. Seven years after the close of his career as an athlete with SVSEF, McGrew rejoined the organization in a new capacity – as a coach. McGrew quickly moved up through the ranks, serving first as an assistant FIS coach and then as a head coach. He assumed the role of Assistant Alpine Program Director, and most recently Alpine Program Director, a title he has held since 2014. McGrew oversees the largest SVSEF program; with over 300 alpine athletes and 45 coaches, there are a lot of moving parts. McGrew has worked to grow South Valley initiatives, implemented numerous programmatic changes resulting in accelerated growth and professionalism of the team and generated and nurtured support for the organization as a whole. McGrew’s professionalism, depth of knowledge and enthusiasm and passion for SVSEF and the heritage of this community are qualities that will lend themselves to his new role as Executive Director.
McGrew lives in Hailey, Idaho, with his wife, Sirimukh, and their three children.
With the appointment of McGrew to Executive Director, SVSEF is pleased to welcome Will Brandenburg back to the organization as Alpine Program Director. Brandenburg will step into the position with a broad range of relevant industry experience. Hailing from Walla Walla, Washington, Brandenburg grew up racing with the Spokane Ski Racing Association and Schweitzer Mountain before being named to the U.S. Development Team in 2006. He was a member of the U.S. National Team for the 2010 Winter Olympics, with a top finish of 10th place in the super combined. Brandenburg has experience on the World Cup circuit as well, with a best finish of sixth in the slalom at Kranjska Gora in 2012. In 2013, he finished first in the combined at U.S. Alpine Championships. Shifting to a career in coaching, Brandenburg joined SVSEF in 2015 as the USSA Team Head Coach, and was most recently the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Western Region Coach from 2017-2018.
“SVSEF is extremely excited to have Will Brandenburg return to and lead the alpine program,” said SVSEF Athletic Director Phil McNichol. “His experience as a World Cup and Olympic athlete, combined with his coaching success both at SVSEF and the Western Region is a powerful combination.”
In other personnel changes, SVSEF Athletic Director and Interim Mogul Program Director Phil McNichol will be moving onto new opportunities, and has tendered his resignation, effective June 30. With organizational restructuring, the Athletic Director position will be eliminated. McNichol joined SVSEF in 2014 as Alpine Technical Director. In his expanded role as Athletic Director, which he assumed at the start of the 2016-2017 season, he oversaw all athletic programs and helped guide the growth of the organization, tackling initiatives pertaining to coaches, travel and programmatic strategy and objectives. Before SVSEF, McNichol led the U.S. Men’s Alpine Team for 11 years.
Also leaving the organization at the end of June is Jody Zarkos, who currently serves as Director of Events and Community Relations. Zarkos joined SVSEF in 2011, and has held numerous roles for the organization throughout her tenure. Her work in fundraising efforts has contributed to the continued success of SVSEF programs, and has helped make possible the subsidization of team costs for all participating athletes.
About SVSEF
52 years strong, the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) provides year-round ski and snowboard training and competitive opportunities for 20% of Wood River Valley youth in Ketchum, Idaho. The driving philosophy behind SVSEF is to create a positive, fun and productive environment that inspires each one of our athletes to meet his or her fullest potential. Team members acquire the tools for success, not only in their winter sport, but also in the pursuit of their ultimate goals and dreams. In the 2017-2018 season, SVSEF supported 678 student-athletes across alpine, big mountain, cross country, mogul, freeskiing and snowboarding teams. SVSEF has achieved numerous accolades; the organization was named USSA Club of the Year in 1999, was given USOC Olympic & Paralympic Training Site designation, first in cross country in 2012 and then in all disciplines in 2015, and was upgraded from silver to gold USSA club status in 2017.
Contact Us
If you have questions, please contact the SVSEF office at 208.726.4129, or jseyferth@svsef.org.
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Registration Open for SVSEF Air Barn Action Camps
Sign up now through your online account!
If you have questions, please contact the office at 208.726.4129, or Tyler Conway at 970.409.9617 / tconway@svsef.org.
Week in Review: April 10
PARK & PIPE
USASA Nationals, Snowboarding (April 5)
On the fifth and final day of USASA Nationals for Snowboarding, Nico Lerner finished eighth in boardercross. Nico put together a great week of riding, finishing near the top of his field in every discipline (halfpipe-5, slopestyle-4, giant slalom-2, slalom-2, boardercross-8). He really stepped up to the challenge that comes with competing on a grander stage that normal, winning the Grommet age class overall title at USASA Nationals. The coaching staff is extremely proud of how hard Nico has worked all season to get to this point; he came to Nationals prepared and rode with composure and passion, and the results showed. In the halfpipe on day five, Jack Verhaeghe finished ninth for breaker (12-13) boys, Sebastian Lerner was 11th for menehune (10-11) boys and Caleb Hothem was 16th in the same age class. Jack was ninth overall based on all results throughout the week for his age group. (View results from days one through four here).
