Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation J3 (ages 13-14) alpine racer Will Harder turned some heads by winning three of his four J3 races during the Dec. 16-19 Eric Hays Memorial A-J3 Open Series of technical races at Park City (Utah).
Harder captured both Eric Hays slalom races Thursday and Friday, then kept it up on the Payday course Saturday with a giant slalom victory—finishing 35th, 35th and 38th overall in a strong field of racers. He was the SVSEF star of the weekend.
SVSEF racers with podium finishes in their classes were KJ Savaria third in J2 (ages 15-16) slalom and 14th overall Friday; and Amanda Stelling third in J2 girls' slalom Thursday and eighth overall.
Posting fourth places were Kipling Weisel, Connor Farrow, Sierra Fox and Jordan Fitzgerald.
While most of the SVSEF alpine team stayed in Park City, six older competitors traveled to Steamboat Springs and Winter Park, Colo. for the Surefoot Steamboat Holiday Classic on Howelsen Hill.
Teagen Palmer won the J2 women's class Sunday and finished 13th overall in the slalom; Nicole Roos had two solid back-to-back slalom finishes with ninth and fifth J2 (36th and 28th overall);
Harlan Collins was 31st in slalom and 28th of 70 slalom finishers Sunday, taking 16th in J1 (ages 17-19); Amanda Stelling placed sixth among J2 slalom skiers and 29th overall Sunday; and J1 racer Sierra Fox was 53rd in Saturday's slalom;
Former SVSEF racer and University of Colorado student Bergen Palmer finished 27th overall Saturday and ninth among J1s; and SVSEF alumni Lauren Eder was 11th of 55 racers in Sunday's slalom.
At the Eric Hays, there were 131 boys and 94 girls from Utah, Wyoming and Idaho in the tech series presented by the Park City Ski Team. The SVSEF sent a team of 37 racers to the Eric Hays. Class placings and overall distinctions for SVSEF:
J1 boys (ages 17-19): Miles Sweek 6-SL, 7-SL, DNF-GS, DNF-GS ; Harlan Collins 8-SL; and Tanner Dirstine DNF-SL, 13-SL, 8-GS, 9-GS.
J1 girls: Sierra Fox 4-SL (9th overall SL); Reta Flynt DNF-SL, 11-SL, DNF-GS.
J2 boys (ages 15-16): KJ Savaria 5-SL, 3-SL (14th overall SL), 10-GS, DNF-GS; Connor Farrow 7-SL, 8-SL, 4-GS, 7-GS; Ben Kanellitsas 11-SL, DQ-SL; Colin Waycott 16-SL, 22-SL, 22-GS, 15-GS; Cole Caulkins 19-SL, 21-SL, 26-GS, 22-GS; Taylor Adler 24-SL, 28-SL, 25-GS, DNF-GS; Logan Shipley DNF-SL, 29-SL, 30-GS, 25-GS; and Kipling Weisel DNF-SL, 7-SL, 7-GS, 4-GS (12th overall GS).
J2 girls: Amanda Stelling 3-SL (8th overall SL); Sofia DeWolfe 12-SL, 17-SL, 23-GS; Petra Zeiler 18-SL, 32-SL, 21-GS, 14-GS; and Nicole Roos DNF-SL.
J3 boys (ages 13-14): William Harder 1-SL, 1-SL (35th and 35th SL overall), 1-GS (38th), DNF-GS; Tanner Josey 10-SL, 11-SL, 8-GS, 13-GS; Austin Savaria 15-SL, 30-SL, DNF-GS, 18-GS; Taylor Cooper 19-SL, 20-SL, 26-GS, 20-GS; Griffin Curtis 32-SL, 33-SL, 33-GS, 25-GS; Will Long 34-SL, 39-SL, 31-GS, 23-GS; Michael Levy 35-SL, 38-SL, 39-GS, 40-GS; Jack Rizzo 36-SL, 40-SL, 43-GS, 39-GS; Emmett Say DNF-SL, 28-SL, 30-GS, DNF-GS, 38-GS; Jay Fitzgerald DNF-SL, 24-GS; and Carson Jones-Wilkins 48-GS, 46-GS.
J3 girls: Olivia Wentzell 10-SL, 28-SL, 24-GS, 25-GS; Chloe Francois 12-SL, 27-SL, 32-GS, 27-GS; Alexandra Black 13-SL, 30-SL, 31-GS, 21-GS; Loni Unser 14-SL, 32-SL, 37-GS, 31-GS; Samantha Busby 17-SL, 15-SL, 12-GS, 7-GS; Megan Murphy DNF-SL, 16-SL, 17-GS, 12-GS; Haley Cutler DNF-SL, 5-SL, 6-GS, 6-GS; Madison Milgard DNF-SL, 19-SL, 23-GS, 15-GS; Josie Allison DQ-SL, 11-SL, 19-GS, 10-GS; and Jordan Fitzgerald DQ-SL, 6-SL, 4-GS, DNF-GS.
