With three podium finishes, Savannah Pringle races to overall race series title

The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation’s Alpine U14 IMD Team traveled to Snow King in Jackson Hole, WY January 9-11 to compete in the Snow King Qualifier. The three-day event featured two slalom (SL) races and one giant slalom (GS) and served as an important qualifying opportunity within the Intermountain Division. Athletes found excellent snow conditions and a competitive field, delivering impressive performances across all three days of racing. 

“Conditions were on point and it was a great race!” said Second Year Alpine U14 IMD Head Coach Angelica Birkner. “Our performance from our athletes was outstanding. This was an important qualifier, and the team showed confidence, focus, and determination from start to finish.”

The weekend opened with a slalom race on Friday, where SVSEF athletes dominated the women’s field with Savannah Pringle earning the win, followed closely by Mia Huey in second place. Brianna Smiley just missed the podium finishing fourth. In the men’s race, Alex Grant led the team with an 11th place finish. 

The second slalom race on Saturday saw continued success, with both Huey and Pringle remarkably sharing the top step of the women’s podium in first! The men posted several solid results as well, led by Grant in sixth place. 

The Snow King Qualifier concluded on Sunday with GS, where SVSEF athletes again secured multiple podium finishes. Grant finished the weekend on a strong note taking third place for the men in the GS. Huey and Pringle finished second and third respectively in the women’s race. Awards were presented to the top five men and women in the race series, with Savannah Pringle taking the women’s overall win.

SVSEF Athlete Results

U14 Women SL Jan. 9
1st – Savannah Pringle
2nd – Mia Huey
4th – Brianna Smiley
20th – Madlein Bakker
23rd – Halley McGrew
24th – Makenna Steel
30th – Stevie Crist

U14 Men SL Jan. 9
11th – Alex Grant
20th – Halsted Bruun
26th – Reid Wilke
32nd – Hunter Gove

U14 Women SL Jan. 10
1st – Mia Huey
1st – Savannah Pringle
6th – Brianna Smiley
20th – Makenna Steel
23rd – Halley McGrew
24th – Madlein Bakker
29th – Ava Gilmour
34th – Hope Finnegan Lloyd

U14 Men SL Jan. 10
6th – Alex Grant
9th – Theron Andra
12th – Brixen Ehleringer
15th – Cody Lloyd
17th – Halsten Bruun
19th – Charlie Spengler
34th – Chase Martens

U14 Women GS Jan. 11
2nd – Mia Huey
3rd – Savannah Pringle
13th – Madlein Bakker
19th – Halley McGrew
22nd – Hope Finnegan Lloyd
23rd – Ava Gilmour
25th – Jennings Fraser
30th – Stevie Crist

U14 Men GS Jan. 11
3rd – Alex Grant
22nd – Breclan McCarthy
27th – Cody Lloyd
29th – Charlie Spengler
35th – Brixen Ehleringer

For complete U14 IMD race results, click on the following link and go to the U14 Series button:  https://imdalpine.org/race-results/

Photo: Savannah Pringle won the women’s overall event title