Cross Country

Mike Elliott/RMN U14 Youth Ski Festival 2021
SSWSC XC hosted the Rocky Mountain U14 Youth ski Festival this past Friday and Saturday. Teams from as far away as New Mexico were on hand to compete in the two day event on the Howelsen Nordic Trail System. The competing age groups included: U10, U12, and U14. Each day was split into three races to comply with county health requirements. The event was the final RMN racing opportunity for these age groups.
Day #1 was a traditional individual start freestyle race- 3/2.5/1 kilometer distance depending upon your age. Conditions were winter like and optimal for XC ski racing.
Full Results found HERE
Top SSWSC Results:
U14 Female
3rd- Nikita Andre
6th- Tig Loomis
U14 Male
2nd- Campbell McLaren
3rd- Tristan Thrasher
U12 Female
2nd- Georgia Bishop
5th- Rae Olexa
8th- Emi Goldsmith
U12 Male
1st- Charlie Wiedel
7th- Colin Clark
10th- Connor Devin
U10 Female
3rd- Quinn Loomis
5th- Beatrice Bishop
8th- Annika Wiedel
9th- Klara Novotny
U10 Male
2nd- Jett Brosterhous

Day #2
In keeping with the spirit of past U14 Youth ski Festivals, Saturday’s event was targeted to be unique and creative. U12/U14 athletes took off from the high point of Howelsen Meadows at 30 second intervals using the Freestyle technique. After a bit of rolling terrain the race course dipped decidedly downward as racers navigated the challenging “Splash Mountain” and “Elevator Shaft” course segments. With the addition of early morning powder, there were some spectacular crashes into the soft snow. U10 competitors started from a lower launch point and also had a challenging descent. All races finished in the Romick Rodeo Arena.
Top SSWSC Results:
U14 Female
1st- Nikita Andre
6th- Tig Loomis
8th- Shea Rossi
U14 Male
1st- Campbell McLaren
2nd- Tristan Thrasher
U12 Female
1st- Emi Goldsmith
3rd- Georgia Bishop
4th- Rae Olexa
U12 Male
3rdt- Charlie Wiedel
6th- Colin Clark
9th- Bode Rhodes
10th- Jackson McLaren
U10 Female
1st- Quinn Loomis
3rd- Beatrice Bishop
9th- Klara Novotny
10th- Annika Wiedel
U10 Male
3rd- Jett Brosterhous

Norah Graham

Jett Brosterhous

Race Report from recent races in Carbondale, Colorado- 2/19+2/20
Rocky Mountain Nordic Series Races, hosted by Aspen Valley Ski Club

It had been a long time since any SSWSC XC athlete had competed at the Spring Gulch Nordic Area outside Carbondale, Colorado. Many of the present athletes and even coaches, had not been there. It is a community run center, with a strong volunteer base. There are no facilities, such as a lodge there. The trails wind through Gamble Oak, Pinion Pine, and sage brush, so the topography is quite different from other XC courses in Colorado.
There were two races on the schedule for February 19th and 20th. The first race was limited to U16 and older athletes and was an interval start Classic Race- 5/10k distance. The twisty and narrow nature of the trail system made for challenging skiing. SSWSC results are as follows:
U18/20 males
4th- Griff Rillos (6 seconds from third place)
6th- Trey Jones
U18/20 females
6th- Sidney Barbier
8th- Ellery Hodges
10th- Heidi Andre
12th Ruby May
13th- Grace Zanni
16th- Karina Romanova
U16 males
3rd- Grey Barbier
6th- Thomas Cooper
9th- Campbell McLaren
16th- Owen Jones

U16 females
4th- Nikita Andre (a U14 but skiing up an age group, impressive result!)
9th- Kiri May
10th- Grace Olexa
18th- Alena Rossi
19th- Wren Capra

Saturday’s race was an Individual Start Freestyle and was opened up to younger age groups. SSWSC XC did have good representation in the younger age groups and these athletes skied well. U12 athlete, Charlie Wiedel, took his first win! Grace Zanni rebounded from Friday’s performance with a great 2nd place result in the U18/20 female 10k. Griff Rillos, Grey Barbier, and Thomas Cooper all secured podium finishes in their respective races.
SSWSC results are as follows:
U12 males
1st- Charlie Wiedel
7th- Colin Clark
10th- Sawyer Landers
11th- Bode Rhodes
17th- Jackson McLaren
21st- Lynx Beauregard
22nd- Fischer Bearegard

U14 females
5th- Shea Sias
6th- Shea Rossi
16th- Anna Rhodes
U14 males
12th- Luke Bedell
U16 females
3rd- Nikita Andre
4th- Kiri May
5th- Grace Olexa
10th- Alena Rossi
12th- Wren Capra
U16 males
2nd- Grey Barbier
3rd- Thomas Cooper
6th- Campbell McLaren (impressive result, skiing up an age group)
9th- Owen Jones
U18/20 females
2nd- Grace Zanni
5th- Sidney Barbier
7th- Ellery Hodges
12th- Karina Romanova
15th- Ruby May
16th- Heidi Andre

U18/20 males
3rd- Griff Rillos

Heidi Andre

Alpine

U14
Congratulations to the following athletes qualifying for U14 Championships in Vail March 8-11!
Abby Olson, Kat Cosby, Hazel Fernley, Anna Rhodes, Merritt Flanigan, Caley Goforth, Bella Fisher, Kinsley Jacobson, Logan Grosdidier, Adrian Beauregard, Caman Beauregard, Cole Contois, Nicholas Bradford, Willem Bradford, Owen Wither, Kade Lawton, Ashton Roth

U.S. Rocky/Central U16 Championships
The fastest 14-16 year old skiers in the 18-state Rocky/Central Region test their slalom mettle on the historic and challenging slopes of Howelsen Hill for the title of U16 slalom champion. SSWSC athletes had an incredible turn out with multiple podium results!



Read the articles in the Steamboat Pilot:
Steamboat in second: Nolting, Haerter earn podium finishes in Junior Championships
Finally first: Nolting wins slalom, super combined as Steamboat men sweep podium at junior championships

Women’s Downhill Awards

Men’s Downhill Awards

Women’s Super G

Men’s Super G

Women’s Combined

Men’s Combined

Women’s Slalom

Men’s Slalom

Men’s GS

Freeskiing

The Back Country Education teams trained last week with a special guest: Classic Air Medical! Classic Air Medical was glad to stop by to teach athletes the importance of back country safety, and share examples of how they get called in to assist with rescues.