Academic Accolades for the 2016-2017 Season
From Academic Director Erika Rixon
What an amazing season! This was by far one of the best snow years that these student-athletes have experienced in their lifetime. The snow-covered mountains coupled with the outstanding performances by student-athletes from all disciplines within SVSEF made for an extraordinary 2016-2017 ski and snowboard season. The rigorous schedule of trying to balance school, personal life, family, and sport is an enormous challenge. All of the kids in SVSEF deserve a round of applause for this very important life skill that they all get to practice every day throughout the winter months. But, it doesn’t stop there! SVSEF is a year-round program; therefore, this skill is constantly being fine-tuned. Congratulations to all of you for your hard work and dedication 12 months of the year.
This year we launched a tutoring program with instructors that had subject specific knowledge. It was a successful program that we are looking forward to building on next year. I would like to thank our tutors for their time and commitment. More importantly, I want to give a huge congratulations to those that attended tutoring consistently so that they could continue to excel in school just like they do on snow. At any given time, there were anywhere between five and ten students taking advantage of our academic support. The effort by the student-athletes was truly amazing!
Lastly, at the end of every season, we recognize those student-athletes who were able to maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher. As stated before, this is a challenging task and they deserve recognition. Congratulations to the following:
Laine Allison
Ben Anderson
Wyatt Barth
Jackson Bevers
John Blackburn
Grace Bloomfield
Isabella Bourret
Lily Brunelle
Aidan Burchmore
Cailin Chandler
Henry Cherp
Skylar Cooley
Cash Dart
Cooper Dart
Caroline Dean
Hunter Diehl
Blake Deilke
Wilson Dunn
Katherine Estep
Will Everitt
Madison Ferris
Lily Fitzgerald
Ellie Gorham
Jake Gorham
Buey Grossman
Eva Grover
Johnny Hagenbuch
Joe Hall
Ashley Helm
Sage Holter
Kate Horowitz
Merumo Ishimaru
Addy Jacobsen
Anja Jensen
Eve Jensen
Kaia Jensen
Libby Kaiser
Tom Klose
Ella Kopplin
Walter Lafky
Alex Lafleur
Charlie Lamb
Sascha Leidecker
Libby Lindstrom
Ridley Lindstrom
Emma MacGuffie
Elle Mann
Eliza Marks
Katherine Markthaler
Sophia Mazzoni
Kiran Merchant
Molly Milgard
Wyatt Minor
Keene Morawitz
Max Moss
Max Noddings
Jenna Nurge
Landon Nurge
Michaela Petty
Grace Pepin
Julian Plank
Carlota Pomes-Rovira
Henry Raff
Addison Rafford
Alli Rathfon
Katelyn Rathfon
Sage Rheinschild
Nikki Sabiers
Meeks Sanchez-DuPont
Alexandra Schaffner
Rosa Schaffner
Bergen Schmidt
Zoe Simon
Erin Smith
Jack Smith
Bennett Snyder
Elk Spencer
Kate Stone
Charlie Stumph
Chloe Tanous
Hayden Terjeson
Sarah Troxel
Bentley Walker-Broose
Carley Walther-Porino
Keegan Webber
Ella Wolter
Peter Wolter
Spencer Wright
Tia Vontver
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2016-2017 End of Season Awards
Thanks to everyone, from athletes to parents, from coaches to sponsors to community members, who supported SVSEF throughout the season and helped make it an exceptional one. We’re proud of all of our athletes’ efforts, and are constantly impressed by how hardworking and inspiring they are.
With banquets this April came season-end awards; here are this year’s recipients. Congratulations to all SVSEF athletes on a great year!
Freestyle
A Team
Male Athlete of the Year: Luke Rizzo
Female Athlete of the Year: Eliza Marks
MVP: Holden Largay
Most Inspirational (voted on by the athletes): Luke Rizzo
Most Improved: Mikel Sanchez-duPont
Dark Horse: Toby Rafford
John R. Kalik True North Scholarship: Rainey Wilson
Volunteer / Community Service: Wilson Dunn, Brody Buchwalter, Hunter Diehl, Axel Diehl, Esmee Verheijen, Rainey Wilson
B Team
Most Improved: Paola Alvarado
Most Inspirational: Anton Holter
Most Dedicated (based on attendance): Quincy McGraw
Freeski
Halfpipe Award (most improvement in halfpipe): Harper Mallet
World Traveler Award: Hanna Blackwell
Style Award: most improved in style and flow in his overall skiing – Joey Markthaler
Big Air Award: Will Griffith
MVP: Ridge Dirksmeier
Snowboard
Stand Out/MVP Girl: Zoe Bacca
Stand Out/MVP Boy: Jack Verheaghe
Dark Horse: Caleb Hothem
Most Improved: Emma Schmillen
Travel Team
Stand Out/MVP: Payton Bacca
People’s Champ Award: Phebe Ericksen
Alpine
Howard Dean Scholarship: Sky Leininger
Mountain Kidd: Cooper Dart
Life Coach Award: Galen Webster
John R. Kalik True North Scholarship: Kaia Jensen
SVSEF Alpine Longevity Award: Katelyn Rathfon, Noah Leininger, Lukas DeWolfe
Peggy & Sigi Engl Award Alpine Women: Katelyn Rathfon
Peggy & Sigi Engl Awards Alpine Men: Hayden Terjeson
Leif Odmark, FIS Women: Kaia Jensen
Leif Odmark, FIS Men: Max Noddings
Gary Black Jr. Memorial Race
Billy Klein Award – U12 Boy: Tor Johnston
Bonnie Russel Trophy – U14 Girl: Jessica Blackburn
Christin Cooper Award – U16 Girl: Cailin Chandler
Kathleen Harriman Mortimer – U12 Girl: Paige DeHart
Smith Goggle Award – U14 Boy: Ben Goitiandia
Gretchen Fraser Award – U10 Girl: Ella Shaugnessy
Pete Patterson Award – U10 Boy: Quintin Buoncristiani
Roy Hobson Award Women: Jessica Blackburn
Roy Hobson Award Men: Ben Goitiandia
IMD Team
Most Improved Boy: Skye Leininger
Most Improved Girl: Anwhei Kirk
Passion Award Boy: Jett Carruth
Passion Award Girl: Lola Street
Performers Boy: Ryder Sarchett
Performers Girl: Merit Kaiser
Most Inspirational Boy: Skye Leininger
Mini World Cup Team
Coaches Award Boy: Owen Walker
Coaches Award Girl: Audrey Morawitz
Outstanding Skier Boy: Tucker Smith
Outstanding Skier Girl: Taylor Hovey
Most Improved Boy: Quintin Buoncristiani
Most Improved Girl: Eden Gardner
Mini World Cup Women: Taylor Hovey
Mini World Cup Men: Tucker Smith
North Series Team
“Cheeso” Memorial – North Series Perpetual: Tommy Normand
Most Improved Boy: Bodin Lee
Most Improved Girl: Maeve Bailey
Coaches Award Boy: Hank Moss
Coaches Award Girl: Paige DeHart
Most Inspirational Boy: Jesse Keefe
Most Inspirational Girl: Charlotte Davis-Jeffers
USSA Team
Most Improved Boy: Wyatt Barth
Most Improved Girl: Cailin Chandler
Passion Award Boy: Bennet Snyder
Passion Award Girl: Merumo Ishimaru
Most Inspirational Boy: Wyatt Barth
Most Inspirational Girl: Lily Fitzgerald/Carlota Pomes
FIS Team
Most Improved Boy: Charlie Lamb
Most Improved Girl: Erin Smith
Passion Award Boy: Fillipo Collini
Passion Award Girl: Haley Cutler
Most Inspirational Boy: Duncan Fuller
Most Inspirational Girl: Sage Rheinschild
Cross Country
Comp Team
Outstanding Boy and Girl: Johnny Hagenbuch, Sophia Mazzoni
Most Improved Boy and Girl: Landon Paschall, Katherine Estep
Rookie Boy and Girl: Cash Dart, Anja Jensen
Most Inspirational Boy and Girl (voted on by teammates): Peter Wolter, Ella Wolter
Coaches Award: Henry Raff
Engl Award: Peter Wolter, Lily Brunelle
Torin Norton Tucker Scholarship Award: Joe Hall
John R. Kalik True North Scholarship Award: Sophia Mazzoni
Prep Team
Outstanding Boy and Girl: Blake DeHart, Logan Smith
Most Improved Boy and Girl: Alex Shafer, Kelby Whitehead
Coaches Award Boy and Girl: Sebi Radl-Jones, Taylor Dorland
Most Inspirational Boy and Girl (voted on by teammates): Sebi Radl-Jones, Luci Ludwig
Photos courtesy of (L-R): Jennifer Diehl, Glen Allison, Glen Allison, Rick Millet
The Week in Review: 4/4/17
FREESTYLE
SVSEF athletes competed at U.S. Freestyle Championships in Steamboat Springs, CO, March 30-April 1. Athletes took to the course on Voodoo, with moguls qualifications on March 30 and 31, finals on March 31, and dual moguls on April 1. SVSEF had some topnotch results in fields representing the best talent in the country. Field sizes were 50 and over, and ages ranged from 14 to 29.