FULL RESULTS
USASA Nationals, Freeskiing
USASA Nationals continued with freekiing. Walker Woodring and Barrett Beyer went one and two for ruggies (7 and under) in slopestyle. In the freeski open slopestyle, Will Griffith was 25th and Ryan Dobi 35th. In the halfpipe, Ridge Dirksmeier took the win for freeski youth (14-15), and Joey Markthaler was second. For freeski menehune (10-11), Ben Fethke walked away win the win, and Zeppelin Pilaro and Easton Turck were 40th and 43rd. In the rail jam event, Will Griffith finished fifth for the open class, and Ryan Dobi was 16th. Barrett Beyer came in 12th for the ruggies (7 and under) rail jam. Ben Fethke and Easton Turck both competed in slopestyle for menehune boys on Tuesday (results forthcoming).
There is one more day left, with SVSEF athletes competing in slopestyle and halfpipe.
FULL RESULTS
ALPINE
Western Region Spring Series, Mammoth
Fresh off of Junior Championships, FIS athletes jetted to Mammoth for Western Region Spring Series. (Click here for a review of days one through three).
On the final day of racing, Lily Fitzgerald again led the girls, coming in fifth in the giant slalom. Alli Rathfon was ninth, Maddie Ferris was 11th, Erin Smith 12th, Skylar Cooley 24th and Elizabeth Vanderkloot 26th. For the men’s giant slalom, Jack Smith had an impressive finish in third. Jake Blackburn finished fifth, Hayden Terjeson eighth, Max Noddings 12th, Spencer Wright 14th, and Noah Leininger 18th for a successful end to the series.
FULL RESULTS
U14 Spring Project
SVSEF skiers participated in the IMD U14 Spring Project at Grand Targhee. According to U.S. Ski and Snowboard, “the project is designed to focus on bringing the best IMD athletes and IMD coaches together to enhance their skill development and build friendships with fellow IMD athletes.” The top 15 athletes born in 2005 and top five born in 2006 per gender were invited to attend. Max Meucci, Cole Curci, Zephyr Carruth, Tommy Normand, Reece Walther-Porino, Asia Angel, Ruby Crist, Charlotte Davis-Jeffers and Natalie Gowe represented SVSEF.
Gary Black Jr. Memorial Race
SVSEF hosted the second annual Gary Black Jr. Memorial, formerly called the Hobson Memorial. The race is named of the late Gary Black Jr., who was a former SVSEF board member and a big supporter of the organization and of alpine skiing. The race was a dual giant slalom, with athletes taking two runs and ranked on their best run. Costumes were encouraged, and SVSEF skiers came out in full force – rainbows, unicorns, and Harry Potter could be spotted speeding down the course.
In the girls U8 category, the top three racers were Bianca Smith, Jasmine Smiley and Savannah Pringle. In the U10 category, Reese Kelley was first, Frances Goodyear second and Skye Pringle third. For U12s, Taylor Hovey finished on the top podium spot, followed by Ella Shaughnessy and Rowan Desler. Maya Lightner was first for U14s, Anabel Viesturs second and Goldie Kirk third.
Wyatt Limburg led U8 boys, with Declan O’Toole in second and Finn O’Donnell in third. Like his sister, Tommy Hovey won his age class (U10). Will Lamoureaux took silver and Charlie Reid bronze. Will Kogelmann won for U12s, followed by Paxton Sammis and twin brother Drew Kogelmann. In the U14 age class, Jesse Keefe took the win, followed by Bryce Kanowsky and James Wright.
The day ended with awards and a barbeque – thanks to the Ciminos for their generosity in letting us use their space.
FULL RESULTS
PHOTOS
Snow Cup/Last Chance
SVSEF opted to forgo the first slalom of the Snowbird Snow Cup, and competed in their first race on Sunday. Buey Grossman charged to third in the field of over 100 athletes. Max Moss was 32nd, Finn Mallinen 38th, Nils Galloway 40th, Carter Sammis 48th, Shaw McCoubrey 68th, Ethan Marx 71st, Taylor Rixon 79th, Nico Gaggero 81st and Robbie Cullen 82nd.
