Freeski athletes go head-to-head in the game of SAUCE

Freeski athletes go head-to-head in the game of SAUCE 

While competition schedules won’t be looking the same for a while, the SVSEF Freeski teams made up for the season’s lack of contest over the weekend with a heated game of SAUCE.  

What is SAUCE? You might be familiar with the popular game of H.O.R.S.E in Basketball, or S.K.A.T.E on skateboards. Just like the former, then, SAUCE takes place head-to-head. Between two athletes, the winner of rock-paper scissors sets a trick or a series of tricks. If athlete no. 1 (the winner of rock-paper-scissors) makes the tricks they’ve called, athlete no. 2 must also execute the trick(s). If athlete no. 2 succeeds, athlete no. 1 calls out the next trick and the game continues. If athlete no. 2 misses the trick, however, they get a letter (in this instance, ‘S’ for SAUCE). If athlete one sets a trick and doesn’t execute it, athlete no. 2 becomes the leader and gets to call the trick. The first to make is to ‘SAUCE’ (missing five tricks) loses. 

The Freeski teams adapted ‘SAUCE’ from professional skier Matt Walker and Olympic Gold Medalist Joss Christensen’s game of ‘SLVSH,’ which follows the same rules. The game of ‘SAUCE’ not only draws inspiration from directly from these elite athletes, but also shares in these athletes’ interest in demonstrating just how nuanced and complex competing in slopestyle skiing truly is. For a 2014 article in Powder Magazine, Walker explains how the challenge of the sport transcends beyond who can throw the biggest, most elaborate trick: “at some point there will be a ceiling that has to be reached on how much physically a skier can flip and twist. It’ll get boring.” Walker continues, “You don’t need judges to tell you how hard a trick is. How hard a trick is for me is not the same as how hard a trick is for Joss... It doesn’t matter if it’s a triple cork or a 360. If it’s hard and someone else can’t do it, then it’s hard.” 

The game of ‘SAUCE,’ like SLVSH, looks to tap in to the natural, intricate dynamics of competition between two athletes; the subsequent highly-specific and ever-changing rivalries born out of the game begin to invoke some of that mid-competition nerve that might otherwise be lacking this season. Freeski Head Coach Tyler Conway explains: “It works on their competition mindset. It gets the heart rate going, gets that adrenaline pumping, and gets kids to learn how to focus that energy. A lot of times during these games, you start to learn new tricks. At competitions kids tend to push it, because energy is up. So, they learn new tricks, but also learn to control that adrenaline, use it in the right way and not burn themselves out.” 

There is hardly a more ideal venue to not only invigorate, but practice and refine this competition mindset than Dollar mountain. A ride to the top of Dollar takes just over three minutes and accesses 628 vertical feet of terrain, allowing athletes to maintain a competition mindset with little interruption and plenty of repetition.  

The combination of rapid repetition and head-to-head competition provide an excellent opportunity for young athletes to engage with the nature of Freeskiing itself, a sport that’s largely lead by instant-to-instant athlete innovation and defined by the corresponding rapid evolution.  

Beyond the training value, however, the event is plain and simple fun. To hear the joy in the whoops and hollers of onlooking teammates and coaches when an athlete lands a challenging trick is something special; not only does it capture the attention of most of the mountain, but everyone in earshot can’t help but get fired up for the kid too. 

The game of SAUCE continues this week to establish a winner among the finalists. However, Freeski athletes will get the chance to compete for the title of SAUCE champion again in February and March, as the teams continue to deal with a consistently shifting competition schedule. 

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by Lexi Black

Caleb Baukol Memorial Safety Fund 

Initiation of the Caleb Baukol Memorial Safety Fund 

We are honored, excited and grateful to announce the initiation of the Caleb Baukol Memorial Safety Fund. In memoriam of the widely adored, local-legend Caleb Baukol, the fund aims to deliver the highest quality safety materials, training and systems to SVSEF for the protection of our athletes. 

The idea to create a safety fund began to take shape with the implementation of a top-tier radio communications system on Baldy. Through the vision of Sean Tajkowski—the architect of this initiative—and generosity of Caleb’s life partner, Bex Wilkinson, SVSEF was able to install a radio repeater at the top of the Greyhawk chair and supply several top-of-the-line radios to coaching staff.  