Eliza Marks was SVSEF’s top female finisher in the moguls competition, ending up 41st overall. Katie Markthaler was right behind in 42nd, Esmee Verheijen 49th and Rainey Wilson 51st. Two SVSEF athletes broke the top 20 in the men’s competition; Holden Largay, who has had an exceptionally strong season, finished 13th overall. Teammate Luke Rizzo stepped it up and finished 20th, and Wilson Dunn was 37th; all solid results in a field of 60 athletes.
In duals, Eliza Marks moved into the round of 32 and finished 24th overall. Rainey Wilson, Esmee Verheijen and Katie Markthaler did not finish. Wilson Dunn ended the weekend of competition with an impressive 18th place finish in duals. Holden Largay was 22nd overall. Luke Rizzo moved into the round of 32, but crashed halfway through his run, putting him in 31st.
Full results here
SNOWBOARDING
SVSEF snowboarders headed to Copper Mountain Resort for USASA Nationals; in that group, veterans like Payton Bacca made the return to the yearly event, alongside some fresh faces who are just starting to get the feel for national-level competition. Nearly 2,000 athletes are in attendance, representing all 32 regional series. SVSEF is part of the third largest series in the country, and the quality of riders that are making an appearance at nationals is being noticed.
SVSEF athletes are doing well across the board, scattered as they are throughout various disciplines. There have been a number of top 10s, lots of kids landing runs, working really hard, and learning from the experience.
Competition began April 2 and continues through April 6. Maddie Hothem rode to 12th place in the halfpipe Breaker Girls (12-13) category, in a field of 26. Zoe Bacca finished 14th in the same age class. Olive Gilbert secured 23rd in the halfpipe in her Menehune (10-11) age class. Jack Verhaeghe finished 13th in Menehune (10-11) boardercross, and Caleb Hothem was 30th in the field of 63. Nico Lerner finished 17th in Grommet (8-9) boys in the halfpipe.
Payton Bacca, who is competing in the NorAm class against top-level U.S. and international athletes, rode to the boardercross small final, finishing eighth overall. Phebe Ericksen had a big result, grabbing a second place finish in the halfpipe Junior Women (16-17) age bracket in a field of 14. Coach Andy Gilbert observed that “it’s been a long time coming for Phebe – it was really cool to see someone with such a great attitude and work ethic be so successful. She had great amplitude on her air, and she’s been pushing really hard to learn some new tricks at the end of the season; it has certainly paid off.”
Competition continues tomorrow with slopestyle and halfpipe.
Full results here
CROSS COUNTRY
Gold Team
The Cross Country Gold Team finished out their season up in Fairbanks, Alaska, at the SuperTour Finals. Following the skiathlon, athletes competed in a skate sprint on March 29. Matt Gelso made it to semifinals and ended up seventh overall. Cole Morgan made heats and finished 30th overall. In the women’s race, all SVSEF Gold Team women advanced to heats. Kelsey Phinney advanced to the finals and had a strong finish in fifth. Annie Pokorny skied to 14th overall, while Mary Rose was 23rd and Deedra Irwin 25th.
A mixed 4x5km relay followed sprints; SVSEF’s team of Annie Pokorny, Matt Gelso, Kelsey Phinney and Cole Morgan finished sixth overall in a field of 24 teams.
The final event of the week was a mass start skate race, with distances of 50 and 30 kilometers for men and women. Rogan Brown was the top SVSEF male finisher in 13th. He was followed by Cole Morgan in 22nd and Jack Hegman in 36th. Matt Gelso did not start. Mary Rose was the top SVSEF female finisher, just missing the top 10 in 11th. Annie Pokorny wasn’t far behind in 14th and Deedra Irwin finished 22nd. Kelsey Phinney did not start.
Full results here
ALPINE
FIS
FIS athletes are in the midst of competition at Mammoth, fresh off of strong results at Nationals. Athletes have completed one giant slalom and one slalom event; they continue with one more giant slalom and slalom and two super G races.
John Blackburn and Yuri McClure broke the top 10 in the first giant slalom, finishing sixth and ninth. Both athletes again made the cut in the second GS, going seventh and tenth. Filippo Collini was just out of the top 10 in 11th. SVSEF had a nice string of finishes in the top 20 as well, with Spencer Wright, Will Snyder and Max Noddings going 15-16-17. Haley Cutler was fifth in the women’s first slalom and ninth in the second. Teammate Erin Smith finished eighth in the second slalom.
Results here
USSA
Qualified SVSEF athletes competed at U16 Nationals at Sugarloaf in Maine, March 31-April 3. Athletes competed in super G, slalom and giant slalom. A giant slalom scheduled for April 4 was cancelled.
A highlight of the event was Alli Rathfon’s third place overall title, following a seventh place finish in the super G and a spot on the podium in second in the giant slalom. Ryder Sarchett also had standout results in his age class, taking first for U14s in the super G and slalom, and second in the giant slalom.
Lily Fitzgerald’s top finish was fourth place in the giant slalom, and Maddie Ferris’ best result was in the slalom in 22nd.
In the slalom, Bennett Snyder narrowly missed the podium in fourth. Jack Smith had a stellar race and finished 10th. Ryder Sarchett had his best result of the week, finishing 19th, as did Wyatt Barth in 24th. Jack Smith’s best came in the super G, where he finished fourth overall.
Super G - Women
Super G - Men
Slalom - Women
Slalom - Men
Giant Slalom - Women
Giant Slalom - Men
All disciplines
The Gary Black Jr. Memorial, formerly known as the Hobson Memorial, took place on Sunday, April 2 and invited SVSEF of all disciplines to compete in a dual style slalom and end the day with a BBQ and awards. Athletes came decked out in costumes of all sorts; fitting for an end-of-the-season celebration under bluebird skies.
Jessica Blackburn and Ben Goitiandia were the overall winners for the day. Tommy Normand received the 2017 Cheeso Mountain Kidd Award. Full results can be found here.
David Concannon took more than 700 photos of the event and is willing to share with parents and friends of SVSEF. Please feel free to reach out to him at david@explorerconsulting.com to see if he captured your son or daughter at the Gary Black Jr. Memorial.
Full results forthcoming.
The Week in Review: 2/28/17
I AM SVSEF
“I am SVSEF” is an opportunity each week to highlight our athletes for demonstrating the core values of the organization.
Sportsmanship • Citizenship • Character • Teamwork • Creativity • Passion • Perseverance
ALPINE: North Series Head Coach Scott McGrew spoke to Maya Lightner's hard work and dedication, as she is this week's I am SVSEF athlete for alpine.
Maya Lightner has brought an incredible amount of focus and energy to her training these past few weeks. She battled it out with her friend and teammate Paige DeHart for the overall Monroe cup win this week. It is great to see maya working hard and having the results to back up the drive and passion she has. Great job this past week maya and congratulations! Maya has been a gracious teammate both on off the field and we are excited for a strong end to the season for her.
