Ridge Run at Schweitzer Mountain Resort near Sandpoint was the challenge for 176 of the West's top J1 and J2 (ages 15-19) alpine ski racers last week during the Western Region Junior Championships.
Out of the total field doing two giant slalom races and two slaloms, there were eight local skiers representing the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, Ketchum Alpine Racing and Hailey Ski Team.
Lauren Parsons, 18, fared the best, cracking the top 10 three times topped by a fifth place in Friday's women's giant slalom that had 68 starters and 43 two-run finishers.
Tristan Brown, 17, (top finish 17th slalom) and Alexis duPont, 17, finished all four races at Schweitzer.
Snowbird's Marcus Caston, 17, in Friday's slalom and Monday's giant slalom was the only two-time individual winner. Other winners included Schweitzer Mountain's Ryan Farmin, 17, in Sunday's GS and 17-year-old Jeff Gomber of Sugar Bowl and Mt. Bachelor in Saturday's SL.
There were four different women's winners including 2006 Laura Flood Memorial women's combined queen Courtney Carmichael, 18, of Tahoe and Rowmark Ski Academy in Sunday's slalom.
Others were Chelsea Nova, 16, of Schweitzer Mountain in Saturday's GS; Kirsten Evers, 16, of Team Alpena-Snoqualmie in Friday's GS; and Christina Schueler, 16, of Mt. Bachelor in Monday's slalom finale.
Local overall placings by race:
Women: Lauren Parsons 5-GS/DNF-GS/10-SL/9-SL; Laura Speck 33-GS/29-GS/31-SL/DNF-SL; Alexis duPont 37-GS/37-GS/39-SL/47-SL; Amanda Alexander DNS-GS/35-GS/37-SL/33-SL.
Men: Tristan Brown 17-SL/21-SL/24-GS/33-GS; Michael Greer DNF-SL/30-SL/50-GS/DNF-GS; Derek Blash DNF-SL/45-SL/62-GS/87-GS; John David Davidson DNF-SL/50-SL/DNF-GS/DNF-GS.