For women, Merumo Ishimaru was the top finisher for the day, both for SVSEF and overall. She had a combined time of 1:36.50. Sage Curtis finished 19th, Emma MacGuffife 26th, Carly Walther-Porino 33rd, Falon Hanna 37th, Anhwei Kirk 38th, Hannah Ferris 42nd, Agnes Kind 47th and Tatum Minor 74th.
FULL RESULTS
Week in Review: April 4
PARK & PIPE
SVSEF’s Payton Bacca made a stop at Ski Cooper for the Hole Shot Rev Tour before heading to Copper for USASA Nationals. In the snowboardcross events on March 28 and 29, she finished 24th and 25th overall.
Full results
USASA Nationals
The culmination of the snowboard and freeski seasons comes in the form of USASA Nationals, held this year at Copper in Colorado. The snowboard events began March 31, and wrap up April 6. Skiing picks up, and events run April 7-11. SVSEF has nine snowboard and nine freeski athletes competing.
In the boardercross on April 1, Payton Bacca finished 21st in the women’s open class of 31 athletes. In the halfpipe on the same day, Nico Lerner took fifth for snowboard grommet (8-9) boys. Julian Gluck was ninth overall in a large field of 60 competitors in the snowboard junior (16-17) men’s slopestyle. Jack Verhaeghe also had a strong result in the breaker (12-13) boys giant slalom, finishing 19th in a field of 59 athletes.
SVSEF athletes competed in halfpipe, slopestyle and slalom events on April 2. Madison Hothem was 11th for snowboard breaker (12-13) girls in the halfpipe, and Channing Curci was 12th for snowboard youth (14-15). Nico Lerner was fourth for grommet (8-9) boys for slopestyle, and Jack Verhaeghe was 14th for breaker (12-13) boys in the slalom.
In April 3 events, Nico Lerner led the way for SVSEF, landing on the podium in second place for snowboard grommet (8-9) boys in the giant slalom. Madison Hothem came in 21st for breaker girls in slopestyle, Channing Curci finished 14th for youth (14-15) girls, Jack Verhaeghe was 12th for snowboard breaker boys in boardercross and Caleb Hothem had a great day, finishing sixth in a field of 70 competitors for snowboard menehune (10-11) boys in boardercross.
On April fourth, Nico Lerner again took silver, this time in the grommet (8-9) boys slalom. Jack Verhaeghe was 17th out of 92 12-13 year old boys in slopestyle, Sebastian Lerner was 24th out of 75 10-11 year old boys in the same discipline, and teammate Caleb Hothem was 32nd in the same 10-11 age group. Madison Hothem had a solid result, coming in eighth in the breaker (12-13) girls boardercross. Zoe Bacca did as well, riding to fifth for snowboard youth (14-15) girls in boardercross, and Channing Curci was 31st.
Full results
ALPINE
Alpine Junior Championships
SVSEF FIS skier Alli Rathfon had a great first day at Alpine Junior Championships, finishing eighth in the nation in the super G. Read the full recap of three days of racing and festivities, hosted by SVSEF, here.
Full results
Western Region Spring Series
Fresh off of Junior Championships, FIS athletes jetted to Mammoth for Western Region Spring Series. Lily Fitzgerald started the series off right, stepping onto the slalom podium in third behind AJ Hurt and Keely Cashman. Erin Smith had a good race, as well, finishing seventh, and Madison Ferris was 13th. Bennett Snyder (4th), John Blackburn (5th) and Spencer Wright (7th) all made the men’s top 10 in the slalom. Hayden Terjeson was 14th, Max Noddings 18th and Jake Blackburn 21st.
In the second slalom, Lily Fitzgerald and Erin Smith went eight and 10, Skylar Cooley was 14th, and Elizabeth Vanderkloot 23rd. SVSEF went 5-6-7 with Spencer Wright in fifth, Bennett Snyder sixth and Hayden Terjeson seventh. Jake Blackburn was 10th, making the count four out of the top 10 skiers.
In the April 4th giant slalom, Lily Fitzgerald was just out of medal contention in fourth. Alli Rathfon skied to eighth, Erin Smith to ninth, Madison Ferris to 12th and Skylar Cooley to 24th. For men, John Blackburn podiumed in second and Jack Smith was fourth. Hayden Terjeson finished eighth, Jake Blackburn 14th, Bennett Snyder 16th, Max Noddings 23rd and Spencer Wright 40th.