CROSS COUNTRY: From Ashley Knox, Head Comp Team Coach:
Katherine Estep has quietly put more work into ski team and working towards her goals than she would ever let on to. She is sweet, hardworking, modest, and holds herself to the highest standard. This year she faced the disappointment of having her goal of making Junior Nationals just within reach, only just to miss it – not for a lack of effort or ability. In that disappointment, Katherine was graceful and still the smiling girl who we as coaches love having around. We could see her determination, focus, and resolve already shifting to what she needs to accomplish and do now in order to make sure she reaches her goals and beyond next year.
FREESTYLE: Toby Rafford is a young athlete who is making his way up, and really leading the charge for the younger athletes. He just qualified for Junior Nationals, held here March 13-19. According to coach John Grigsby, Toby has been working hard on learning a back-full (back-flip with a 360) and just qualified that on snow this past weekend. He is hoping to use it at Junior Nationals. Said Grigsby, “Toby has turned over a new leaf and has really shown that he’s dedicated to improving.” Beyond his efforts on the snow, Toby is always on top of his grades.
PARK & PIPE: Ryan Dobi, an athlete on the SVSEF Freeski Team, has put in the work and has been trying a new run in slopestyle all season. At first he wasn’t landing his slopestyle run in competition. Coach Tyler Conway said that, "despite this, Ryan has been sticking with the goals that he set in the beginning of the year; he has practiced and worked hard at perfecting his run, which earned him a top spot in the slopestyle event over the weekend."
THE WEEK IN REVIEW – 2/28/17
Snowboard
From Andy Gilbert, SVSEF Snowboard Coach
The SVSEF Snowboard Team traveled to Jackson Wyoming to compete in the USASA Big Mtn. West Snowboard Series.
Athletes competed in slopestyle at Snow King Resort on Saturday, February 25. The team was made up entirely of U12 athletes. Although small in stature, the athletes rode with confidence, on a course that featured a rail box combo, medium sized jump, to bigger jump, and larger rail package. Nico Lerner stepped onto the podium in second with a solid run consisting of clean straight airs and solid rails. On the ladies’ side, Channing Curci took the win for Breaker Girls 12-13 with a frontside air and a “chicken salad” grab on the jumps and clean rails. Maddie Hothem landed in second with clean straight airs and good amplitude. Olive Gilbert took the silver in the Menehune Girls. Jack Verhaeghe and Walker pate went one and two in the Menehune Boys 10-11. Jack went frontside 360, method air to nose press on the box feature. Walker landed backside 360, frontside 180 and a clean box feature.
Sunday in the halfpipe at Teton Village, the kids really stepped up their game. Nico Lerner took the gold in the Grommet Boys 8-9 with good amplitude and solid grabs. Olive Gilbert took a silver medal in the Menehune Girls 10-11 group with an ally oop 360 and good straight airs. Maddie Hothem had good amplitude all day which landed her in third in the Breaker Girls 12-13 division. In the same group, Channing Curci pulled down a silver medal with a run that featured frontside 360 to half cab. And in the Menehune boys 10-11 group, the Sun Valley boys pulled the podium sweep! Caleb Hothem, who went huge all day and was leading after his first run, ultimately finished third. Walker Pate had runs that showed good tail and creative spins, and finished second. Taking the win with great amplitude and good trick selection was Jack Verhaeghe.
The pipe and park at Dollar has been paying off and is only getting better as we get into the best training time of our season. Up next, the team heads to Park City for our series finale, beginning on Thursday, March 2. After that will will know our National Championship Team and will begin preparing for that event the first week of April.
Freeski
The SVSEF Freeski Team competed in the USASA Jackson Hole slopestyle, halfpipe and rail jam event over the weekend. There were a number of podiums, with Harper Mallet taking first and scoring the highest hun of the day in the Freeski Breaker (12-13) boys category. Joey Markthaler shared the podium with him in third. Ryan Dobi, Freeski Junior (16-18), won all three events for the weekend. Kyle Kope, Freeski Youth (14-15) narrowly missed the podium, with a fourth place in the rail jam.
The team heads to Park City this coming weekend, March 2-5, for King of the Wasatch Series Finals. All events are AFP Bronze Level certified ski events and Rev Tour qualifiers if the athletes meet the requirements to compete in Rev Tour competitions. This is the last competition of the Big Mountain West series, and the final opportunity for athletes to qualify for USASA Nationals, which are held in April at Copper Mountain in Colorado.
Full results here
Cross Country
Prep and Devo Teams
A total of 275 athletes from the Intermountain Region, as well as from Alaska, descended upon the Lake Creek trails in Ketchum for this year’s Intermountain Youth Championships. The IYCs are a great opportunity for younger athletes to get a feel for what competition is like, to interact and race with other teams, and to see how their training throughout the season has paid off.
The weekend started with an individual start skate race, ranging from one to five kilometers, determined by age group.Athletes competed in a combined downhill and obstacle course in the afternoon, making their way down Torin’s Tucker (older athletes) and Big Biathlon (younger athletes), and navigating over bumps and through fencing mazes and bamboo forests.Sunday’s race was a classic mass start, on the same course as the skate race the day before, and seeded based on results in the two events the previous day.
All athletes skied well throughout the weekend, taking advantage of having trained on the course all season. Notable performances came from Sammy Smith, who won all three events in the U12 girls' division, and teammates Anika Vandenburgh and Berekely Canfield who found the podium multiple times throughout the weekend (Anika finished second in the skate and second in the downhill, while Berkeley was third in the downhill and second in the classic). Julia Sinnamon finished second for U10 girls in the downhill. Logan Smith also found the podium in each competition, with two second-place finishes in the skate and downhill behind Alaska's Quincy Donley, and a win in Sunday's classic race, after pulling away from the pack about halfway through. Luci Ludwig skied strong throughout, and ended the weekend with a third place finish in the classic. In her first race for SVSEF, Addy Bevers took bronze in the women's novice division in the skate race. Sebi Radl-Jones finished third in the U16 5km race, second in the downhill and third in the classic. Christine Estep finished her season as a Prep Team skier with a win in the U16 girls' classic race on Sunday.
The U14 Cup awards the top ten U14 athletes, based on their races throughout the season. Logan Smith won for girls, and teammate Luci Ludwig was third overall. Anja Grover made the top ten in eighth.
The Sportsmanship Award went to Jackson Hole Ski Club, and the Overall Team Award, given to the team with the highest points for the weekend, went to McCall.
Full results here
Alpine
North Series and Mini World Cup Teams
SVSEF hosted the Monroe Cup this past weekend, named in honor of former SVSEF executive director Lane Monroe. Lane also coached with the U.S. Ski Team. The event was well-attended, with nearly 200 competitors. Said Scott McGrew, Alpine Program Director and Head North Series Coach, “It was good to see the Mini World Cup crew in action. This was their first opportunity to compete at the North Series, and the weekend presented a great opportunity for the athletes to get some experience in an event with a larger field.”
A big thanks to Steve Porino for announcing during Saturday’s race, and to volunteers who helped make the event run smoothly.
The overall Monroe Cup winners were Maya Lightner (SVSEF) and Sebastian Brunner (JHSC), who were the overall U12 winners for the weekend. These two athletes will have their names engraved on the Monroe Cup trophy, shared over the years by many USST members, NCAA athletes, and other stellar kids from the past 20 years.
Full results here
IMD Team
The IMD Team was at Snow King in Jackson for their final qualifier, where conditions were great, with a good show of sunshine to balance out the cold. SVSEF stepped it up, with athletes winning five out of the six races; they competed in two slalom events and one giant slalom. Ryder Sarchett swept the weekend, winning all three events for men. Jessica Blackburn won the second slalom, and Marit Kaiser topped the girls’ podium in the giant slalom. Head Coach James Tautkus commended his athletes for “bringing it to the racecourse this past weekend; it was rewarding as a coach to see everything we’ve been working on come alive, from top to bottom. This team really knows how to step it up when they need to; when there’s pressure, or when they’re on the line, they resort to second gear.”
Full results here
The Week in Review: 2/21/17
I AM SVSEF
"I am SVSEF" is an opportunity each week to highlight our athletes for demonstrating the core values of the organization.
