Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club hosted the first Rocky Mountain Nordic Junior National Qualifier of the season at Howelsen Hill on Friday, December 20, and Saturday, December 21, 2024. Athletes showcased their strength in the Rocky Mountain Division with U20, U18, U16, and younger podiums in both men’s and women’s races. Over 250 athletes raced during the weekend, from collegiate athletes to as young as U10. Friday’s race was a classic ski interval start, and Saturday was a freestyle skate mass start.

On Friday, Benjamin Barbier, an SSWSC alumni now skiing for Montana State University, was 2nd overall and 1st U20 athlete. Henry Magill, an SSWSC alumni now skiing for Dartmouth College, was 2nd for the U20s (8th overall). SSWSC took two podium spots in the men’s U18 classic race, with Campbell McLaren in 2nd (5th overall) and Tristan Thrasher in 3rd (6th overall). For the women, SSWSC alumnae Sidney Barbier, skiing for the University of Denver skied an amazing race, coming in 7th overall. Grace Olexa was 2nd U20 for the women (8th overall), and SSWSC alumnae skiing for Williams College Kiri May was 3rd (19th overall). SSWSC took the top three spots in the U18 women’s classic race, with Antigone Loomis (5th overall) winning the race, Anna Rhodes in 2nd (11th overall), and Davis Brosterhous in 3rd (12th overall). In the U16 women’s race SSWSC swept the podium with Georgia Bishop in 1st (6th overall), Sophia McGinnis-Smith in 2nd (9th overall), and Maia McGinnis-Smith in 3rd (10th overall).

Saturday was equally successful, with multiple podiums in the freestyle skate race. In the women’s race, Grace Olexa was 2nd U20 (11th overall), and SSWSC alumnae Kiri May, skiing for Williams College, was 3rd (15th overall). SSWSC swept the U18 podium, Anna Rhodes had a stellar performance and won the U18 women’s race (5th overall), Antigone Loomis was 2nd (8th overall), and Eva Minotto was 3rd U18 3rd (9th overall). For the U16 women, George Bishop topped the podium with a win, and SSWSC teammate Maia McGinnis-Smith was 2nd. Sister Sophia McGinnis-Smith was just off the podium in 4th. For the men, Benjamin (Gray) Barbier won the U20 race for the second day in a row (2nd overall,) and Henry Magill was 3rd U20 (9th overall). In the U18 race, Campbell McLaren was 2nd (5th overall), and Tristan Thrasher was 3rd (7th overall). In the men’s U16 race, Bode Rhodes won the race with teammates Henry Patten (4th), Sawyer Landers (5th), and Conor Devin (6th) all having incredible races in the U16 category as well.

Young U14 SSWSC skiers Langdon Devin and Beatrice Bishop also both had incredible races.

FRIDAY CLASSIC RACE RESULTS: FULL RESULTS
MEN’S OVERALL:
1st Place: Corbin Carpenter - University AK Anchorage Ski Team
2nd Place: Benjamin Barbier - SSWSC Alumni and Montana State University Ski Team
3rd Place: Luka Riley - University of Colorado Ski Team

MEN’S U20:
1st Place: Benjamin Barbier - SSWSC Alumni and Montana State University Ski Team
2nd Place: Henry Magill - SSWSC Alumni and Dartmouth College
3rd Place: Ben Oldham - University of New Hampshire

MEN’S U18:
1st Place: William Bentley - Ski and Snowboard Club Vail
2nd Place: Campbell McLaren - SSWSC
3rd Place: Tristan Thrasher - SSWSC

MEN’S U16:
1st Place: Sawyer Landers - SSWSC
2nd Place: Peter Kan - Ski and Snowboard Club Vail
3rd Place: Freedom Bennett - Ski and Snowboard Club Vail

WOMEN’S OVERALL:
1st Place: Rose Horning - University of Vermont
2nd Place: Sophie Spalding - University of Colorado Ski Team
3rd Place: Mica Bodkins - Middlebury College

WOMEN’S U20:
1st Place: Rose Horning - University of Vermont
2nd Place: Grace Olexa - SSWSC
3rd Place: Kiri May - SSWSC Alumnae and Williams College

WOMEN’S U18:
1st Place: Antigone Loomis - SSWSC
2nd Place: Anna Rhodes - SSWSC
3rd Place: Davis Brosterhous - SSWSC

WOMEN’S U16:
1st Place: Georgia Bishop - SSWSC
2nd Place: Sopha McGinnis-Smith - SSWSC
3rd Place: Maia McGinnis-Smith - SSWSC

SATURDAY FREESTYLE SKATE RACE RESULTS: FULL RESULTS
MEN’S OVERALL:
1st Place: Corbin Carpenter - University AK Anchorage Ski Team
2nd Place: Benjamin Barbier - SSWSC alumni and Montana State University
3rd Place: William Bentley - Ski and Snowboard Club Vail

MEN’S U20:
1st Place: Benjamin Barbier - SSWSC alumni and Montana State University
2nd Place: James Sowers - Summit Ski Team
3rd Place: Henry Magill - SSWSC Alumni and Dartmouth College

MEN’S U18:
1st Place: William Bentley - Ski and Snowboard Club Vail
2nd Place: Campbell McLaren - SSWSC
3rd Place: Tristan Thrasher - SSWSC

MEN’S U16:
1st Place: Bode Rhodes - SSWSC
2nd Place: Jackson Mayer - Jackson Hole
3rd Place: Walker Dunn Jackson Hole

WOMEN’S OVERALL:
1st Place: Karolina Kaleta - University of Colorado
2nd Place: Rose Horning - University of Vermont
3rd Place: Sophie Spalding - University of Colorado

WOMEN’S U20:
1st Place: Rose Horing - University of Colorado
2nd Place: Graoc Olexa - SSWSC
3rd Place: Kiri May - SSWSC alumnae and Williams College

WOMEN’S U18:
1st Place: Anna Rhodes - SSWSC
2nd Place: Antigone Loomis - SSWSC
3rd Place: Eva Minotto - SSWSC

WOMEN’S U16:
1st Place: Georgia Bishop - SSWSC
2nd Place: Maia McGinnis-Smith - SSWSC
3rd Place: Luca Archie - Boulder Nordic