U16 National Championships
Competition for U16 Nationals opened up with the super G at Mission Ridge. Ryder Sarchett led SVSEF men in 19th, followed by Charlier Snyder in 20th, Finn Mallinen in 29th, Ridley Lindstrom in 37th and Buey Grossman in 40th.
Ryder Sarchett dominated the next two days, winning both the giant slalom and the slalom. Buey Grossman was 10th in the giant slalom, Ridley Lindstrom 23rd and Charlie Snyder 28th. SVSEF put three men in the top 10 in the slalom the next day, with Ryder in first, Buey Grossman skiing to fifth and Ridley Lindstrom to eighth. Charlie Snyder was 17th in the same race.
In the dual slalom, the final event, Ridley Lindstrom placed 28th, Buey Grossman 30th, Ryder Sarchett 32nd, Charlie Snyder 34th and Finn Mallinen 46th.
For women, Marit Kaiser tied for 38th in the super G, finished 29th in the slalom, 19th in the giant slalom and 40th in the dual slalom.
Week in Review: March 20
CROSS COUNTRY
Alumni
Alum Jake Adicoff took silver in the men's VI 10km classic on Saturday in Pyeongchang. Jake, who was disqualified in the sprint earlier in the week post-event, stayed positive, stayed focused, and put together a great race to end the individual portion of his Paralympic competition. He was guided by Sawyer Kesselheim, who works at Galena Lodge. In the 4x2.5 km mixed relay on Sunday, Jake anchored a team that included Kendall Gretsch (sit skier, skied two legs) and Ruslan Reiter (standing) to seventh place.
PARK & PIPE
Payton and Zoe Bacca
Payton Bacca, a member of the snowboard team, has been traveling the U.S. to get more high-level competition under her belt. She recently competed in two NorAm Cup snowboardcross events at Sugarloaf, Maine, and one RevTour snowboardcross event. The fields hosted athletes from U.S., Canadian, Australian and Romanian national teams. Payton had a successful week, finding the podium in third at the RevTour SBX. In the NorAm events, she qualified and made finals both days, with 13th and 15th place finishes. Currently, Payton is the third ranked 2001 athlete in the U.S., and the #12 ranked 2001 athlete in the world on the March FIS list.
Both Payton and her younger sister Zoe competed at the Toyota Super Girl Snow Pro at Big Bear in Southern California this past weekend. The event is a professional-level snowboardcross and halfpipe showcase event, that also incorporates athletes at the developmental level. The SBX even was led this year by 10-time X Games gold medalist and four-time U.S. Olympian Lindsey Jacobellis. Zoe and Payton competed as pros, among names like Lindsey Jacobellis, Faye Gulini and Meghan Tierney. A slew of big guns were there for halfpipe, as well – from Hannah Teter to Kelly Clark, Torah Bright and Jamie Anderson.
The SBX pro event had 16 competitors (three who just came off of performances at the 2018 Olympics). Because there were no time trails as there usually are for events like World Cups and NorAms, places 9-16 were determined by how an athlete finished in her heat. Payton was third in her heat, meaning she tied for ninth place, and Zoe was fourth and tied for 13th.
| Nation | Age | Team | |||||
| 1 | Faye | Gulini | USA | 25 | US Snowboard Team | 2018 Olympics | |
| 2 | Lindsey | Jacobellis | USA | 32 | US Snowboard Team | 2018 Olympics | |
| 3 | Colleen | Healey | USA | 21 | USA / Team Healey | ||
| 4 | Isabella | Gomez | USA | 16 | Summit at Snoqualmie | ||
| 5 | Meghan | Tierney | USA | 21 | US Snowboard Team | 2018 Olympics | |
| 6 | Nellie | Steinhoff | USA | 23 | Auburn Ski Club, CA | ||
| 7 | Anna | Miller | USA | 21 | Team Reign-USA | ||
| 8 | Livi | Molodyh | USA | 18 | Mt. Bachelor- MBSEF | ||
| 9 | Payton | Bacca | USA | 16 | Sun Valley-SVSEF | ||
| 9 | Tamara | Cowley | AUS | 17 | Team Reign-Australia | ||
| 9 | Haili | Moyer | CAN | 22 | Ontario Ski Club | ||
| 9 | Alex | White | CAN | 17 | CAN /BC Provincal Team | ||
| 13 | Shannon | Maguire | USA | 19 | Park City SBX Team | ||
| 13 | Zoe | Bacca | USA | 14 | Sun Valley-SVSEF | ||
| 13 | Audry | Shieh | CAN | 18 | CAN /BC Provincal Team | ||
| 13 | Megan | Hebert | CAN | 25 | CAN /BC Provincal Team | ||
Travel
Will Griffith, who qualified for the Rev Tour, competed at Mammoth for the series in freeski big air and slopestyle. He had a great result in 12th in the big air competition, and finished 42nd in slopestyle.