Sportsmanship • Citizenship • Character • Teamwork • Creativity • Passion • Perseverance
ALPINE: Owen Walker is the Alpine "I am SVSEF" athlete for this week. Owen is a member of both the Mini World Cup team and the Nordic Devo Team. “He comes to team with a great attitude whether we are skiing gates or ripping the bowls,” says coach Sarah. "He is a hard worker and has a passion for skiing, which makes him a great athlete to work with."
CROSS COUNTRY: This week’s nominee is a Prep Team skier; Blake DeHart is recognized for the improvement he’s made in both skiing and attitude over the last couple weeks. Said Prep Team Head Coach Kelley Sinnott, “Blake has been pushing himself harder than ever recently and is demonstrating true passion and perseverance in his day to day training. I find it really great that Blake’s concentration and hard work have been paying off for him in races; his improved results are really reflecting his hard work. I hope his newfound focus and motivation mixed with his great sense of fun will rub off on his teammates!”
PARK & PIPE: Maddie Hothem, a SVSEF snowboarder, is this week’s I am SVSEF athlete for Park & Pipe. According to Pat Lee, Snowboard Team Manager, “Maddie has recently shown a great attitude and pushed herself to become a better snowboarder; anything she puts her mind to, she seems to accomplish. She and her family recently attended the Bogus Basin Slope Style competition and came home with a first place in her division. She is a pleasure to be around, and we are glad to have her on the team.”
THE WEEK IN REVIEW – 2/21/17
SNOWBOARDING
Payton Bacca competes at Junior Worlds
Payton Bacca competed at Junior World Championships in Klinovec, Czech Republic, in the discipline of boardercross. In a field in the individual event that was dominated by Europeans on February 18, Payton won her first heat, besting the number 14 ranked athlete from Czech Republic and the number 19 seed from Australia. Following that round, Payton raced to a final place of 32nd, the third U.S. finisher in the event.
In the women’s team event on Sunday, February 19, there were two American teams of two, paired based on their results in the previous competition. Payton was paired with Adalia Flores and was matched against the top-seeded Russian team (with Kristina Paul, who won the individual boardercross event on Saturday), as well as two teams from Czech Republic. Payton finished second in her heat, after passing both Czech competitors. Unfortunately, her teammate crashed in her leg of the race.
Of note for team USA was a victory in the men’s team event – this was the first team victory ever at Junior Worlds. Jake Vedder (‘98, Ann Arbor, Michigan) and Senna Leith (‘97, Vail, Colorado) took the win.
Payton next competes at FIS Nor-Ams in Colorado, February 22-23.
Women's boardercross results
Chase Josey second overall for FIS World Cup season
SVSEF alumni and Gold Team athlete Chase Josey competed at Phoenix Park in PyeongChang, South Korea, which was the final stop on the FIS World Cup halfpipe tour. The competition served as an official Olympic test event in preparation for next year’s Winter Olympics. Chase qualified second behind fellow American Shaun White on Friday, February 17 in the men’s halfpipe event. In the finals, Chase finished sixth; Australian Scott James won the event, followed by Shaun White in second and Yiwei Zhang of China in third. Chase’s result combined with those from previous World Cup events this season put him in second on the podium for overall World Cup standings this season.
Full results here
ALPINE
Mini World Cup, North Series
For Sunday’s Arkoosh Cup held locally at Rotarun, competitors raced giant slalom in a range of conditions, from blazing sun to whiteout snowstorms. This was the 48th annual iteration of the event, named for the Arkoosh family, who helped develop Rotarun Ski Area. It drew athletes ages four through twelve to Rotarun; a total of 113 competitors attended. Program Director Scott McGrew spoke to the range of athletes there. “It was a super fun event that represented a lot of different elements. There were ski team and non ski team categories, lots of parents and grandparents, and kids of all ages. Despite getting off to a little late of a start as we were trying to get all the right kids into all the right categories, we had an exciting ski race and people were having a great time.” McGrew also commended the coaches for their professionalism in building and maintaining the course, and for putting on a great event for a great cause.
Paige DeHart and Cole Curci won the overall titles, and will have their names etched into the Arkoosh Trophy.
Full results here
FIS
FIS athletes are at Snow King in Jackson Hole, in the midst of the Wild West Classic, a Western Region FIS Open series.
Sunday was a giant slalom event, with 79 competitors in the women’s field. Erin Smith was 19th, the top SVSEF finisher. Katelyn Rathfon had a strong race, finishing 26th. She was followed by Skylar Cooley in 27th. Ella Pepin jumped up 14 spots to 37th from 51st.
The men did not race on February 19.
Monday featured a giant slalom; Haley Cutler was the top SVSEF finisher, coming in sixth in a field of 74. Erin Smith was 19th, Skylar Cooley 30th and Ella Pepin 38th.
In the men’s giant slalom on February 20, four SVSEF male competitors broke the top 30, with Filippo Collini in 23rd, Yuri McClure in 25th, Julian Plank in 27th and Will Snyder in 30th. Julian’s result was less than half his starting bib number for the race; similarly, Filippo rose from 41st to 23rd, a jump of 18 places.
The racing continues on Tuesday with a slalom, followed by another slalom to round out the series on Wednesday.
Full results here
FREESKIING
Tai Barrymore returns to the pipe
Tai Barrymore, SVSEF alumni and Gold Team athlete, returned to competition in halfpipe for the first time in over a year. Tai missed last season due to injury. He dropped into the halfpipe qualifiers on February 18 in PyeongChang for the Olympic test event, ending up 16th overall. This meant that he did not move onto the finals – but it was a solid first run back.
Freeskiing Travel Team
SVSEF Freestyle athletes headed to Aspen for the Aspen Snowmass Open, "one of the last and longest running independent open competitions in the nation." According to Tyler Conway, Head Freeski Coach, "the Aspen Open is the biggest opportunity for unknown skiers to get recognition and to ski the X Games course. Aspen Open has been running for 12 years and most of the winners of this event have gone on to win X Games events, and/or Olympic medals." Will Griffith skied both slopestyle and big air, and Hanna Blackwell competed in the halfpipe. In a field populated with athletes from Canada, France, New Zealand and Japan, Hanna Blackwell finished 14th in the women's halfpipe. Jacob Beebe, a SVSEF Gold athlete, was 35th in halpipe. In the men's slopestyle event, Will Griffith was 39th, and in big air he finished 26th.
Full results here
The Week in Review: 2/14/17
I AM SVSEF
ALPINE: Kaia Jensen is this week’s I am SVSEF athlete. Says coach Brett Morris, “Kaia has been working really hard all year and especially these past couple of weeks, going out on her own repeatedly working on drills and trying to make some adjustments to here skiing. Additionally, her attitude has been phenomenal, always keeping positive and trying to see the best in situations even when results aren’t going her way. At Schweitzer speed Kaia, entering her first FIS speed (DH and SG) series did a great job. She got down from one run of SG and had the biggest grin on her face just from the thrill and joy of running the course. Her time didn’t matter; she just had pure fun.”
CROSS COUNTRY: According to Dave Bingham, Cross Country Devo Head Coach, “Zach Quesnel is one of those first-to-come, last-to-leave kids that shows up ready to rock. As a lead dog of the hard charging “Omega” Team, Zach dives in to every practice like a golden lab goes after a thrown stick. Despite a somewhat quiet demeanor, Zach manages to project an enthusiasm for sport that fellow athletes just want to be part of. Not surprisingly, Zack’s mom and uncles are all SVSEF alumni, solid community contributors, and just plain great folks. Congrats to Zach for being coaches’ pick for athlete of the week!”
FREESTYLE: This past competition, coaches saw a lot of progress in Luke Rizzo’s skiing. Dedication to his workouts during the year have moved him up through the rankings. Luke is polite, respectful, consistently there and puts in the work; he is an exceptional role model for the younger athletes growing up in the program.
PARK & PIPE: Ridge Dirksmeier is at every practice, giving 100% and pushing himself and his teammates to be their best selves. A quality that is important for making improvements is a good attitude; Ridge certainly brings this, and is open to learning more about the sport and what he can do to make strides.