The system currently installed—through Wilkinson’s support and Tajkowski’s vision—is among the leading radio communications systems in the country, akin to those used by the Olympics, Formula One racing, and the America’s Cup. A system of this caliber not only allows SVSEF to overcome any and all communication gaps, but sets the program ahead of any other youth program in regards to quality of communications and subsequent influence over athlete safety.  

While the effort to install the radio system began in 2018, it was not until this season that the funds were acquired to complete the purchase of sufficient radios for all SVSEF operations. With the final pieces in place on the communications end, the project’s visionaries—Bex Wilkinson and Sean Tajkowski—saw the opportunity to make the installation of proactive safety measures a permanent fixture of ski team operations, by creating a fund dedicated exclusively to risk mitigation. In the immediate future, resources from the fund will be going forward to Stop the Bleed kits and comprehensive training in immediate injury response for SVSEF coaches. Tajkowski, working in dialogue with local first-responders, identifies these as the next crucial steps in assuring the highest availability of emergency care to our athletes. 

While Wilkinson has no present connection to SVSEF—her children have since grown out of the program—she decided to underwrite this initiative in recognition of SVSEF’s importance to the Wood River Valley community. "The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation is the backbone of our community as a whole. After realizing the safety needs of this wonderful organization, I felt that it was not only needed, but was paramount that these safety measures be implemented for the welfare of our children, our staff and our peace of mind as a community." Wilkinson plains. 

SVSEF Executive Director, Scott McGrew, reiterates the importance of creating this fund as it relates to bringing athlete safety before the public eye: “athlete safety is our top priority, but often does not have quite as much visibility with the greater community as compared to the achievements of the program. The community needs to see how important this internal gearing of the system is, especially in regards to athlete safety.” McGrew explains. “This is our proactive approach to athlete safety.” 

The fund is to be designated in memory of Caleb Baukol, who was no stranger to bolstering community through the sport of skiing. Caleb—a master of playing in the mountains—was born in Colorado, raised in Montana, skied and fished in Alaska, and spent over two decades in the Wood River Valley. While living in the Wood River Valley, Caleb co-owned and operated 5B Garage, a private ski-tuning club in Ketchum, which also housed Big Wood Ski, Baukol’s custom hardwood ski manufacturing shop. While heralded as a hot spot for skiing aficionados, 5B Garage and Big Wood Ski served a far higher purpose than equipment infatuation; they were intended to create a space for gathering, for community. Caleb understood the essential role of skiing in tightly-knit social fabric of the Wood River Valley. 

“His life was all about skiing.” Wilkinson adds. “[the shop] was a place where people could hang out and enjoy the ski life, and I know his presence is missed. He taught me how to ski, and he was all about putting smiles on your face. He just wanted you to get on the mountain and enjoy it.” It is in the interest of protecting this community, that Caleb so loved, that the fund is named in his honor.  

SVSEF would like to reiterate our gratitude to Sean Tajkowski and Bex Wilkinson. To donate to the Caleb Baukol Memorial fund, please contact Mimi Crocker.  

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by Lexi Black

XC Program Director Rick Kapala featured on Toko Podcast

XC Program Director Rick Kapala featured on Toko Podcast

SVSEF's own Rick Kapala takes the spotlight in an episode of Toko's US Nordic Personality Series podcast.

Kapala, who has been with SVSEF for 33 years, has three times been awarded the title of USSA's Cross Country "Coach of the Year," has coached internationally, and has overseen regular qualification of top athletes to the US Junior World Championship team. As anyone who knows Rick would know, however, these achievements compose only a few drops in the bucket of Rick's overall, tremendous contributions to the sport of Cross Country skiing in the U.S.

Tune in to the podcast here or watch the interview below:

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by Lexi Black

Après Reflections: looking back on the 2020 “Game On” Wild Game Dinner & Rip-a-Thon

Après Reflections: looking back on the 2020 “Game On” Wild Game Dinner & Rip-a-Thon

Despite a year of uncertainty and disruption, the Rotarun Rip-a-Thon and the 2020 "Game On" Wild Game Dinner witnessed not only an incredible display of hard work from athletes and coaches, but also an enormous outpouring of generosity and support from our community. 