RESULTS
IFSA Big Mountain
IFSA Big Mountain athletes were scattered throughout the West this week, with some at home, others at Whistler for a national level competition, and still others at Snowbird for another national event. Esmee Verheijen led the charge at Whistler for women, taking eighth, just in front of teammates Katie Markthaler and Addie Rafford in ninth and 12th in the 15-18 age class. Alex LaFleur threw down a solid run, placing sixth overall for 15-18 men. Hunter Diehl was 10th, Wilson Dunn 12th and Wyatt Minor 22nd. At Snowbird, Joe Goitiandia was 36th overall for 12-14 year old men. Axel Diehl finished 47th in the 15-18 category, and Molly Kucher finished 11th for 15-18 women. Paris Pratt received a TDQ (time disqualification).
WHISTLER RESULTS
SNOWBIRD RESULTS
ALPINE
FIS
NorAm finals, Kimberly, BC
Both Lily Fitzgerald and Alli Rathfon scored their first NorAm points at NorAm finals in Kimberly, BC – a huge accomplishment, as you have to be top 30 in the field, as well as within 8% of the winner. Lily scored points in both the super G (27th place) and the alpine combined (23rd), and Alli scored points in the second super G (28th).
“It was a great experience for both of them, being around high caliber athletes and getting to see how they work in this setting,” noted coach Brett Morris.
FIS
Western Region Junior Champs, Schweitzer
SVSEF FIS athletes competed in six events; two giant slalom, two super G and two slalom races, over the course of six days at Schweitzer. Two different SVSEF athletes found the podium, and a number made top ten throughout the week, speaking to the strength of this team. Spencer Wright was second in the men’s first super G, with teammates Jack Smith and Hayden Terjeson also breaking the top 10 in seventh and ninth. Jack took second in the same discipline the next day, with Spencer joining him in third. John Blackburn had a solid finish in sixth in the same event. John’s sibling Jake Blackburn had his best finish in the giant slalom, skiing to 22nd. Max Noddings also clocked his top result in the same race, finishing 19th. Ian Hanna’s top finish was in the super G in 77th, Bennett Snyder’s was in the super G in 12th, and Thomas Klose had a solid finish in the slalom in 23rd.
For women, Maddie Ferris had her top result in the giant slalom, in which she finished seventh overall. Cailin Chandler’s top posting was 41st in slalom.
Women’s GS 1
Maddie Ferris - 7, Cailin Chandler - 48
Men’s super G 1
Spence Wright - 2, Jack Smith - 7, Hayden Terjeson - 9, John Blackburn - 11, Max Noddings - 21, Bennett Snyder - 23, Jake Blackburn - 39, Thomas Klose - 56, Ian Hanna - 91
Women’s GS 2
Maddie - DNF, Cailin - DNF
Men’s super G 2
Jack - 2, Spencer - 3, John - 6, Hayden - 11, Bennett - 12, Max - 23, Jake - 49, Thomas - 58, Ian - 77
Men’s GS 1
John - 5, Spencer - 10, Jack - 15, Hayden - 16, Max - 22, Jake - 29, Bennett - 46, Thomas - 56, Ian - DNF
Women’s super G 1
Maddie - 16, Cailin - 48
Men’s GS 2
Jack - 10, Max - 19, Spencer - 20, Jake - 22, Bennett - 48, Thomas - DNF, Hayden - DNF, John - DNF, Ian - DNF
Women’s super G 2
Maddie- 31, Cailin - 48
Women’s slalom 1
Maddie- 19, Cailin -42
Men’s slalom 1
Spencer - 5, Hayden - 7, Thomas - 23, Jake -25, Max - 26, Bennett - 27, Will Snyder (alum, attends Williams College) - 32, John - DNF, Ian - DNF, Jack - DNF
Women’s slalom 2
Maddie - 20, Cailin - 41
Men’s slalom 2
Will Snyder (alum) - 3, Hayden -9, Max - 20, Bennett - 23, Spencer -35, Jack - DNF, John- DNF, Jake - DNF, Ian- DNF, Thomas -DNF
RESULTS
IMD
U14 Western Region Champs, Jackson