THE WEEK IN REVIEW – 2/14/17
Alpine
FIS/USSA Teams – Laura Flood Memorial Cup
The Laura Flood Memorial Cup took place last weekend on Baldy, despite heavy rain that closed down the mountain for two consecutive days. This was a U16 qualifier, as well as an open USSA race. All teams decided to stay an extra day and race on Monday – a race occurrence – since the event was a qualifier and conditions ended up working out. A huge thank you goes out to Sun Valley Company, SVSEF staff and all of the volunteers who made this event a resounding success, despite the extreme weather and the conditions and changes that ensued.
Snow conditions set up to be extremely icy – Will Brandenburg, SVSEF Head USSA Coach and a former World Cup and Olympic skier, observed that “it ended up setting up like a World Cup venue for the GS race on Monday – it was the type of surface that people try to make – we got lucky.”
Strong results came from both FIS and USSA athletes. SVSEF women took five of the top ten spots in both slaloms events, with Lily Fitzgerald taking the win on Saturday and Merumo Ishimaru claiming first on Sunday. The men took went one through four on Saturday, with Charlie Lamb claiming victory. They took three of the top ten spots on Sunday; Filippo Collini was first, followed by Bennett Snyder in second. FIS athlete Haley Cutler won the women’s giant slalom on Monday, with teammate Alli Rathfon in second. Maddie Ferris broke the top ten, finishing sixth. The men finished strong, with five in the top ten on the final day of the weekend. Filippo Collini again took the win.
Emma MacGuffie earned the unofficial move-up award for the weekend, cruising from starts in the 80s into the top 15 and top 10 in the two slalom events, securing a spot for regionals. The SVSEF U16 athletes have proven their strength as a unit this season, having secured a win at every U16 event throughout the last two qualifiers – in 12 races total, SVSEF has had seven different winners – Lily Fitzgerald, Bennett Snyder, Jack Smith, Merumo Ishimaru, Buey Grossman, Alli Rathfon and Wyatt Barth have all reached the top of the podium.
The overall Laura Flood Memorial Cup winners this year were Filippo Collini and Merumo Ishimaru. The overall award is based on the second slalom race and the giant slalom, as the event has historically featured these two events. Filippo won the men’s slalom on Sunday, as well as the giant slalom on Monday. Merumo won the Sunday slalom and was 29th in the giant slalom.
Full results here
FIS Team
Three FIS athletes competed at FIS-sanctioned races in Copper over the past week, which saw top racers from throughout North America, as well as a few U.S. Ski Team World Cup speed racers. Haley Cutler finished the nine-race series with five top-15 overall finishes, helping her earn 11th place overall in the final Nor-Am Series Downhill standings. On top of that, she secured a top-10 finish in the U.S. National Championship Downhill race, also held at Copper.
This was Erin Smith’s second Nor-Am Series; the athlete managed to score her first Nor-Am Series points (these are given to the top 30 overall finishers). Skylar Cooley, despite having just come off a nasty flu, earned her first Nor-Am at Copper, from Nor-Am points earned in the super-G races.
Coach Brett Jacobsen applauded the athletes for their “hard work, solid attitudes and impressive skiing” in a high-caliber field.
Full results here
Cross Country
Comp/Prep Teams
Cross country Comp and Prep skiers competed in their final JNQ at West Yellowstone. Saturday was a skate sprint; the snow set up really well and the crew did a great job grooming, following a day of rain and sloppy snow on Friday. There were a number of SVSEF athletes who had their best-ever results on Saturday. Katherine Estep had her best result to date, finishing fifth overall and reaching the A final. Keene Morawitz had his best skate sprint result, qualifying for the B final. Lily Brunelle also made B finals. Overall, it was a good day for SVSEF, and the race helped solidify qualifying for Junior Nationals for a number of athletes.
The final JNQ race on Sunday was a classic mass start. Highlights for the day were Peter Wolter skiing to a win in the U18/U20 men’s 10km, in his last effort as a SVSEF athlete. Eli Jensen brought up a solid fourth. Henry Raff and Andrew Siegel both secured positions on the Intermountain JN team. PG skier Sarah Goble, despite battling illness all weekend, still managed to ski to third. In the men’s U16 race, Johnny Hagenbuch was third in a closely contested race. The U16 girls had a strong day, taking first, third and fourth; Sophia Mazzoni took the win, skiing hard off the front of the pack. Laine Allison threw down a big result, out-lunging teammate Anja Jensen for third and cementing her position for Junior Nationals.
SVSEF qualified 13 athletes overall to represent the Intermountain Division at Junior Nationals. On top of that, Sarah Goble, a PG skier, will represent the Great Lakes region, and Bentley Walker-Broose will compete as a guest skier; he is an Australian athlete who has been training and racing with SVSEF.
SVSEF athletes qualified for Junior Nationals:
U16 girls
Sophia Mazzoni
Anja Jensen
Ella Wolter
Laine Allison
U16 boys
Johnny Hagenbuch
Cash Dart
U18-20 girls
Lily Brunelle
Eve Jensen
U18-20 boys
Peter Wolter
Eli Jensen
Andrew Siegel
Henry Raff
Keene Morawitz
Full results here
Full IMD JNQ rankings here
Freestyle
Freestyle athletes were in Deer Valley, Utah for moguls and duals. Athletes competed on the longest course they have been on to date, and one of the toughest; it was used a week previous as a World Cup competition venue, with Olympic-caliber athletes competing. The course was 250 meters long, which is a quarter longer than the average mogul course.
A heavy downpour of rain plagued training on Friday, before it transitioned to snow, making conditions more challenging on Saturday with six to eight new inches. On Sunday, everything froze; with an icy, hard surface, conditions were tough.
Saturday was a singles event, with tough competition on the men’s side in the form of former U.S. team members. SVSEF had four athletes in the top 15 in the men’s competition and five in the top 10 in the ladies’ event; the highlight was an overall win for 11-year old Sammy Smith in a field of athletes up to eight years her senior, who threw a 360 to a backflip. (Sammy’s performance over the weekend qualified her for Nationals, which will have to wait, as the minimum age requirement to compete is 14.) In the men’s competition, Alex LaFleur was eighth, Brody Buchwalter 10th, Henry Cherp 11th and Luke Rizzo 12th. In the ladies’ event, Sammy was first, Addie Rafford wasn’t far behind in fourth, Esmee Verheijen finished seventh, Katie Markthaler ninth and Eliza Marks tenth.
Sunday’s first competition was a singles run to seed for duals later that day. Addie Rafford was second overall and Sammy Smith third. Luke Rizzo led the SVSEF men in fourth, followed by Alex LaFleur in fifth. Toby Rafford, a young gun, had a stand out performance with a sixth place finish, and Ben Anderson made the top ten in seventh. Toby hung with the older athletes and was able to qualify for Junior Nationals. Luke’s result helped him qualify for Nationals, which are at Steamboat at the end of March.
In duals, Luke was fourth and Alex fifth. Addie finished on the podium in second for the ladies, Sammy Smith was fourth and Rainey Wilson was eighth.
This was the last event for Intermountain qualification for Junior Nationals. A full list will be released next week of qualified athletes.
Full results here
Snowboard
Phebe Erickson and Aidan Green competed in Mammoth at the Rev Tour, despite the rugged weather that shut down the freeski aspect. Phebe finished 18th in the women’s field of 50 and Aidan was 17th in the men’s competition.
Payton Bacca just left for Junior Worlds in the Czech Republic yesterday, to represent the U.S. in boardercross. The event takes place February 18.
The Snowboard Team had a small crew head over to Bogus Basin for the USASA slopestyle event. Nico and Sebastian Lerner, Maddie and Caleb Hothem Chelsea Kelley from Australia competed for SVSEF. Everyone came home with some hardware; Nico got fjrst in his age division, Sebastian secured a win and Caleb was second in their division, Maddie Hothem was first for girls, and Chelsea finished first for the younger girls’ division.
Freeski
Freeskiing events at the Mammoth stop on the Toyota U.S. Revolution Tour were cancelled due to weather (wind, heavy snow). The next stop is Seven Springs, PA, March 6-8, and will feature freeski halfpipe and slopestyle.
The Jackson Hole Big Mtn. West Series was also cancelled due to weather. A couple of SVSEF athletes who live in Boise decided to stay home and compete in a USASA slopestyle event at Bogus Basin; Kyle Kope ended up in third place, and Ryan Dobi was first in his age group. Results have not yet been posted.
