Overall winners, with SVSEF’s Jessica Blackburn

 
Charlotte Gourlay, Dylan Murtha, Logan Lindstrom, Jessica Blackburn, Maya Lightner, Austin Savaria and James Tautkus

ALPINE

IMD

The SVSEF IMD Alpine Team rounded out the qualifying season with the David Wright Memorial in Park City. Highlights of the weekend included an overall victory for Jessica Blackburn after taking her first win for the season, as well as two more podium spots. SVSEF women swept Friday’s giant slalom podium, along with Sunday’s slalom. Sunday’s success extended beyond the podium; SVSEF took seven of the top 10 spots.
 
“This was our third and final qualifier of the season that trajects our athletes into March’s Championship season,” explained Head Coach James Tautkus. “Needless to say our depth will put all of our athletes into these events. As a whole, we are very proud of the progress our athletes have made this season. Above all, they have become better skiers and better people. Our future continues to be bright with opportunity.”
 
Athletes qualify for Western Region Championships, which take place in Jackson two weekends from now, Tri-Divisional Champs at Snowbasin in three, or IMD Finals at Bogus Basin.
 
Result Highlights:
 
GS 1, Friday:
Women:
Jessica Blackburn – 1; Maya Lightner – 2; Logan Lindstrom – 3; Paige DeHart – 9, Agnes Kind – 14, Tatum Minor – 20, Hannah Ferris – 21
Men:
Nils Galloway – 4
 
GS 2, Saturday:
Women:
Maya Lightner – 1; Jessica Blackburn – 2; Logan Lindstrom – 4; Paige DeHart – 6; Saba Grossman – 11; Hannah Ferris – 14; Agnes Kind – 15; Tatum Minor – 17
Men:
Colin Hanna – 8; Carter Sammis – 16
 
SL 1, Sunday:
Women:

  1. Jessica Blackburn – 1; Paige DeHart – 2; Maya Lightner – 3; Logan Lindstrom – 5; Saba Grossman – 6; Hannah Ferris – 7; Agnes Kind – 10

Men:
Nils Galloway – 5; Carter Sammis – 10; Colin Hanna – 14
 
FULL RESULTS
 
 

KINDERCUP

The Papoose Club hosted its 62nd annual Kindercup at Dollar on Sunday. “A long standing tradition, this is an amazing free event that brings the community together to celebrate the Valley’s ski heritage,” said head Devo and LASAR coach Brian Caulkins. “This event brought in kids from outside the SVSEF ski team, as well as athletes from Rotarun and Devo. For a lot of kids, this was their first race – they had fun with it, had amazing costumes, and big smiles the whole day.” Fourty-six SVSEF athletes, ages 7-12, competed in the race.
 
FULL RESULTS
 
 

FIS

FIS athletes competed in a Nor-Am series at Copper, featuring downhill, super G and alpine combined races. In the European Cup Speed Cup event, Alli Rathfon took 24th and Lily Fitzgerald 25th. Alli’s best finish was 22nd in the alpine combined, which was a Nor-Am Cup race.
 
Alum Tanner Farrow’s top finihs was 14th in the March 3 alpine combined. Kipling Weisel, also a SVSEF alum, maintained top-10 finihses, with fifth and sixth in the downhill, eighth and ninth in the super G, and 10th in the alpine combined.
 
Spencer Wright had a top finish of 26th in the alpine combined on March 3, and Jack Smith’s was 32nd in the same race.
 
 

PARK AND PIPE

 
Eight SVSEF athletes competed in rail jam and slopestyle competition at the USASA event at Park City. Battling snowy conditions, athletes found multiple podiums and had a great weekend in the park.
 
Saturday’s Rail jam –
Skiers:
10-13
Easton Turck – 3
14+ Men
Kyle Kope – 6
 
Snowboarders:
14+ Men
Julian Gluck – 1
10-13
Jack Verhaeghe – 1
Sebastian Lerner – 3
 
Sunday’s Slopestyle –
Skiers:
Menehune (10-11)
Spencer Ferries – 1
Easton Turck – 2
 
Youth(14-15)
Kyle Kope – 2
 
Snowboarders:
Breaker (12-13)
Jack Verhaeghe – 3
 
Breaker Girls (12-13)
Madison Hothem – 1
 
Junior (16-17)
Julian Gluck – 1
 
Menehune (10-11)
Caleb Hothem – 1
Sebastian Lerner – 2
 
Full results:
Rail Jam
Slopestyle
 
 

Sydney Palmer-Leger at Junior Nationals. Photo by Hank Dart.

CROSS COUNTRY

Comp, PG, Alumni

Comp, PG and alumni athletes are at the nearby Soldier Hollow venue for Junior National Championships. Competition opened up with a 5/10km classic race, and SVSEF delivered. U16 Sydney Palmer-Leger continued her domination of the Intermountain and national scenes, coming out on top in her age class. Also taking a win was Annika Landis, a SVSEF alumni who now attends Middlebury College and has trained with SVSEF’s summer training group. Other impressive results came from Johnny Hagenbuch, who placed sixth in the men’s U18 10km, and Logan Smith, who narrowly missed the U16 women’s podium in fourth. SVSEF U16 girls had an amazing result as a group, with all four placing in the top half of the field. Competition continues on March 7 with a freestyle sprint.
RESULTS
 

Jack Hegman racing in Italy.

Gold Team

Gold Team skiers have been competing all over. Kevin Bolger and Kelsey Phinney competed in their first World Cup sprint in Lahti, Finland – Kevin placed 11th overall and was the top American male finisher, and Kelsey just narrowly missed qualifying for heats with 36th overall. Jack Hegman and Rogan Brown have been in Italy for OPA races, and both had solid results in the pursuit; Jack finished sixth and Rogan 19th. Matt Gelso raced domestically in the 50km Rendezvous in West Yellowstone, and took home the win.
 

Devo

Devo athletes finished out the season with the annual Devo Triathlon at Lake Creek. This year, it consisted of a combined downhill and obstacle course, starting at the top of Big Bi and winding down through snow flurries into the stadium. Athletes celebrated following the competition with awards.
RESULTS