SVSEF IMD skiers had a great weekend at U14 Western Region Championships in Jackson, with Logan Lindstrom taking the women’s overall win. Athletes Jessica Blackburn, Saba Grossman, Logan Lindstrom, Paige DeHart, and Colin Hanna were all top six overall for the weekend, and have therefore qualified for the Whistler Cup in April. An international race series for U14s and first year U16s, this is a big deal and a great opportunity for these athletes. SVSEF had the most athletes of any club qualify. "After seeing athletes from Far West, PSNA, Alaska, and Northern compete, it is pretty clear that Sun Valley and the Intermountain Division are doing something very right in our development,” reflected IMD head coach James Tautkus. “For us, every day we ski at home may feel like just another day; however, our days are filled with better, stronger development opportunities than any of these other divisions, and it showed in our athletes’ skiing this weekend.” Highlights for the weekend came in the form of Colin Hanna’s second place finish in the super G and sixth place in the giant slalom. Nils Galloway had a great slalom race, making the top 10 in seventh. In the women’s super G, SVSEF put four athletes in the top 10 – Jessica Blackburn was second, Saba Grossman third, Paige DeHart sixth and Logan Lindstrom seventh. Jessica was again second in the giant slalom, and Paige joined her on the podium in third. Logan Lindstrom was close behind in sixth, and skied to first the next day in the slalom. She was the overall women’s winner for the weekend, with strong, consistent performances (seventh in super G, sixth in giant slalom, first in slalom). Saba was second in the slalom, Hannah Ferris posted a great result in ninth, and Agnes Kind stepped it up and into 16th on the day. The women and men as a whole stayed consistently and collectively in the top half of the field throughout the weekend, speaking to the strong grouping this team possesses.
Men’s super G
Colin Hanna -2, Nils Galloway - 10, Carter Sammis - DNF
Women’s super G
Jessica Blackburn - 2, Saba Grossman - 3, Paige DeHart - 6, Logan Lindstrom - 7, Hannah Ferris - 11, Maya Lightner - 13, Agnes Kind - 28
Men’s GS
Colin Hanna - 6, Nils Galloway - 14, Carter Sammis - DNF
Women’s GS
Jessica Blackburn - 2, Paige DeHart - 3, Logan Lindstrom - 6, Saba Grossman - 11, Hannah Ferris - 23, Agnes Kind - 29, Maya Lightner - DNF
Men’s slalom
Nils Galloway - 7, Carter Sammis - DNF, Colin Hanna - DNF
Women’s slalom
Logan Lindstrom - 1, Saba Grossman - 2, Hannah Ferris - 9, Agnes Kind - 16, Paige DeHart - 29, Maya Lightner - DQ, Jessica Blackburn - DNF
RESULTS
North Series
IMD Champs, Grand Targhee
The North Series team traveled to Grand Targhee for IMD Championships. Max Meucci cranked out a win in the slalom, and Tucker Smith finished third in the giant slalom. Will Kogelmann joined Max and Tucker (seventh) in the top 10 in the slalom, skiing to ninth overall. Owen Walker and Will had good results in the giant slalom, as well, going 14-15. Natalie Gowe stepped onto the podium for girls, finishing third in the slalom, and teammate Ruby Crist clocked a fast time, coming in fifth. The athletes put it all on the line for the Championships; Norah Davis-Jeffers finished 17th in the slalom, Eden Grace Gardner 20th, and Ava Agnew 29th. Hanna Bailey (41st), Madda Mourier-Floyd (43rd), Rowan Desler (46th), Scarlet Rixon (48th), Simone Tumolo (50th) and Scarlet Pringle (62nd) all had their best results in the slalom, as well. Scarlett Carruth and Josie Sarchett both had their top races in the giant slalom event, skiing to 39th and 54th, respectively. Paxton Sammis skied fast in the slalom, coming in 22nd. Other SVSEF athletes who had their top result in the slalom were Sascha Stern-Pre, finishing 28th, Abel Marx (39th) and Drew Kogelmann (62nd). Tommy Hovey posted his best, 58th, in the giant slalom.
In duals, Tucker and Will qualified for the final round of eight; Will finished fourth and Tucker was eliminated in the first round.