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The Week in Review: 2/7/17
I AM SVSEF
This is the fifth week of I am SVSEF: an opportunity each week to highlight our athletes for demonstrating the core values of the organization.
Sportsmanship • Citizenship • Character • Teamwork • Creativity • Passion • Perseverance
Here are the I Am SVSEF athletes featured for the week of February 7, 2017:
ALPINE: Jett Carruth is an eighth grader at Community School and a member of the Alpine IMD Team. Said James Tautkus, Head IMD Coach:
Jett has always had the speed but has struggled putting a whole run together. At the end of January Jett opted out of going on the road and took advantage of staying at home to train. He took a step back from his speed and worked on his focus of execution and technique. The result of his effort materialized into his first hardware ever. Jett placed 5th in the first SuperG qualifying race at Snowbasin over the weekend and backed it up with a 14th and 12th thus proving to himself that if he puts in the work the results will follow. A real inspiration to his teammates and coaches.
CROSS COUNTRY: Chloe Tanous is a tenth grader at Community School, and this is her second year on Comp Team. Ashley Knox, Head Comp Team Coach, observed:
She has quietly made significant gains in both her technique and fitness. She is the kid that shows up, puts in the work, and always has a positive attitude. Chloe doesn’t really draw much attention to herself, but really adds to the dynamic of the team and sets a great example of how hard work pays off. She is quietly motivated, she has great internal motivation and knows herself well. Chloe brings a great attitude and, as with every kid, we know she has days that are easier and days that are harder, yet is a constant positive presence and is constantly driving to make gains in her skiing and reach her goals.
FREESTYLE: Hunter Diehl has been chosen this week, for his commitment in the past few weeks (he’s had near perfect Air Barn attendance). Hunter is a tenth grader at Community School. Said John Grigsby, Freestyle Head Coach, “Hunter’s focus and commitment has really shown through and has really paid off, as is evident with his improved results. On top of that, Hunter doesn’t shy away from lending a hand; he’s been a great helper with course maintenance.”
PARK & PIPE: Jack Verhaeghe, a sixth grader at Community School, has been described as hard-working, fired up, focused. Pat Lee, Snowboard Team Manager, has observed how Jack’s stoke and passion make waves on the team:
“Jack is a hard-working snowboarder, he is always fired up when he shows up for team. he has been focusing on half pipe and slopestyle. He excels in just about every field of competition, even slalom and giant slalom; he likes to go for the all-around competitor experience. Jack has a strong passion for competition and it shows every time he crosses the finish line, always giving it 100%. He is an awesome teammate, always keeping the stoke high, slapping high fives and giving props to the rest of the crew. We have only had a halfpipe for a one and a half weeks and I have watched him progress every time we strap in. I am fired up on his performance this week as he has proved himself to be a well-rounded athlete.”
THE WEEK IN REVIEW – 2/7/17
SNOWBOARD/FREESKI
Big Mountain West Series
The Big Mountain West Series features five stops throughout the winter, which lead up to Nationals. Last weekend was the third stop and was based here in Sun Valley at Dollar. It was a well-attended event, with four boardercross competitions, as well as slopestyle and halfpipe. According to Andy Gilbert, SVSEF Snowboard Coach who is no stranger to staging events here, having orchestrated a number himself over the years, commented that, “the word is out that we have some of the best venues in the country as far as park and pipe goes. We had a group from Mt. Bachelor show up this year and riders from Montana, so we’ve had a pretty good showing. USASA kids who are trying to qualify for Nationals are putting us on their calendars, because we have great venues and put on very professional events.” With amazing parent volunteers and event organizers, the standard has been set for a level of professionalism that’s expected at this event.
Standout performances in snowboarding for the weekend came from Jack Verhaeghe, who rode really well in the pipe; he was first in the halfpipe for the boys’ 10-11 age division. Jack competed in all four events, and did well throughout; he podiumed in boardercross (first, two seconds and third) and was second in slopestyle. Maddie Hothem also had a great weekend with great results (second in 12-13 age class for halfpipe, second in boardercross #4). According to Gilbert, “she’s a young rider who is starting to figure out her game plan and how she wants to do things. She’s getting more confident all the time and riding really well.” Channing Curci saw good results (third in boardercross #4, third in slopestyle and third in halfpipe for 12-13 age group), as did Walker Pate (fourth male in 10-11 age group in halfpipe) and Tague Higgins (seventh in slopestyle for 12-13 aged boys). Zoe Bacca secured a win in the 12-13 girls group in all boardercross competitions.
On the freeskiing side of things, Ridge Dirksmeier topped a field of 20 boys in the 12-13 age class in slopestyle. Joey Markthaler was fourth and Harper Mallett fifth. Will Griffith won the open class. In the halfipipe, Ridge Dirksmeier again won in the 12-13 age class, and teammates Harper Mallett, Dylan MIlls and Lachlan McFarland went fourth fifth and seventh. Tyler Conway, Head Freeskiign Coach, noted that, “as a team, we are gaining strength, and people are noticing that SVSEF is a Freeskiing powerhouse with lots of potential.”
SVSEF athletes represented well on their home turf, with an athlete stepping up onto nearly every podium for every age group throughout the weekend. Gilbert attributed the snowboard team’s comfort transitioning into the pipe to all the freeriding they’ve put in and all the miles under their feet with all the snow we’ve had; “for us to be able to put a halfpipe in front of them at this point is less daunting due to how much riding they’ve done leading up to it.” Gilbert also offered praise to the SVSEF coaching staff, who have worked hard to recognize where an athlete might need some work, and to tailor training based not necessarily on age but on how and where they’ll best be able to improve on that particular skill that could use more attention. As a result, the ages are intermixing, and teammates are building friendships and relationships regardless of their differences in years. This camaraderie is not bound to training; you’ll see an eight year old cheering on his thirteen year old as she makes her way down the course, and vice versa.
On top of the awards for specific event results, SVSEF presented the Beverly Hay Snowboard Cup for combined freestyle performances (halfpipe and slopestyle). The award is named for Beverly (Hay) De Chevrieux, who has been a huge, integral Snowboard Team supporter since day one. As a SVSEF board member, she was instrumental in ushering in the formation of the team, and continues to this day to champion the program and the kids who participate.
The trophy lives at the SVSEF Warm Springs office, and past recipients include Olympian Graham Watanabe and Olympic Champion Kaitlyn Farrington. This year’s winners were Malia Quigley (Park City), who was first in slopestyle (65.25) and first in halfpipe (81.25), and Hunter Goulet (Park City), who also won both slopestyle (90.00) and halfpipe (83.00).
Full results here
The next venue is Jackson Hole for the Big Mountain West Series, which the team is looking forward to visiting. The features are smaller, allowing athletes to throw tricks they might not be able to here.
ALPINE
IMD Team
The Alpine IMD Team traveled to Snowbasin over the weekend for their second qualifying event, which featured a training run and three super G races. Marit Kaiser had a solid showing throughout, with three top-ten finishes (eighth, second and fourth). Jett Carruth had a breakthrough weekend, earning his first hardware with a fifth place in the men’s first race. He was the top male SVSEF finisher in that race. He followed that up with a 14th and 12th, and was the team’s third fastest boy. Other notable finishes came from Jessica Blackburn, who was seventh and fourth in the first two races, Logan Lindstrom, who finished 11th in the first race, and Anhwei Kirk, who finished 10th in the second women's race. Not far behind Jett in the first men's race were Nathan Gowe in 10th, Colin Hanna in 14th, and Joe Goitiandia in 15th. Ryder Sarchett was fifth in the second and second in the third men's races. Nathan Gowe was a rock, finishing in 10th all three races.
James Tautkus, IMD Head Coach, noted that “the remainder of the 37 SVSEF athletes competing showed their strength with solid intensity and finishes. For many it was their first super g race experience. The coaches are very proud of the results, however choose to hang their hats on the technical and tactical gains from the mid season speed block. There is a lot of competition season left, with great experience and effort to help them all excel further.”
