Skiers impress with medal haul at YSL Championships

The Whitefish Mountain Resort ski team took advantage of the familiar terrain on Ed’s Run to rack up more than a dozen medals at the Youth Ski League Championships last weekend.

Whitefish hosted the three-day USSA Northern Division event and finished in second overall as a team behind Big Sky.

Whitefish’s Peyton Charest led the team in earning the boys overall individual silver medal. He placed fifth in super G, second in giant slalom and fourth in slalom.

Walt Hollensteiner placed third overall for boys, finishing sixth in super G, third in giant slalom, and fifth in slalom.

Whitefish coach Roy Loman said the duo was focused all weekend.

“The were concentrating on the fundamentals and preparation,” Loman said. “Then they just calmly went about putting it down on race day. They were both really consistent and executed.”

On Friday, three Whitefish boys swept the super G races. Devin Beale won gold, Colter Upton silver and Camas Rinehart bronze.

It’s not the first time this season Whitefish has swept a podium at the U14 level, Loman said.

“We’ve got a group of boys that are dynamic and they just springboard off each other,” he said. “Those boys have been really focused all year long and have pulled each other along.”

On the girls side, Whitefish speedster Isabelle Cooke took gold in the super G, while Finley McCarthy finished with a bronze.

Loman commended the team in dealing with the changing course conditions as cold mornings gave way to warm afternoons and difficult snow.

“Conditions changed radically from morning to afternoon,” he said. “But we were pretty adaptable and pulled it off well.”

The championships featured more than 200 racers from across the state. Whitefish had a strong contingent of 49 skiers.

Loman thanked all the volunteers who helped pull off the races.

“Everyone pitched in,” he said. “It was fun and paid off with a great event.”

Top performers on the team next head to the championships in Big Sky were they face racers in the Intermountain Division.

Overall Team Awards

1. Big Sky

2. Whitefish Mountain Resort

3. Bridger

Individual Overall - Girls

1. Reece Bell - Big Sky

2. Violet Newhouse - Bridger

3. Ella Kopplin - Big Sky

Individual Overall - Boys

1. Max Larimer - Discovery

2. Peyton Charest - Whitefish Mountain Resort

3. Walt Hollensteiner - Whitefish Mountain Resort

Friday Girls Super G

1. Reece Bell - Big Sky

2. Riley Ashbell - Bridger

3. Violet Newhouse - Bridger

Friday Boys Super G

1. Devin Beale - Whitefish Mountain Resort

2. Colter Upton - Whitefish Mountain Resort

3. Camas Rinehart - Whitefish Mountain Resort

5. Peyton Charest - Whitefish Mountain Resort

6. Walt Hollensteiner - Whitefish Mountain Resort

10. Ian Calaway - Whitefish Mountain Resort

Friday Girls Giant Slalom

1. Isabelle Cooke - Whitefish Mountain Resort

2. Brooke Brown - Bridger

3. Finley McCarthy - Whitefish Mountain Resort

4. Campbell Fox - Whitefish Mountain Resort

7. Addison Bahr - Whitefish Mountain Resort

9. Tess Lewison - Whitefish Mountain Resort

Friday Boys Giant Slalom

1. Finn Begley - Red Lodge

2. Ryder Elliott - Whitefish Mountain Resort

3. Jack Muhlfeld - Whitefish Mountain Resort

6. Douglas Reed - Whitefish Mountain Resort

Saturday Girls Giant Slalom

1. Violet Newhouse - Bridger

2. Reece Bell - Big Sky

3. Ella Kopplin - Big Sky

Saturday Boys Giant Slalom

1. Max Larimer - Discovery

2. Payton Charest - Whitefish Mountain Resort

3. Walt Hollensteiner - Whitefish Mountain Resort

5. Collin Harper - Whitefish Mountain Resort

6. Chase Sabin - Whitefish Mountain Resort

7. Tyler Anderson - Whitefish Mountain Resort

10. William Lewison - Whitefish Mountain Resort

Sunday Girls Slalom

1. Reece Bell - Big Sky

2. Riley Belle Becker - Big Sky

3. Cameron Leo - Red Lodge

Sunday Boys Slalom

1. Max Larimer - Discovery

2. Devin Beale - Whitefish Mountain Resort

3. Colter Upton - Whitefish Mountain Resort

4. Peyton Charest - Whitefish Mountain Resort

5. Walt Hollensteiner - Whitefish Mountain Resort

6. Tyler Anderson - Whitefish Mountain Resort

8. Chase Sabin - Whitefish Mountain Resort

9. Ian Callaway - Whitefish Mountain Resort