Men’s giant slalom
Tucker Smith - 3, Owen Walker -14, Will Kogelmann -15, Paxton Sammis - 28, Abel Marx- 42, Sacha Stern-Pre - 45, Tommy Hovey - 58, Max Meucci - DNF, Jensen Pierre - DQ, Drew Kogelmann - DQ
Women’s giant slalom
Natalie Gowe - 10, Ruby Crist - 13, Eden Grace Gardner - 27, Scarlett Carruth - 39, Rowan Desler - 48, Madda Mourier-Floyd - 50, Ava Agnew - 52, Josie Sarchett - 54, Scarlet Rixon - 60
Simone Tumolo - 61, Hanna Bailey - 64, Norah Davis-Jeffers - 70, Scarlet Pringle - 77, Taylor Hovey - DQ
Men’s slalom
Max Meucci - 1, Tucker Smith - 7, Will Kogelmann - 9, Paxton Sammis - 22, Sacha Stern-Pre -28, Abel Marx - 39, Drew Kogelmann - 62, Tommy Hovey - 76, Jensen Pierre - DNF, Owen Walker - DQ
Women’s slalom
Natalie Gowe - 3, Ruby Crist - 5, Norah Davis-Jeffers - 17, Eden Grace Gardner - 20, Ava Agnew - 29, Hanna Bailey 41, Madda Mourier-Floyd - 43, Rowan Desler - 46, Scarlet Rixon - 48, Simone Tumolo - 50, Scarlet Pringle - 62, Taylor Hovey - DNF, Scarlett Carruth - DQ, Josie Sarchett - DQ
RESULTS
Alumni Spotlight: Graham Watanabe
Graham Watanabe, 35, grew up riding as a member of the SVSEF snowboard program. He excelled at the sport, and became the first American to win a Snowboardcross World Cup in Valle Nevado, Chile. Between 2004 and 2010, Graham garnered 17 top-10 World Cup finishes, and his talents led him to competition in Snowboardcross at the 2006 and 2010 Winter Games. Now based out of Salt Lake City, Graham is in his second season as head coach of the U.S. Adaptive Snowboard Team, and is leading the charge in Pyeongchang as head coach of the Paralympic Snowboard Team.
A rundown of the team:
Just as with the able-bodied side, there is a National Team and separately named Games team. The entirety of the National Team qualified for the Paralympic Games, as well as three non-National Team athletes.
We compete in two disciplines: Snowboardcross and Banked Slalom. Snowboardcross is a head-to-head race(in contrast to able-body 4-across or 6-across), and Banked Slalom is a best-of-three run format against the clock.
Graham's path to head coach:
After my time competing, I dabbled in sports announcing, working for NBC and ESPN, calling able-bodied Snowboardcross races. I also did contract coaching for a couple domestic programs in the Intermountain region and one season with the Australian World Cup team. While in Aspen for X-Games, I was able to take some laps with some of the adaptive snowboarders who were competing at that X-Games in Snowboardcross. Having watched them in Sochi, I knew there was potential for them to dominate the sport for years to come, and after taking some runs, I thought to myself, "If I were to continue coaching, that would be the program I'd like to work with." Fast forward to the following fall, and I got a call from the USOC asking if I would be interested.
Without getting into the boring details, that's pretty much all there was to it! Since then, the program has grown from six athletes to 12 on the roster, we have multiple World Championship and World Cup Overall titles, and we're looking at a lot of potential in PyeongChang!
What he’s looking forward to at the Games:
What I'm looking forward to most is experiencing the Games from one more perspective. I foreran for the 2002 Olympics in Snowboard Parallel GS in Salt Lake City, competed last-minute as an alternate in the 2006 Games in Snowboardcross (Torino), made the Olympic team in Snowboardcross again in 2010 (Vancouver), went as a spectator to the 2014 Olympics in Sochi to watch my wife (Heather McPhie) compete in moguls, and now I'll get to go as a coach!
Week in Review: March 6
ALPINE
IMD
The SVSEF IMD Alpine Team rounded out the qualifying season with the David Wright Memorial in Park City. Highlights of the weekend included an overall victory for Jessica Blackburn after taking her first win for the season, as well as two more podium spots. SVSEF women swept Friday’s giant slalom podium, along with Sunday’s slalom. Sunday’s success extended beyond the podium; SVSEF took seven of the top 10 spots.
“This was our third and final qualifier of the season that trajects our athletes into March’s Championship season,” explained Head Coach James Tautkus. “Needless to say our depth will put all of our athletes into these events. As a whole, we are very proud of the progress our athletes have made this season. Above all, they have become better skiers and better people. Our future continues to be bright with opportunity.”
Athletes qualify for Western Region Championships, which take place in Jackson two weekends from now, Tri-Divisional Champs at Snowbasin in three, or IMD Finals at Bogus Basin.