Full results here
North Series Team
The North Series Team traveled to McCall, Idaho, where they battled wind, rain and snow throughout the weekend. The event included two U10/U12 slalom races. Head coach Scott McGrew was pleased with the effort made by the team, saying, “Slalom can be a tough at times because of all the moving parts and the heightened potential for mistakes and DQ’s. That being said, we were proud of the way everyone carried themselves and brought out a new level of skiing. The collective progress we have made in the past two weeks has been staggering!”
In the first slalom event, Maya Lightner and Paige DeHart went one and two for U12 girls; teammates Laura Daves and Lowie Watkins went four and five. Reece Walther-Porino and Natalie Gowe made big gains, each moving up a significant number of spots. Max Meucci, Tor Johnston and Hank Moss did the same in the men’s race, moving up from rankings in the 60’s to third, 10th and 14th, respectively.
In the second race, Maya and Paige again went one and two, this time with Paige on top of the podium in first. SVSEF girls dominated the race, taking nine out of the top ten spots. Goldie Kirk was fourth, Chloe Vogel fifth, Lowie Watkins sixth, Reece Walther-Porino seventh, Charlotte Davis-Jeffers eighth, Isabella Hattrup ninth and Laura Daves tenth. Cole Curci was second for men, and Max Meucci stayed steady for the weekend, landing in eighth. In the U10 division, Scarlet Carruth skied a strong race, finishing third.
Full results here
FIS Team
The FIS Team finished up a week of racing at Schweitzer Mountain in northern Idaho with giant slalom and super G races. Yuri McClure finished second in the men’s giant slalom on February 1, John Blackburn was fourth and Spencer Wright 10th. The women raced a super G the same day. Erin Smith skied a great race, taking the win for the day. Teammate Skylar Cooley was fourth and Katelyn Rathfon 10th. In the men’s giant slalom the next day, Spencer Wright and Duncan Fuller finished 14th and 17th. The women had another super G race, and Erin just missed first again, coming in second. Skylar was again fourth, and Katelyn was eighth.
Full results here
Earlier recap here
Haley Cutler headed to Colorado for the NorAm series. At Vail, she was 42nd in the first slalom and 45th in the second, February 1-2, in a very competitive field with top U.S. athletes, as well as Canadian and European skiers. At Copper, she finished 38th in the February 3 giant slalom, 31st in the giant slalom the next day, 14th in the first downhill and ninth in the second. Erin Smith headed down to join her after Schweitzer, and was 45th in the giant slalom, 25th in the first downhill and 26th in the second.
Results from Vail
Results from Copper
CROSS COUNTRY
SVSEF took part in the Sun Valley Nordic Festival, which included Town Sprints and the Zions Bank Boulder Mountain Tour.
A 400-meter course was set up in west Ketchum, around which teams of two competed in A, B, youth and exhibition categories. The husband-and-wife team of Brian and Caitlin Gregg won the overall competition by a hair, beating out the local duo of Gold Team skiers Mary Rose and Cole Morgan. The sprints were a nice showcase and a good way to kick off the Nordic Festival. The real deal for SVSEF athletes was the Boulder Mountain Tour, the 34km race from Galena Lodge all the way down the Harriman, which was met with fresh snow and extremely varied conditions, and boasted what some have claimed to be some of the toughest conditions yet in the 42-year history of the race. SVSEF Comp and Prep Team athletes who have their sights set on the last JNQ event next weekend in West Yellowstone opted to not participate in the Boulder. Top finishes at the Boulder came from Gold Team skiers Rogan Brown, who was fourth overall in the field of 631, and Mary Rose, who was third in the women’s category. Deedra Irwin was fourth for women and teammate Annie Pokorny was sixth. In the Half Boulder, Prep Team skier Crosby Boe finished eighth overall in the field of 200, and fourth for women. Teammate Quinn Closser was ninth overall and the fifth female finisher.
BMT results here
Half BMT results here
The last cross country JNQ event takes place this coming weekend in West Yellowstone, with freestyle sprints on Saturday and a 5k/10k mass start classic race on Sunday.
FREESTYLE
Freestyle Travel Teams head to Deer Valley this Thursday for the Deer Valley Mogul Grand Prix.
USASA Big Mtn. West Series at Dollar Mtn. – Results
February 2, 2017
Boardercross/skiercross #1
Boardercross/skiercross #2
February 3, 2017
Boardercross/skiercross #3
Boardercross/skiercross #4
February 4, 2017
February 5, 2017
Halfpipe[osd_social_media_sharing]
The Week in Review: 1/31/17
I AM SVSEF
This is the fourth week of I am SVSEF: an opportunity each week to highlight our athletes for demonstrating the core values of the organization.
Sportsmanship • Citizenship • Character • Teamwork • Creativity • Passion • Perseverance
Here are the I Am SVSEF athletes featured for the week of January 31, 2017:
ALPINE: This week’s I am SVSEF athlete for Alpine is Ashley Helm, a member of our USSA U19 team and an eleventh grader at Community School. Scott McGrew, Alpine Program Director, noted, “Ashley has been unwavering in her commitment to improve and work hard this season. She is always on time, organized, and is an awesome teammate for those around her. This past week she had a phenomenal performance at the Soldier Mountain downhill, grabbing two top-five overall finishes. We are proud of Ashley and her commitment to her craft.”
CROSS COUNTRY: Lizzie Lipman is relatively new to Cross Country, having joined this season. The Wood River Middle School sixth grader works extremely hard at the sport, embraces the challenges and the ups and downs and takes pointers and advice with poise and maturity well beyond her years. Said Kelley Sinnott, Prep Team Head Coach, “Lizzie is quiet and unassuming, but when you’re around her, her infectious smile and positivity rub off.” She listens intently to coaches, giving them her full attention, and is able to apply what they’re saying to her technique and form with that big smile and seeming ease.
FREESTYLE: Henry Cherp, a member of the Freestyle Travel A team and a tenth grader at Community School, has made big improvements this past week in his jumping. He’s trying a different trick that is out of the norm and that you don’t typically see in competition, pushing the boundaries of creativity within the sport. Henry is one of three guys in the region who does that trick– a loop truckdriver grab. Commented John Grigsby, Freestyle Team Manager, “it’s a technical jump to be throwing for mogul skiing, but he’s pursuing it with intent and dedication. Commitment to preseason training in the Air Barn has helped him to make strides on snow.” On top of that, Henry is open-minded, helpful to coaches, and a role model for younger athletes.
PARK & PIPE: Jennifer Diehl, Freestyle/Freeski Prep and Devo Team Manager, had this to say about Charles Goodyear, a member of the Freestyle/Freeskiing Prep Team, a fifth grader at Community School, and this week’s Park & Pipe “I am SVSEF” athlete:
Charles shows passion for skiing in his willingness to push himself outside his comfort zone and try new things. He shows up for training early, always with a positive attitude and eager to know what’s in store for the day. He is inclusive with teammates and encourages others to follow suit. Although our team had zero access to a slopestyle course or a mogul course in the early season, Charles jumped at the opportunity to compete in both disciplines at the Utah Olympic Park, landing him on the podium for both U12 events. Two weeks later, he competed in slopestyle and moguls at the Sun Valley Freestyle Spectacular, a much more competitive playing field. However, seeing all the experienced skiers did not intimidate Charles. He went out and gave it his personal best. Charles shows tremendous grit and a winning spirit in his continuing efforts to push himself and improve. He sets the tone for his teammates by giving it his all, whether in training or in competition. Way to go Charles!
THE WEEK IN REVIEW – 1/31/17
SNOWBOARD
Payton Bacca qualifies for Junior Worlds
Payton Bacca, a tenth grader at Wood River High School and a member of the Snowboard Comp Travel Team, has been invited to compete at the FIS Snowboard Junior World Championships in Klinovec, Czech Republic, February 14-20. Only six athletes per sex/discipline are selected to represent the U.S. at the event, and are chosen based on the FIS World Cup point scoring system.
