The 3-day season-ending YSL Championships for USSA’s Northern Division was held at Whitefish Mountain Resort this past weekend with 26 Whitefish racers, ages 6-14, competing in a strong field of 185 athletes from a three state region. Friday’s event was a 2 run, fast Giant Slalom course that tested each racers speed and stamina. Saturday was a challenging, technical 2-run tall gate Slalom race requiring quickness and technical skills tempered with speed. The final day was a single-run Kombi race combining the elements of both disciplines.
Drive and determination paid off for all of the Whitefish athletes; and 10 year-old Colter Upton capped a great season with 3 podium finishes, along with a spot on the Overall Podium. He posted two ripping slalom runs on Saturday to finish on top of the podium in 1st place. He also garnered two 3rd place finishes in Giant Slalom and Kombi. Overall points were tallied throughout the weekend for racers in all divisions to crown the top 3 boys and girls for the entire event. As a 1st year J5 racer (9-10 year olds), Upton surprised the field landing in 3rd in the boys Overall standings. Those podium spots are generally occupied by racers 2-3 years older. The Northern Division manager could only recall one other J5 racer achieving that coveted position in recent memory. Upton commented that standing next to racer’s he’s admired for the past 3 season’s on that podium is his new “best skiing memory”.
10 year-old Whitefish racer, Liam Nelson, really found his groove this weekend and finished on top of the J5 podium in Giant Slalom, along with a strong 4th place finish in Slalom Saturday. In his first year of racing on the YSL circuit he has become an amazing racer this season. Nelson says GS is his favorite because he can “go really fast” and that he does.
As well, Whitefish’s 8 year-old Gardner Dominick who does it all on skis, and showed it this weekend. He put all his strengths together to take 1st place on Sunday in his division, along with two 2nd’s in GS and Slalom. With his great balance and slick moves, he is a very fun skier to watch.
Multiple Top 10 finishes from the Whitefish team included: J4 Pixie Moore 8th in Kombi, J6 Marina Kramer 3rd in GS, 3rd in SL and 4th in Kombi, J5 Walt Hollensteiner 6th in Kombi and 10th in GS, J5 Ian Calloway 7th in GS, J6 Zane Elliott 5th in Kombi and 8th in GS. Cameron Kahle of Whitefish also finished with a strong 4th, 5th, and 6th places respectively in J6 boys.
A large group of young racers from the team competed and were led on the podium by 6 year-old Trey Nelson, finishing with two 1st places and a 2nd in his division. Elizabeth Spradlin got a 2nd place finish in the girls 5-6 year old group. Mikaela Daniels was 3rd in the Kombi and 5th GS and Murial Mercer was 6th in SL,7th in the Kombi and 8th GS.
The Jr 3; 13-14 year old J3 racers competed and the field was dominated by Whitefish athletes with Piper Howeth earning three 1st places, Kelly Shea with three 2nd’s, Britt Walton two 1st’s and a 3rd, Oliver Van Everen a 1st and two 2nd’s, and Cameron Welch with a 2nd and a 3rd.
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