Result Highlights:
GS 1, Friday:
Women:
Jessica Blackburn – 1; Maya Lightner – 2; Logan Lindstrom – 3; Paige DeHart – 9, Agnes Kind – 14, Tatum Minor – 20, Hannah Ferris – 21
Men:
Nils Galloway – 4
GS 2, Saturday:
Women:
Maya Lightner – 1; Jessica Blackburn – 2; Logan Lindstrom – 4; Paige DeHart – 6; Saba Grossman – 11; Hannah Ferris – 14; Agnes Kind – 15; Tatum Minor – 17
Men:
Colin Hanna – 8; Carter Sammis – 16
SL 1, Sunday:
Women:
- Jessica Blackburn – 1; Paige DeHart – 2; Maya Lightner – 3; Logan Lindstrom – 5; Saba Grossman – 6; Hannah Ferris – 7; Agnes Kind – 10
Men:
Nils Galloway – 5; Carter Sammis – 10; Colin Hanna – 14
FULL RESULTS
KINDERCUP
The Papoose Club hosted its 62nd annual Kindercup at Dollar on Sunday. “A long standing tradition, this is an amazing free event that brings the community together to celebrate the Valley’s ski heritage,” said head Devo and LASAR coach Brian Caulkins. “This event brought in kids from outside the SVSEF ski team, as well as athletes from Rotarun and Devo. For a lot of kids, this was their first race – they had fun with it, had amazing costumes, and big smiles the whole day.” Fourty-six SVSEF athletes, ages 7-12, competed in the race.
FULL RESULTS
FIS
FIS athletes competed in a Nor-Am series at Copper, featuring downhill, super G and alpine combined races. In the European Cup Speed Cup event, Alli Rathfon took 24th and Lily Fitzgerald 25th. Alli’s best finish was 22nd in the alpine combined, which was a Nor-Am Cup race.
Alum Tanner Farrow’s top finihs was 14th in the March 3 alpine combined. Kipling Weisel, also a SVSEF alum, maintained top-10 finihses, with fifth and sixth in the downhill, eighth and ninth in the super G, and 10th in the alpine combined.
Spencer Wright had a top finish of 26th in the alpine combined on March 3, and Jack Smith’s was 32nd in the same race.
PARK AND PIPE
Eight SVSEF athletes competed in rail jam and slopestyle competition at the USASA event at Park City. Battling snowy conditions, athletes found multiple podiums and had a great weekend in the park.
Saturday’s Rail jam –
Skiers:
10-13
Easton Turck – 3
14+ Men
Kyle Kope – 6
Snowboarders:
14+ Men
Julian Gluck – 1
10-13
Jack Verhaeghe – 1
Sebastian Lerner – 3
Sunday’s Slopestyle –
Skiers:
Menehune (10-11)
Spencer Ferries – 1
Easton Turck – 2
Youth(14-15)
Kyle Kope – 2
Snowboarders:
Breaker (12-13)
Jack Verhaeghe – 3
Breaker Girls (12-13)
Madison Hothem – 1
Junior (16-17)
Julian Gluck – 1
Menehune (10-11)
Caleb Hothem – 1
Sebastian Lerner – 2
Full results:
Rail Jam
Slopestyle
CROSS COUNTRY
Comp, PG, Alumni
Comp, PG and alumni athletes are at the nearby Soldier Hollow venue for Junior National Championships. Competition opened up with a 5/10km classic race, and SVSEF delivered. U16 Sydney Palmer-Leger continued her domination of the Intermountain and national scenes, coming out on top in her age class. Also taking a win was Annika Landis, a SVSEF alumni who now attends Middlebury College and has trained with SVSEF’s summer training group. Other impressive results came from Johnny Hagenbuch, who placed sixth in the men’s U18 10km, and Logan Smith, who narrowly missed the U16 women’s podium in fourth. SVSEF U16 girls had an amazing result as a group, with all four placing in the top half of the field. Competition continues on March 7 with a freestyle sprint.
RESULTS
Gold Team
Gold Team skiers have been competing all over. Kevin Bolger and Kelsey Phinney competed in their first World Cup sprint in Lahti, Finland – Kevin placed 11th overall and was the top American male finisher, and Kelsey just narrowly missed qualifying for heats with 36th overall. Jack Hegman and Rogan Brown have been in Italy for OPA races, and both had solid results in the pursuit; Jack finished sixth and Rogan 19th. Matt Gelso raced domestically in the 50km Rendezvous in West Yellowstone, and took home the win.
Devo
DevoDevo athletes finished out the season with the annual Devo Triathlon at Lake Creek. This year, it consisted of a combined downhill and obstacle course, starting at the top of Big Bi and winding down through snow flurries into the stadium. Athletes celebrated following the competition with awards.
RESULTS
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)
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.