The Rip-a-Thon: If you didn't have ski boots on the ground...

“The sun was out, the music was blasting, and the energy was just contagious; the love of skiing on that hill for those 2 hours was palpable,” says Cross Country Prep Team head coach Kelley Yeates. During the Prep Team’s Rip-a-Thon shift, 39 athletes put down a total 928 laps—557 Kilometers, double their original goal—on a Saturday morning. Sinnott says that some of her athletes called it their favorite day of the season. “I’ve grown up as an alumnus on this team, and have been coaching for almost 15 years now and I don’t think I have ever seen anything like it!”  

The novel event of the Rip-a-Thon granted SVSEF athletes the opportunity to come together in a COVID-compliant way, working towards the goals of raising $50,000, and skiing 1,000 Kilometers and 2,000,000 vertical feet.

The reports from Rotarun hardly vary: scores of bright-eyed athletes putting in their best efforts to glide, carve, and soar over as much snow as possible, sporting wide grins and sprinkling the air with competitive banter. In a year largely characterized by isolation, the act of congregating all teams to one location and focusing them on mutual goals invoked an elusive feeling in the year 2020: one of community. Snowboarders commended the ‘badass’ cross country skiers; racers popped off of the freestyle team’s features; cross country skiers gingerly slid through the racers’ panel slalom. While the teams all worked toward their respective distance and vertical gain goals, there was a tangible joy in sharing a space to play in the snow together. 

 

'Game On' and changing the game:

Closing out the three days of the Rip-a-Thon was the 2020 Game On game dinner event. While few traditions have survived the era of social distancing with their integrity, Game On demonstrated the creative opportunity within reorganizing old traditions, with house-to-house delivery of To-Goat Game Dinners and an hour-and-a-half livestream program.  

The FIS Alpine, XC Gold, XC Comp, Big Mountain, Freestyle travel, Freeski travel, and Alpine X teams set the backdrop for the Game On livestream as they closed out the Rip-a-Thon. While athletes threw tricks onto the air bag, skated by at top speed, and knifed turns down the panel slalom in the background, the evening’s Masters of Ceremony—Scott McGrew and Steve Porino—shared Game Dinner history, coach interviews, SVSEF history, and fundraising updates.

The live action was broken up by video-shorts that detailed what the various teams have been up to recently, covering everything from roller skiing at the Sage Willow Campus, to the steps taken to make dry-land training pandemic-safe, to athletes traveling throughout the mountains after completing their Avalanche 1 safety course. In addition, the program included ‘Legends of Bingo,’ which featured the smiles and stories (and of course, the bingo numbers) of SVSEF’s legendary alumni, coaches, athletes, and supporters.   

Finally, as can always be anticipated, the program included plenty of SVSEF signature shenanigans: from Rick Kapala’s off-key crooning for “an older truck with a snow plow,” to Ben Pettit clad Jonna Mendes’ 2003 official US Ski Team speed suit, to Banks Gilberti saluting Scotty’s ability to “wear the hell” out of vintage ski pants.  

The highlight reel: 

Our first ever Rip-a-Thon set a high bar. The athletes ended up covering 1,711 Kilometers and 1,860,100 vertical feet (perhaps more, had it not been for a finicky rope tow) over three days. For reference, 1711 KM is roughly equivalent to skiing from Ketchum to the Southern-most tip of Alaska; covering 1,860,100 vertical feet is approximately equal to traveling from sea level to the summit of Mount Everest 64 times. The athletes covered all this terrain, and while they were at it, raised $106,000—over double the initial goal—for SVSEF.  

The Mini World Cup Team stole the title of champion fundraisers, raising the most of any team and earning them a well-deserved pizza-party at Rotarun with the Rotarippers. In their two-hour shift, 42 athletes skied 168,000 vertical feet. Liv Harrington takes the title of top individual fundraiser, and Charlotte Osgood recruited the highest number of fundraising contributors. 

