Topolino Shootout at Mission Ridge
Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) and Hailey Ski Team (HST) racers earned a couple of podium finishes at the USSA Topolino Shootout technical races for 50 of the Western Region's top J3s (ages 13-14) Jan. 4-5 on Sitkum and Tumwater runs at Mission Ridge, Wash.
Second-year J3 Amanda Stelling placed third in the first girls' slalom run and first-year J3 Kipling Weisel was third in the final boys' slalom. Here are the placings by run for the six locals:
Boys: Kipling Weisel 6-SL, 13-SL, 3-SL, 11-GS, 6-GS, DNF-GS; Connor Farrow 8-SL, 17-SL, 27-SL, 28-GS, 20-GS, 15-GS; and K.J. Savaria 9-SL, 10-SL, 10-SL, 19-GS, DNF-GS, 20-GS.
Girls: Amanda Stelling 3-SL, 4-SL, 5-SL, 14-GS, 6-GS, 4-GS; Teagen Palmer 15-SL, 18-SL, 8-SL, 8-GS, 4-GS, 5-GS; and Nicole Roos 14-SL, 8-SL, 8-SL, 15-GS, 14-GS, 15-GS.
Boardercross in Utah
Sun Valley Snowboard Team rider Ryan Roemer has qualified for March's national competition at Copper Mountain, Colo. based on two Breaker Boys (ages 12-13) first-place finishes in last weekend's Intermountain Division USASA boardercross competition at Wolf Mountain, Utah.
Other Sun Valley riders accompanied by coach Jon French were, in Youth Men (14-15), Sam Strong 2nd Saturday and 3rd Sunday, and Jesse Forgeon 3rd Saturday and 2nd Sunday; and Charlie Harder 6th Saturday and 5th Sunday.
20 local skiers at Snowbird ENL slaloms
SVSEF racer Bergen Palmer of The Community School made the first page of results when 20 SVSEF and HST racers took part in the USSA Snowbird Intermountain Cup/ENL entry-level FIS tech races Jan. 10-12 in Utah.
Palmer, third in his J2 age group, placed 14th of 67 two-run finishers in Sunday's slalom on Wilbere Ridge Race Hill. And Bailey Ireland was third among J1 girls in giant slalom and Tanner Farrow placed second.
Here are the top overall placings of local racers in the field of 130 boys and girls:
Girls: 13—Nina Hirner (11-J2). 15—Sierra Fox. 16—Bailey Ireland (3-J1 GS). 25—Natalie Vorsteveld. 26—Karlee Stagg (7-J1). 30—Reta Flynt.
Boys: 10—Tanner Farrow (2-J2). 14—Bergen Palmer (3-J2). 19—Harlan Collins (7-J2). 23—Willie Adicoff (10-J1). 25—Ryan Foster (12-J2). 27—Miles Sweek. 29—Dylan Carroll. 30—Tanner Dirstine. 31—Tim Kanellitsas. 33—Scott Smith. 37—Gregory Roos and Tyler Davis. 45—Gardner Cord.
Tech races in Utah
Finalizing the local placings among 250 racers at the USSA Western Elite Tech Series last Tuesday and Wednesday on CB's Run at Park City and Wilbere Ridge Race Hill at Snowbird, Utah.
Those racing were Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation racers Bergen Palmer (49-SL) Tanner Farrow (64-SL), Tyler Chandler (38-SL) and Bailey Ireland (DNF-GS, 28-GS).
In France, a tough ski cross course
U.S. Freestyle Ski Team racers had a difficult time Saturday negotiating a very fast FIS Ski Cross World Cup course at Les Contamines, Fra. The top American, Casey Puckett of Aspen, was ousted in the first round of the finals and finished 17th. New Hampshire's Caitlin Ciccone didn't qualify for the finals and ended up 24th. And Ketchum's Langely McNeal was 43rd. Ski Cross head coach Tyler Shepherd explained this year's European courses are much faster, with more giant slalom and super G-like turns. The U.S. is focusing on earning its quota of Olympic starters for the 2010 Winter Games in Canada. Next: Another World Cup at Flaine, Fra. on Wednesday, Jan. 14.
Nordic national sprint heats
Stymied by frigid cold temperatures all week, the 2009 ConocoPhillips U.S. Cross Country Championships managed to squeeze in sprint qualifiers and final sprint heats for nearly 270 racers last Thursday at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, Ak.
University of Colorado racer Reid Pletcher of Ketchum and the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation placed fourth overall in the sprint qualifier and finished third in the "B" Finals. Ketchum's Mike Sinnott won his quarterfinal, was second in one semi-final and fourth in the "A" Finals. SVSEF racer Colin Rodgers was ninth overall in the sprint qualifier and ended sixth in the "A" Finals.
Other SVSEF racers competing in the second and final race of the week were Noah Hoffman, Miles Havlick, Willie Neal and Nicole DeYong.
Soldier Mountain downhills
Ken Corrock's Soldier Mountain Alpine Racing is getting ready for the USSA Soldier Mountain Downhill Derby Monday through Wednesday, Jan. 19-21 in Fairfield.
Two runs of downhill training will be Monday, Jan. 19 plus another training run Tuesday morning, before the first of three FIS/ENL downhills and a USSA J3 (ages 13-14) downhill Tuesday afternoon. Three more downhills are Wednesday, Jan. 21. Call Corrock at 726-8472 or email kcorrock@cox.net.