Chase Josey Fourth at Aspen X Games
Chase Josey, Gold Team and U.S. Team snowboarder, just missed the podium last weekend at the Aspen X Games in the men’s superpipe. Chase was fourth behind two Americans, Taylor Gold (third) and Matt Ladley (second), and Scotty James, an Australian who won the event and who finished second last week behind Chase at the LAAX Open Halfpipe in Switzerland. Chase is currently in Mammoth, California, for the final stop on the 2017 Toyota U.S. Grand Prix tour, which is the first 2018 U.S. Olympic qualifier for halfpipe and slopestyle. He’ll head home for a bit before shifting gears and traveling to South Korea mid-February for the Olympic test event.
Full results here
ALPINE
Follow-up: IMD Team at Grand Targhee
SVSEF U14 athletes had the opportunity, as mentioned in last week’s recap, to participate in an Intermountain speed camp at Grand Targhee. Maile Dorland and Lena Nelson were named most improved for their groups at the camp, demonstrating their ability to take and apply feedback in a way that lead to concrete progress. The camp was beneficial to all, and the experience was both memorable and helpful when looking towards future downhill endeavors.
Said Charlotte Gourlay, an IMD assistant coach who joined the SVSEF athletes for the trip, “for many of them, it was their first trip traveling without their parents. They did a great job of taking care of themselves and their friends. On the hill, they learned to glide on a glide track, and how to gain speed on a wave track. General consensus was that hitting the speed jumps was their favorite part.”
Follow-up: Sammis Camas Cup
By Scott McGrew, Alpine Program Director
Going into this year’s Soldier Mountain Downhill and Sammis Camas Cup, we had a huge task in front of us. There was a significant amount of new snow on the hills, with the weather still coming strong. With the work of the SVSEF coaching staff, along with some phenomenal volunteer help, we were able to build the track and prep the safety protection in quick fashion. The crew down at Soldier Mountain was amazing. They gave us absolute access to the cat groomers and their operator. Josh Ivie is a second generation cat driver on Soldier Mountain and he did a phenomenal job shaping the terrain, building jumps, and grooming a nice firm base to the 2.5 km track. The tack continued to improve over the three day event culminating in an incredible day on Wednesday with blue sky, firm snow and 90 competitors across Masters and Junior divisions.
On Monday and Tuesday we had a great cohort of U12 and U14 athletes who, for many, this was their first introduction to downhill. The track was a phenomenal teacher and the youngsters were able to push their limits, go over jumps, and get coaching from our incredibly knowledgeable Speed staff. It was great to see the confidence building with each and every run as our athletes were able to partake in something that very few athletes that age have the opportunity to do.
Downhill is a strong tradition in our community and, although a tremendous organizational challenge, I’m excited that we were able to capture the moment and offer this experience to our athletes. It was unique, challenging, appropriate, and a super fun event.
Mini World Cup
The Mini World Cup team staged a slalom competition on Dollar on Sunday, January 29. The athletes’ hard work and effort showed through in the event. Tor Jensen, Head Mini World Cup Coach, said it was “great to see the energy, excitement and some nervousness at a race. We’re proud of everyone that stepped into that start gate and kicked that wand.”
The MWC team will follow this competition with a MWC Skills test on February 19, and then with a slalom and giant slalom for the Monroe Cup IMD North Series Race at Sun Valley on February 25 and 26.
Full results here
FIS at Schweitzer Mountain Resort
FIS is in the midst of competition at Schweitzer Mountain Resort, where they’ve already been seeing some good results. A training downhill on January 27 showed promise at the event for Erin Smith, Ruby Marden, Skylar Cooley and Kate Rathfon, who went six, 10, 11, and 16 in the first run of the day. A large group of SVSEF men saw similar positive reinforcement, with Spencer Wright taking third, Duncan Fuller fourth, Yuri McClure fifth, Charlie Lamb sixth and John Blackburn seventh.
On January 28 in a field of 52 competitors, Skylar Cooley led the charge for SVSEF women, taking ninth overall in the downhill. Three teammates also broke the top 20, with Ruby Marden in 11th, Erin Smith 12th and Katelyn Rathfon 13th.
Duncan Fuller had his first FIS win in the men’s downhill race the same day, besting a field of 77. Spencer Wright finished fifth, and Walter Lafky, Yuri McClure and Charlie Lamb went seven-eight-nine. Rounding out the top finishes were John Blackburn in 14th and Hayden Terjeson in 19th.
In the second downhill of the series on January 29, Erin Smith just missed the podium in fourth. Ruby Marden stayed consistent, taking seventh and Katelyn Rathfon followed suit, finishing ninth.
Spencer Wright and Duncan Fuller continued their streak of top-10 results on January 29, finishing second and third, respectively. Charlie Lamb moved up from bib 19 into eighth. Yuri McClure was 10th and Hayden Terjeson 15th. Jake Blackburn made moves, improving from bib 42 to 30th place.
On January 30, the women switched to giant slalom. Erin Smith was SVSEF’s top finisher in fifth, followed by Katelyn Rathfon in sixth, Ruby Marden in ninth and Skylar Cooley in 13th. The men competed in super G the same day, and Duncan Fuller showed versatility, again claiming victory. Hayden Terjeson came in 17th, and Charlie Lamb 23rd. The athletes still have two more days of competition, featuring more giant slalom and super G.
Full results here
CROSS COUNTRY
Prep Team/Comp Team Updates
Ten Prep Team athletes ventured out to Fishhook Yurt this past weekend for a couple days of exploring, building jumps and spending time in the backcountry. A portion of the team will compete this Saturday in the Boulder Mountain Tour.
The Comp Team is gearing up for their final Junior National Qualifier, which will be in West Yellowstone the weekend of February 11-12. This is the last opportunity for SVSEF athletes to make Junior Nationals, which run March 3-11 in Lake Placid, New York.
Gold Team
Gold Team athletes Cole Morgan, Jack Hegman and Kelsey Phinney are at Soldier Hollow in Utah for U23 World Championships. Racing starts today with classic sprints; find the whole schedule here, or better yet, watch the races online at nnf.ski/tv.
FREESKIING/FREESTYLE
Sun Valley Freestyle & Freeskiing Spectacular
Sun Valley and SVSEF hosted the Sun Valley Freestyle & Freeskiing Spectacular at Dollar and Bald Mountains over the course of four days. The event came with great sunny weather and temperatures reaching the mid-30s, providing an ideal setting for competition. There was a full field of 100 competitors, with athletes from California, Utah, Montana and even a couple from the east coast. Sun Valley Ski Company grooming came through to make the venue possible, not to mention all of the volunteers and parents who helped with everything from starting to score recording to score running, and the businesses that donated time and resources. Said John Grigsby, Freestyle Team Manager, “this event showed how our community comes together in support of the athletes; thank you to all who helped make the event a success.” Tyler Conway, Freeskiing Head Coach, echoed these sentiments, saying, “it was great to see all the support from parents and people in the community, and to have the halfpipe and slopestyle courses open for SVSEF athletes to show off their tricks for the hometown crowd.”
Freestyle athletes found the podium often; Hanna Blackwell won both halfpipe events on Thursday, as did Ridge Dirksmeier for the men. Teammate Harper Mallett was second in the first halfpipe event. SVSEF athletes Sam Ware, Lachlan McFarland and Charlie Price went six-seven-eight in the same competition. In the slopestyle events the following day, SVSEF’s Talbott Palmer won the women’s event. Mabel Ashburn, a SVSEF F15, stepped up and into second in the second slopestyle event. Ridge Dirskmeier and Will Griffith had the top men’s finishes for the day, landing in ninth and tenth in the second event of the day.
Freestyle athletes skied extremely well over the course of the weekend, with podiums in each age group from U11 to U19. Tatum Ware grabbed first place in her age group, while Holden Largay podiumed again both days, making this his fourth consecutive weekend with overall podium finishes. Hunter Diehl had his top result of the year, coming in ninth in a tough field. Another highlight was Toby Rafford making it into the round of 16 as a young competitor and in a large field (there were 92 total duals across the board; you typically see around 60). Addie Rafford finished fifth in duals, and Holden was second in the men’s event.
Full results here
Dollar will be staging another event this weekend, the USASA Big Mountain West Series featuring snowboarding and freeskiing, February 2-5. Come on out to watch SVSEF athletes get some big air; you can find the schedule here.