And of course, we would be remiss not to mention the highlight of Bjorn Halvorson—in the proper spirit of the well-rounded, if perhaps slightly foolhardy, SVSEF athlete—throwing a backflip on Nordic skis.   

Game On, meanwhile, raised $200,000 toward the event’s goal of $250,000; however, donations remain open for the rest of the year. Nearly 500 households tuned in for the Game On livestream, and approximately 300 people got into the Game Dinner spirit with “To-Goat” dinners prepared by Warfield. The performance of “12 days of SVSEF” ended in the successful underwriting of all almost all requested equipment; there are still wax benches available for underwriting. 

Finally, over 1,000 generous supporters gave to SVSEF in the weeks leading up to (and during) Game On and the Rip-a-Thon.  

As put by Game On spectator and SVSEF board member Rebecca Waycott, “what an amazing and creative crew we have working with SVSEF! The virtual Game Dinner was both informative and entertaining, especially the hilarious 12 Days of Christmas performance. It reinforced for me, yet again, what an important organization SVSEF is for our Valley and our youth. I also loved that it took place at Rotarun, showcasing all the different SVSEF teams and sharing the joy on the faces of the participants. Thanks to all!”  

The name of the game...

As always, we owe every bit of success to our community. This production could not have been made possible without the fantastic community backing SVSEF. Thank you to all volunteers who delivered To-Goat boxes, tallied laps, took photos, and much more. Thank you to our venue sponsors, WaFD Bank (sponsored the Alpine Dual Slalom), Sturtevant's (sponsored the air bag), Engel & Völkers Jones and Grover Teams (sponsored the XC Nordic Track). Thank you to our Champion Sponsors, First Lite and Wood River Properties, and thank you to our Supporting Sponsor, The Barn. Finally, thank you to all who placed a bid, raised a paddle or underwrote from the 12 days of Christmas list. The generosity of our community is what makes everything we do possible. 

If you did not get the chance to tune in to the Game On livestream, you can still watch the program here. Missing carolers this Christmas season? Replay the "12 days of SVSEF" here.

Finally, if you missed your opportunity to donate but would still like to do so, you can here.

 

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by Lexi Black

SVSEF Gold Team athlete Kevin Bolger to compete in World Cup Davos this weekend

SVSEF Gold Team athlete Kevin Bolger to compete in World Cup Davos this weekend

SVSEF Gold Team’s Kevin Bolger is set to compete in the FIS Cross Country World Cup in Davos, Switzerland this weekend, Saturday, December 12 and Sunday, December 13. Saturday’s event will be a Sprint race in skate technique, while Sunday will feature a 10K and a 15K distance race (for women and men’s competition, respectively) in classic technique.  

Bolger, currently in his third season racing for the US Cross Country National Team, looks to put in a solid performance this weekend in his ‘sweet-spot’ event, the skate-sprint (held on Saturday). The Davos course poses an excellent opportunity for Kevin, who hopes to pre-qualify for the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in late February.  
 

“The Davos course is a great fit for Kevin, as he really likes to go full gas in his skating,” Cross Country Program Director Rick Kapala reports, “he is really good on his skis in fast conditions.” Bolger faces a narrower field than normal, as Norway, Sweden and Finland have all withdrawn their teams from December races for COVID-19 concerns.  
 

However, FIS, the World Cup Organizing Committee and the US National Team have put extensive safety policies in place to ensure athlete wellbeing. US Ski Team head Cross Country Coach Matt Whitcomb describes a hopeful experience thus far; the team has remained in a “World Cup bubble” since arriving in Europe over a month ago, undergo regular testing, do not socialize indoors aside from meals, travel only with roommates, and separate newly arrived athletes and staff until they can provide a negative COVID-19 PCR test (in addition to several other measures detailed here, via fasterskier.com).

In anticipation of the upcoming weekend, Bolger writes: “Super psyched to get back to racing after a weekend off from the World Cup. We were able to get in some Time Trials with more-or-less a full World Cup field this past weekend, but it's going to feel good to get after it in a full event! Life on the road this year is a bit funky, but with the amount of COVID-19 testing and protocols we use, I can't imagine a safer place to be right now. This team is amazing, we are handling ‘covid’ life as best we can, and we are ready to keep the season rolling!” 