Park City Classic a good weekend for freestylers
Last weekend the Sun Valley Freestyle Team traveled to Park City Utah, to compete in the Park City Classic.
Seventeen athletes participated in five events and our athletes showed some awesome results. The team left on Wednesday and arrived late that night, ready and eager to compete the following morning.
Coming is the Sun Valley Freestyle competition Jan. 23-25 on Baldy, which is one of the largest freestyle events in the West according to Sun Valley Freestyle Team program director Andy Ware. And here's the story from Park City:
Thursday:
All the competitors woke early and piled into the van for the slopestyle at The Canyons.
Skiers were Colter Brehmer (9-J1), Tai Barrymore (3-J2, 8th overall), Colton Braatz (8-J3), Connor Braatz (6-J2), Austin Moses (6-J1, 16th overall), Nathan Moses (17-J2), Ben Parker (6-J3), Jake Freeman (13-J2) and Adam Vorsteveld (9-J3).
They put down their best stuff, but sadly Colton Braatz suffered an injury that ended his weekend.
Right after the team finished at The Canyons, the boys headed over to the Utah Olympic Park to compete in aerials.
Competitors were Colter Brehmer (4-J1, 13th overall), Tai Barrymore (1-J2, 12th), Ben Parker (7-J3), RJ Bracken, and William Eagan (3-J2).
Friday and Saturday:
Friday was single moguls day at Park City. Sun Valley skiers who aren't on the Freestyle Team did well. They were Lauren Phillips 9th overall, Aunika Phillips (2-F2, 4th), Kali Phillips (2-F1, 5th) and Austin Bourret (2-J1, 7th overall).
Among the Freestyle Team skiers were Joey Richardson (5-J3), Zana Davey (1-F2, 3rd overall), Trevor Norris (7-J3), Nathan Moses (9-J2), William Eagan (10-J2), Luke Robertson (4-J4), RJ Bracken (10-J3) and Alysha Herich (4-F4).
Saturday was dual moguls and it was just as good if not better than the previous day.
Competitors included Trevor Norris (5-J3), Nathan Moses (10-J2, 16th overall), William Eagan (9-J2, 15th), Zana Davey (2-F2, 4th overall, Round of 8 duals), Joey Richardson (6-J3, Round of 8 duals), RJ Bracken (8-J3) and Alysha Herich (4-F4). All the Sun Valley athletes were happy with how they performed and left with high spirits.
Both Kali Phillips and Austin Bourret made it to the Round of 4 duals. Placings were Lauren Phillips 12th overall, Aunika Phillips (1-F2, 3rd), Kali Phillips (2-F1, 5th) and Austin Bourret (1-J1, 3rd overall).
Sunday:
The team's final day at Park City was halfpipe competition.
All the Sun Valley athletes threw down awesome runs in the 22-foot tall pipe. They had two runs, and their best finishes are listed here.
Colter Brehmer (2-J1) placed second overall, even with a badly broken nose from a bad crash in Saturday training. Trace Page (5-J1) was sixth overall in the second event.
Others were Ben Parker (2-J3, 12th overall), Joey Richardson (7-J3), Tai Barrymore (2-J3, 7th), Austin Moses, Jake Freeman (9-J2) RJ Bracken (4-J3), Connor Braatz (7-J2, 18th), Adam Vorsteveld (5-J3). John Chrysikopoulos (10-J2), Zana Davey and Alysha Herich,
Sarchett, Dreyer lead Ski Club GS racers
Robin Sarchett and Marissa Dreyer posted the fastest two-run times as the Sun Valley Ski Club opened its 2009 race season with a giant slalom race Saturday on Baldy's Cozy run.
Nancy Auseklis gave chase for second place among the four women while Nancy Dreyer followed closely taking third place overall.
Second and third place among the men was hotly contested between local Sun Valley skier John Campbell and visiting college student Mike McCambridge. Campbell ended up second of the 20 men.
Two-run results and places:
Women—Class 0 (under 21): 1—Marissa Dreyer 71.05. Class 6 (50-54): 1—Nancy Dreyer 74.36. Class 9 (65-69): 1—Nancy Auseklis 73.25. 2—Anna Droege 75.62.
Men—Class 0: 1—Mike McCambridge 62.14. Class 3 (35-39): 1—Robin Sarchett 58.59. Class 5 (45-49): 1—John Campbell 61.96. 2—Allen Rickers 65.19. 3—Tommy Richardson 70.34. 4—Chris Flanigan 89.19.
Class 6: 1—Ken Dreyer 65.02. 2—Kipp Nelson 67.05. Class 7 (55-59): 1—Cliff Cunha 65.81. 2—Greg Moore 71.39. Class 8 (60-64): 1—Bob Sarchett 68.35. 2—Royal McClure 70.19.
Class 9: 1—Steve Slivinski 77.09. 2—Ned Lumpkin 82.63. 3—Manfred Schindler 84.60. Class 10 (70-74): 1—Carl Fullman 74.85. 2—Herb Meyr 97.20. Class 11 (75-79): 1—Al Auseklis 73.98. 2—James Tallackson 82.93. 3—Drury Cooper 86.04.
