Taylor Moe and Jack Hoffman Win 32nd Annual Laura Flood Memorial Race

Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) hosted more than 150 of the best ski racers in the region for the 32nd Annual Laura Flood Memorial Race Feb 24-26. The race serves as a U16 Intermountain Cup qualifier, and the perpetual trophy is awarded to the top U16 male and female athletes at the conclusion of three races—two giant slaloms (GS) and one slalom (SL) held on the steeps of Sun Valley’s Greyhawk and Hemingway runs.

The Laura Flood Memorial Race honors the life of Laura Flood, a young ski racer, SVSEF alumna, and friend who lost her life in a ski training accident at 19 while racing for the University of Colorado. The race is made possible through the entire community’s efforts—the Flood family, coaches, volunteers, families, athletes, and Sun Valley Resort; and is one way SVSEF wants to help keep Flood’s legacy alive in the greater ski racing community.

“The tradition of this race is important for our sport and for our family,” said Heather Flood Daves, Laura’s sister. “Those who knew Laura would say that she was vivacious, kind, super determined, fun-loving, and always showed the epitome of sportsmanship. She played many sports but she loved ski racing. Races like this are one way we can honor people we’ve lost through our sport, and always remember incredible moments that over time unveil so many connections between past winners. Ski families are tight and it’s pretty powerful to see the various connections to Laura as the generations come up through the sport and familiar names are engraved on the Laura Flood Memorial perpetual trophy.”

On Sunday, the U16 athlete results were calculated including all three days of racing, and Taylor Moe from Jackson Hole Ski Club and Jack Hoffman from Rowmark Academy were announced as the 2023 Laura Flood Memorial Race Champions. Moe kicked off the series winning the overall in the women’s GS on Friday, placed second among U16’s in Saturday’s GS, and fifth among U16’s in Sunday’s SL. Hoffman took second overall and first among U16’s in Friday’s GS, first among U16’s in Saturday’s GS, and second among U16’s in Sunday’s SL.

“The Laura Flood series once again felt like a celebration of alpine ski racing in our club and community!” said Nate Schwing, SVSEF Alpine U16 Head Coach. “It was a chance for SVSEF U16 and FIS racers to showcase their ski racing talent, which represents all the commitment and training they have put into this season. Our race venues are some of the most challenging in the west, and to see the skill, focus, and camaraderie demonstrated by our athletes was something to be proud of.”

The race is also open to U18 and U21 athletes from across the Intermountain Division.

Over the three days, SVSEF took home 26 podiums including 17 in the open (overall) category and 9 in the U16 category. Awards were given to the top five overall and the top five for U16.

Last year’s Laura Flood Memorial Race champion on the women’s side, and current SVSEF Alpine FIS Team athlete, Lowie Watkins (U18), had a strong return to the race series placing second overall in the first GS, winning the second GS overall, and finishing second overall in the women’s SL on Sunday. Madison Vieara-McCarthy (U18) landed in the top 10 overall in Friday’s GS and 13th overall in Sunday’s SL, while Ruby Crist (U18) placed seventh overall in Saturday’s GS.

For the men, SVSEF’s Will Kogelmann (U18) came out on top overall in Friday’s GS, with teammates Nils Galloway (U21) in fifth overall and Max Meucci (U18) eighth overall. On Saturday, the SVSEF men swept the GS podium with Max Meucci (U18) in first, Sacha Stern-Pre (U18) in second, and Cole Curci (U18) in third. Larsen Overby (U18) and Kjetil Hassman (U21) also land in the top 10 overall in seventh and eighth respectively.

The men’s slalom on Sunday was a five-deep sweep for SVSEF for the overall. Nils Galloway (U21), Max Meucci (U18), Tucker Smith (U16), Tommy Normand (U18), and Cole Curci (U18) finished in first through fifth place respectively. Nine of the top 15 men overall in Sunday’s slalom ski for SVSEF. Sacha Stern-Pre (U18) finished seventh, Larsen Overby (U18) finished eighth, Kjetil Hassman (U21) finished 10th and Owen Lancaster (U16) finished 11th.

SVSEF Top 15 Overall and U16 Results
Women’s GS 1 (Friday)
Overall
2nd – Lowie Watkins
4th – Ruby Smith
5th – Josie Sarchett
10th – Madison Vieara-McCarthy

U16
3rd – Ruby Smith
4th – Josie Sarchett

Men’s GS 1 (Friday)
Overall
1st – Will Kogelmann
3rd – Paxton Sammis
5th – Nils Galloway
8th – Max Meucci
10th – Tucker Smith
11th – Jay Blackburn
15th – Declan White

U16
2nd – Paxton Sammis
7th – Tucker Smith
8th – Jay Blackburn
12th – Declan White

Women’s GS 2 (Saturday)
Overall
1st – Lowie Watkins
5th – Ruby Smith
7th – Ruby Crist
12th – Sophia Hallstein

U16
4th – Ruby Smith

Men’s GS 2 (Saturday)
Overall
1st – Max Meucci
2nd – Sacha Stern-Pre
3rd – Cole Curci
6th – Paxton Sammis
7th – Larsen Overby
8th – Kjetil Hassman
9th – Tucker Smith
12th – Owen Lancaster
15th – Tommy Normand

U16
3rd – Paxton Sammis
4th – Tucker Smith
7th – Owen Lancaster

Women’s SL (Sunday)
Overall
1st – Ruby Smith
2nd – Lowie Watkins
11th – Josie Sarchett
13th – Madison Vieara-McCarthy

U16
1st – Ruby Smith
9th – Josie Sarchett

Men’s SL (Sunday)
Overall
1st – Nils Galloway
2nd – Max Meucci
3rd – Tucker Smith
4th – Tommy Normand
6th – Sacha Stern-Pre
7th – Larsen Overby
9th – Kjetil Hassman
10th – Owen Lancaster

U16
1st – Tucker Smith
4th – Owen Lancaster

For complete race results, please visit: https://www.imdalpine.org/alpine/races22/

RACE PHOTOS COURTESY OF THOMAS SMILEY