Bolger is a former US National Champion in the Sprint event. In addition to being a member of the SVSEF Cross Country Gold Team, Bolger raced four years with University of Utah’s NCAA Team while pursuing his degree in Sociology.  
 

Stream the event here. 

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by Lexi Black

2019-2020 Alpine Awards

To kick off the 2020-2021 season the Alpine Team would like to recognize the following athletes for their tremendous efforts last season. Although we weren't able to celebrate together in person, we still want to take the time to highlight all the athletes that continue to put in the work!

FIS

Most Improved -

Buey Grossman: Buey made significant improvements to his speed and rankings last season.  This was a testament to a lot of miles on skis, continual effort to improve his form, and a multitude of factors coming together at the right time!  Buey improved his slalom points by 38% and his GS points by 37%.  Those point % improvements are outstanding for a 2^nd year FIS athlete!  A good season is if you improve your tech points by 20% as a 2^nd year FIS athlete.  Buey qualified for US Nationals which was postponed due to COVID.  This would have been the highest level of National competition that Buey would have competed in.  Congratulations on a great season to Buey!

Kaija Dybdahl: Last season was Kaija’s first season with SVSEF.  In Kaija’s short time with the team, she took every advantage of the increased volume of training opportunities provided to her compared to past seasons.  Kaija improved her points and rankings throughout the season, but what stuck out was her willingness to try, and her fearlessness in doing so.  Kaija pushed her comfort zone regularly and wasn’t afraid to fail.  In doing so, she has made excellent improvements in her technique, fitness, and experience.  Kaija has formed a solid foundation that will only take her ski racing to the next level as she begins another season with SVSEF.  Good luck this season Kaija!

   

Passion Award - 

Oliver Brockway: Last season was Oliver’s first season with SVSEF.  Oliver has exuded nothing but passion since walking in the door at SVSEF.  Oliver puts everything he has into any training session provided to him, whether that is grinding every last rep in the gym, or taking one more run at training trying to find that perfect arc!  Harnessing all that passion and potential speed is the trick, and Oliver had some fast runs as well as some rough stretches of struggling to earn the results he so desires.  Passion and perseverance is driving Oliver, and he is laying the groundwork for the future!  Keep up all the effort and passion Oliver!

Dasha Romanov: Last season was filled with overcoming adversity for Dasha Romanov!  Passion for the sport of ski racing helped propel Dasha through a season where she typically taped her own ankle (sprained for the 7^th time in September then she had surgery following the season) then stuffed it into a ski boot, recovered from a concussion that kept her off the hill for nearly a month, all while finishing 3^rd at US Jr. Nationals in slalom as a first year FIS athlete!  Dasha is tough, and she is unapologetic about wanting to excel as a ski racer!  Whether in the gym or on the hill, there is no mistaking Dasha’s passion.  Her passion is infectious as she is a positive influence on the rest of the team.  Dasha has challenging goals and is not afraid to go for them!  She went through a lot last season and still had an outstanding year!  We are looking forward as to where Dasha’s passion, talent, and fast turns will take her this season.  Good luck Dasha!

   

The Engl Award is one of the most prestigious awards SVSEF presents. Recipients of this award have demonstrated excellence throughout the season in the following areas - development of skiing skills, sportsmanship and excellence in education. Congratulations to this year's recipients: Charlie Snyder and Carly Walther-Porino!

   

The Leif Odmark Award is presented to the athletes who demonstrate the highest level of sportsmanship. Congratulations to this year's recipients: Blake Bathum and Peyton Sundberg!

 

Mountain Kidd Award - 

Buey Grossman: The mountain kid award goes to an athlete who exhibits what it means to be a “mountain kid”.  Buey is a mountain kid in that he enjoys the many aspects that the mountains and outdoors provide.  Buey is not just a gate jock!  He enjoys all types of skiing on the mountain or in the backcountry.  In the summers Buey can be found on the rivers or oceans playing and competing in his kayak.  Buey will continue to compete in ski racing this season as a PG athlete.  Along with racing this season, I am sure Buey will carve out some time to make some powder turns as well!

