Flathead Valley alpine skiers find success at home races
The Flathead Valley Ski Education Foundation hosted a series of U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association races at Whitefish Mountain Resort last weekend. The Youth Ski League (YSL) races for U8 – U14 classes included a Giant Slalom on Saturday and Slalom on Sunday.
Over 140 athletes from Northern Division teams including FVSEF, Blacktail, Missoula, Discovery, Great Divide, Bridger, Big Sky, Red Lodge, and Black Hills in South Dakota participated in the competitions.
This was the first opportunity to race at home in three years for the FVSEF team, which had approximately 50 starters in the line-up, many of whom were racing for the first time. Local racers experienced everything, from disqualifications and crashes to standing on the podium in all age groups and genders, learning valuable life lessons along the way.
Podium winners on Saturday in the girls’ GS included the overall winner, Adelyn Danley (U12), second place for first-time racer Maggie Fullerton in the U14 girls, and U8 winner Lorraine Elliott. In the boys’ GS, FVSEF athlete Theo Elliott (U12) was the overall race winner. Owen Grace and Arthur McIntosh were second and third in the U14 age class, respectively, Henryk Hadidi won and teammate River Schmidt finished second for U10s, and Sky Bungener won the U8 boys race.
On Sunday the teams battled it out in soft snow conditions that were manageable thanks to tireless volunteer course crews.
In the girls’ SL Maggie Fullerton was again second for U14 girls with teammate Evelyn Barnett finishing just behind her in third. Lorraine Elliott won the U8 race for the second day in a row. On the boys’ side, first-time racers Harrison Hayes and Tayber Shockey finished an impressive second and third place, respectively, in the U14 age class. Stephan Hadidi and Jude Petro also finished in second and third in the U12 age group. Wes Patzer skied into third place for the U8 boys.
Podium winners were again awarded with unique snowflake medals crafted by Mr. Ryan Boyle’s intermediate and advanced welding students at Whitefish High School.
Flathead Valley Ski Education Foundation race team send a huge thank you to Whitefish Mountain Resort and to over 50 volunteers who helped make these races a success.
Race Results:
GS
U8 Girls: Lorraine Elliott 1.
U10 Girls: Aida Grace 5, Sierra Duchesne 10, Sterling Averill 11.
U12 Girls: Adelyn Danley 1, Ainsley Crawford 4, Ellie Patzer 8, Josie Nelson 12, Cadence Ackerschott 15, Elaina Lozar 17, Violet Hoppes 18, Emma Patzer 20, Sierra Wilson 22, Emerson Prezeau 23, Madeline Burton 25, Mia Lengacher 27, Abby Harrell 28.
U14 Girls: Maggie Fullerton 2, Evelyn Barnett 4, Freya Wilson 5.
U8 Boys: Sky Bungener 1.
U10 Boys: Henryk Hadidi 1, River Schmidt 2, Cristian Steele 6, Bentley Harriman 10, Soren Cameron 12, Finley Lozar 13, Carver Clase 14.
U12 Boys: Theo Elliott 1, Riley Ralston-Love 5, Jude Petro 6, Hank Duchesne 7, Phoenix Winans 8, Stephan Hadidi 11, Edmund Dickson 14, George Dickson 17, Miles McIntosh 18.
U14 Boys: Owen Grace 2, Arthur McIntosh 3, Hayes 4, Tayber Shockey 6, Laird Averill 7, Huck Jostrum 8.
SL
U8 Girls: Lorraine Elliott 1.
U10 Girls: Aida Grace 4, Molly Waier 11, Sterling Averill 14.
U12 Girls: Ellie Patzer 5, Ainsley Crawford 8, Sierra Wilson 10, Cadence Ackerschott 14, Abby Harrell 16, Elaina Lozar 17, Emerson Prezeau 18, Emma Patzer 19, Mia Lengacher 22.
U14 Girls: Maggie Fullerton 2, Evelyn Barnett 3, Freya Wilson 4.
U8 Boys: Wes Patzer 3rd
U10 Boys: Finley Lozar 4, Soren Cameron 6, Bentley Harriman 7, Henryk Hadidi 8, Cristian Steele 10.
U12 Boys: Stephan Hadidi 2, Jude Petro 3, Edmund Dickson 5, Phoenix Winans 1o, George Dickson 16, Miles McIntosh 18, Hank Duchesne 23.
U14 Boys: Harrison Hayes 2, Tayber Shockey 3.
Racers celebrate on the podium last weekend at WMR. (Photo provided)