Silky smooth and shreddable
Baldy in top shape for snowboard race
By JODY ZARKOS
Express Staff Writer
Call it small, but mighty.
The annual Beverly Hay Snowboard Cup on Bald Mountain featured a field of
just 37 riders, but among them, undoubtedly, some of the most talented in the area.
"Unfortunately they moved regionals up and that cut into our
field," Sun Valley coach Jon French said. "We had a lot of teams not show
up."
The majority of the riders were from Sun Valley and Jackson Hole and they
were treated to three days of picture-perfect conditions, both for weather and snow.
"We didn’t even have to reset the second run in slalom,"
Sun Valley coach Steve Persons said. "Conditions were just ideal."
Ideal too was the form of Graham Watanabe and Claire Cetera who won the
Beverly Hay overall championships for the second straight year.
"Local races are all about relaxing and having fun," Watanabe
said. "It’s good for the head to race at home and relax a little bit."
Watanabe was second to Quinn Orb in the opening giant slalom race on
Friday and then won the second GS. He was fourth in Sunday’s slalom.
Another Sun Valley J1 class rider, James Caron, finished second in the
overall with two seconds and a third. Orb, a J2, was third in overall with two first-place
finishes and a third.
Cetera, a J2, won every event to sweep the competition. Jackson Hole
riders Kristen Joy and Ashley Gonnella were second and third.
The races provided great experience for some of the younger boarders on
the Sun Valley team.
"All the local C team kids did really well," French said.
Menhunes riders Gillian Augustus and Christina Walsworth finished a fine
fifth and sixth overall. Other top placing youngsters were Laura Parker and Jessica Osburn
in the J3 division.
Matt Miller, Jeremy Black and Max Kessler also shone in individual events.
Race benefactor and namesake Beverly Hay was on hand to help hand out
medals, trophies and cups to the class and overall winners.
"They gave the race to me as an honor and it is really a lovely
thing," Hay said.
Racing kicks off on Wednesday for 13 Sun Valley team members bound for
Western Regionals at Mammoth Mountain, Calif.
Watanabe, Cetera, Caron, Orb, Aanestad, Aprilia Hagglof, Wyatt Caldwell,
Trevor Brown, Timon Marzouca, Charlie Parker, Fraser Donald, James Anderson and Yancy
Caldwell have qualified to compete.
Events include slalom, giant slalom, half-pipe and border cross.
Competition runs through Saturday.
Results from last weekend:
Friday
Girls’ GS, top overall: 1—Claire Cetera (1-J2, 2:06.08).
2—Emily Aanestad (2-J2, 2:06.67). 3—Kristen Joy (1-J1, 2:14.89). 4—Ashley
Gonnella (2-J1, 2:15.55). 5—Jennifer Wood (1-SNR, 2:19.39).
Top local class placings. Menhunes: 1—Gillian Augustus.
2—Scarlett Caldwell. 3—Ireland King. 4—Christina Walsworth. 5—Caroline
Ellis. J3: 1—Jessica Osburn. 2—Laura Parker. 3—Kelly Crabtree. J2:
1—Claire Cetera. 2—Emily Aanestad. 3—Aprilia Hagglof.
Boys GS, top overall: 1—Quinn Orb (1-J2, 1:50.95).
2—Graham Watanabe (1-J1, 1:51.00). 3—James Caron (2-J1, 1:53.17). 4—Stephan
Craig (1-LEG, 2:04.54). 5—Adam Harshman (2-J2, 2:12.83).
Top local class placings. Menhunes: 1—Jeremy Black.
3—Kjell Ooms. 4—Austen Butler. 5—Houston Shaw. 6—Shane Harrison.
7—Michael Franco. 8—Max Kessler. J2: 1—Orb. J1:
1—Watanabe. 2—Caron.
Saturday
Girls’ GS, top overall: 1—Cetera (1-J2, 2:00.00).
2—Gonnella (1-J1, 2:04.61). 3—Joy (2-J1, 2:06.52). 4—Wood (1-SNR, 2:04.61).
5—Augustus (1-MEN, 2:28.59).
Top local class placings Menhunes: 1—Augustus.
2—Caldwell. 3—King. 4—Ellis. 5—Laura Williams. J3:
1—Parker. 2—Crabtree. 3—Osburn. J2: 1—Cetera.
· Boys GS, top overall: 1—Watanabe (1-J1, 1:42.74).
2—Caron (2-J1, 1:44.04). 3—Orb (1-J2, 1:51.07). 4—Harshman (2-J2, 1:56.11).
5—Craig (1-LEG, 2:07.04).
Top local class placings Menhunes: 1—Matt Miller.
2—Spencer Cordavano. 3—Butler. 5—David Koss. 6—Franco. 7—Maxwell
Harris. 8—Harrison. 9—Ooms. 10—Kessler. J3: 5—Anton Seder. J2:
1—Orb. J1: 1—Watanabe. 2—Caron. Legend: 2—Jerry Hadam.
Sunday
Girls’ slalom, top overall: 1—Cetera (1-J2, 1:37.96).
2—Joy (1-J1, 1:43.06). 3—Gonnella (2-J1, 1:44.55). 4—Aanestad (2-J2,
1:45.04). 5—Hagglof (3-J2, 1:45.78).
Top class placings. Menhunes: 1—Walsworth. 2—Caldwell.
3—Augustus. 4—Ellis. 5—Williams. J3: 1—Osburn. 2—Parker. J2:
1—Cetera. 2—Aanestad. 3—Hagglof.
· Boys slalom, top overall: 1—Orb (1-J2, 1:27.15).
2—Caron (1-J1, 1:29.63). 3—Kevin Blagys (1-MAS, 1:29.81). 4—Watanabe (2-J1,
1:32.24). 5—Harshman (2-J2, 1:38.29).
Top local placings. Menhunes: 1—Kessler. 3—Black.
4—Franco. 5—Koss. 6—Miller. 7—Harrison. 8—Butler.
9—Cordavano. J3: 5—Seder. J2: 1—Orb. J1: 1—Caron.
2—Watanabe.