USSA

Most Improved - Jesse Keefe & Anabel Viesturs

   

Passion Award - Nils Galloway & Maya Lightner

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mountain Kidd Award - Taylor Rixon

IMD

Coaches Award -

Abel Marx: Whether it’s working hard at dryland, mastering his free-skiing, or crushing a GS course… Abel Marx is your man!  Throughout this season Abel really started to come in to his own.  He may have started the season sweating the small things, but his technique and tactics were impressive.  His positive attitude matured through the season, and he pushed himself and his teammates to new limits! Can’t wait to see what he has in store next season!

Eden Gardner: I remember when Eden told me she had gotten a fitness ladder for her house. That’s when I knew she was really dedicated to this season! From the get go at dryland and in to racing season, Eden’s effort was unmatched. Each day she pushed herself to figure out tactics and edge pressure in the turn, and it definitely paid off!  She also led by example with her teammates, and always lent a helping hand with clean-up on and off the hill. The sky’s the limit Eden!

   

Most Improved - 

Bodin Lee: Bodin has always had a great fundamental base.  His love for skiing is remarkable! Throughout the season, Bodin’s results started to reflect his hard work.  He was really figuring out how to kick it in to the next gear, and it was awesome to see him have these break-throughs!  Keep working hard Bodin, speed is on your side!

Scarlet Rixon: From start to finish, this girl has made some incredible changes. I remember a specific day of training slalom on Arc Park, where in consecutive runs Scarlet kept getting faster and faster! Something clicked that has let loose a new girl; one who attacks every turn and really charges each run. Watch out for Scarlet next season!

   

A number of the photos above were taken by Amanda Stelling. Check out more of her work here: https://amandastelling.com/

NORTH SERIES

Coaches Award -

Alyssa Huntsman: For two straight years Alyssa brought positivity and fun to North Series. She was a friend to everyone on the team, listened to the coaches and elevated everyone around her with her incredible energy.  We wish her much success in the coming years!

Jay Blackburn: Jay consistently raised the bar for the North Series team last season. Whether at training or on race day, Jay pushed the limits and came back successfully from a prior injury. He wanted to ski fast, worked hard to achieve his goals, and led by example. We’re excited to see Jay progress at the next level!

   

Most Improved:

Ruby Campbell: We are so impressed with Ruby’s progression on North Series over the past two seasons. She went from being a tentative skier to trusting herself, regardless of the surface or course conditions. With a quiet determination Ruby broke her own speed barrier and exceled.  We look forward to watching Ruby have a great season this year!

Dominic Dulcich: 2019/2020 was Dominic’s first year with SVSEF (and first-time racing/skiing in gates) and every coach was blown away by his positive attitude and willingness to learn and improve. With such an incredible work ethic, he improved his technique greatly and even ended the season qualifying for IMD Champs! We are so happy Dominic joined SVSEF and can’t wait to see him continue to improve!

   

Cheeso Mountain Kidd Award - 

Ruby Smith: Ruby showed up for just about every ski team session last year and charged hard at every one of those sessions. She is willing to learn all the skills necessary to be a solid skier. Whether we were skiing the bowls or skiing bumps, Ruby was ready for anything.  We look forward to seeing her continue to her passion for skiing!

Espen Schernthanner: Espen hit almost every jump on Baldy last year. From terrain parks to natural jumps in the bowls, he went off anything and everything. He was always seeking out alternate lines and forging his own path down the mountain. There were many days when Espen started his day at 7am, skiing with his dad on Ski Patrol, and ended his day at 4pm. His enthusiasm for skiing and exploring the mountain was infectious and inspired his coaches and teammates to be more creative. We are excited to have Espen for another season!

   

MINI WORLD CUP

Overall Mini World Cup Standings - 

Boys: 1. Wyatt Limburg, 2. Sully Ferries, 3. Henry Flynn

Girls: 1. Elliot Leahy, 2. Colette Duke, 3. Bianca Smith

Outstanding Skiers - Hadley Walker & Declan O'Toole

   

Most Improved - Issy Rossellini & Decker Sinnamon

   

Coaches Award - Jasmine Smiley & Henry Questad

   

 

Congratulations to all athletes! Looking forward to a fantastic 2020-2021 season!

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by Josie Brownell