FVSEF skiers take the podium at various races
FVSEFR racer Kellie Klepper competes in the ND U14 Championships at Red Lodge Mountain. (Photo courtesy of Paul Bussi, IdealPhotography.com)
FVSEF racers and coaches at the Northern Division YSL Championships at Bridger Bowl. From left to right, Lucy Love, Hazel Remley, Madeline Burton, Lola Zinser, Kira Paatalo, Dynalea Thomblin, Asylin Johnson, Lillie Groom, Liesl Brust and Sidney McPhie, and Piper Marbarger laying in front. In the back row are coaches Madeline Williams, Tommy Hoover and Erika Florian. (Photo courtesy of Madeline Williams)
Twenty-three Flathead Valley Ski Education Foundation skiers have been selected to compete in Western Region and Northern Division Championship events at Big Sky, Red Lodge Bridger Bowl in Montana, and Mammoth Mountain, California.
Western Region is one of three major regions in the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association. In addition to Montana, the region includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota, California, Nevada and Alaska. The skiers qualified for these Championships during December, January and February events hosted at Whitefish Mountain Resort, Red Lodge, Big Sky and Bridger Bowl (Bozeman).
Regional Championships for U19s and U14s were cancelled due to ongoing restrictions for COVID in some areas. Regional Championships for U16s are moving forward, as well as Northern Division Championships for U14 and U12 and under.
The U16 Western Region Championships are scheduled for Mammoth, CA on April 6-9. From FVSEF, Christian Lund is one of only three Montana boys to qualify for this event, while Lund’s teammate Clayton Surber was named first alternate.
The Western Region U16 Tri-Divisional Championships were hosted at Big Sky on March 18-21. In addition to Montana, skiers came from Alaska, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming to participate. FVSEF skiers Clayton Surber, Tess Lewison, Raiya McCutcheon and Isla Bougard-Duncan were selected to participate in this event along with coach Annie Jobe. The event included two Super-G races, one Giant Slalom and one Slalom.
Clayton Surber placed ninth and sixth in the Super-G races, 12th in the Giant Slalom and 9th in Slalom.
Tess Lewison placed 16th, 23rd, 16th and 16th in the same races, while Raiya McCutcheon placed 20th, 12th, 12th and 15th.
Isla Bougard-Duncan placed 22nd, 28th and 28th in races.
The Northern Division U14 Championships were held at Red Lodge on March 19 – 21. Nine athletes from FVSEF attended along with Coaches Kyle Taylor and Roy Loman.
In the girls giant slalom on Friday, Kellie Klepper placed fifth, Melody McNally placed sith, Amelia Remly placed 11th, Valerie Cross placed 12th and Guinevere Tomblin placed 16th.
In the boys giant slalom on Friday, Lane Murray placed fifth, Jackson Surber placed seventh and Parker Retz placed 13th.
On Sunday, in the girls slalom Amelia Remly placed seventh, Melody McNally placed ninth, Valerie Cross places 12th, Kellie Klepper placed fifth, and Guinevere Tomblin placed 20th. In the boys slalom, Jackson Surber placed fourth and Parker Retz placed 10th.
Although the U14 and U19 Regional Championships were cancelled, Northern Division announced the selections for those events to acknowledge those athletes who would have qualified for their championships. FVSEF Athletes Jackson Surber and Melody McNally qualified for the U14 Western Region Championships, and Shaye Ewing was named for the U19 Western Region Championships.
The Northern Division Youth Ski League Championships were held at Bridger Bowl Ski Area, on March 11 - 14. 22 FVSEF skiers attended the event with coaches Madeline Williams, Tommy Hoover and Erica Florian.
On Thursday, in the girls slalom in U12 Sydney McPhie placed third, Liesl Brust placed 10th, Lola Zinser placed 11th, Kira Paatalo placed 17th, Piper Marbarger placed 21st, Hazel Remly 21st and Dynalia Tomblin placed 22nd. In the U10 girls slalom, Kessa Drendel placed 11th and in the U8 Lucy Love placed first and Madeline Burton placed second.
In the girls Kombi on Thursday in the U12, Sydney McPhie placed first, Liesl Brust fourth, Lola Zinser placed eighth, Kira Paatalo placed ninth, Piper Marbarger placed 20th, Dynalia Tomblin placed 28th, Ayslin Johnson placed 29th, Hazel Remley 30th, Avery Retz placed 32nd, Lillie Groom placed 39th. In the U10, Kessa Drendel placed 13th and in the U8, Lucy Love placed first while Madeline Burton placed second.
In the girls Giant Slalom on Friday, in the U12 Liesl Brust placed second, Kira Paatalo placed 12th, Piper Marberger placed 23rd, Lola Zinser placed 24th, Hazel Remley placed 25th, Ayslin Johnson placed 28th, Dynalia Tomblin placed 29th, Avery Retz placed 30th, Lillie Groom placed 34th. In the U10, Kessa Drendel placed 12th and in the U8, Lucy Love placed first and Madeline Burton placed fourth.
In the boys Slalom on Saturday, in the U14 Brayden Hoover placed first. In the U12, Wyatt Nadeau placed seventh, Thomas Airhart placed 12th, Ace Lee placed 22nd, and in the U10, Colter Bengtson placed second and Louis Groom placed 10th.
On Saturday in the boys Kombi in the U14, Brayden Hoover placed first. In U12, Diego Bougard-Duncan placed eighth, Cassius Keim placed 12th, Wyatt Nadeau placed 15th, Thomas Airhart placed 20th, Rylan Hoover placed 24th and Ace Lee placed 31st. In the U10, Colter Bengtson placed second and Louis Groom placed 15th.
On Sunday in the boys Giant Slalom in the U14, Brayden Hoover placed first. In the U12, Diego Bougard-Duncan placed third, Cassius Keim placed fifth, Wyatt Nadeau placed eighth, Thomas Airhart placed 10th, Rylan Hoover placed 18th, Ace Lee placed 28th and in the U10, Colter Bengston placed first and Louis Groom placed 15th.
For more information contact Tim Hinderman, FVSEF Director 406-885-2730
