Inside Edge: Sandpoint Nordic shows depth in competition
(Photo courtesy of VICKI LONGHINI) Sandpoint Nordic Development Team member, Taylor Bannick (on the ground), receives a coaching lesson from former U.S. biathlon team member, Ben Scott, on the shooting range this weekend.
World Cup — The U.S. ladies Tech team competed in giant slalom and slalom at Kranjska-Gora, Slovenia this week. The only lady in the points was Nina O’Brien who placed 26th in GS.
The men had a speed week at Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria. Bryce Bennett finished 12th in the downhill, leading three other Americans into the points. Travis Ganong was 15th, Steve Nyman 21st and Jared Goldberg 30th. Ganong also placed seventh in the super-G, followed by Ryan Cochran-Siegle in 16th.
Notably absent from the tour for the second week was reigning women’s overall champion, Mikaela Shiffrin, who is mourning her father’s unexpected death.
Emerald Empire Youth Ski League — The second round of Youth Ski League competition was hosted by Mount Spokane last weekend. Nearly 180 athletes competed in two days of slalom.
Results (top 15): Girls (U8) — Jordyn Lemon posted two first place finishes, Tekla Lien was third on Sunday, Libby Welker was fourth and fifth on the weekend and Stella Albright finished fourth on Saturday. Girls (U10) — Elaina Stiller finished third and first, Zayda Ambauen took ninth on Sunday and Clara Sherman captured 14th on Saturday.
Boys (U8) — Solen Landwehr won his age class both days. Boys U10 — Wyatt Lemon won his class both days, followed by Rhys Taylor in second both days. Logan Johnston finished eighth and 13th. Boys (U12) — Ryce Sharp was fourth on Sunday while Jeru Gedley secured fifth and 16th on the weekend. Dakota Landwehr was ninth and sixth.
Other competitors were Alexander Hopkins, James Schriber, Faith Stephany and Halle Wyman.
Third Annual Wolf Chase — The Kootenai Nordic Club hosted the third annual Wolf Chase. Sandpoint brought 13 skiers and nearly all are part of the Sandpoint Nordic Race and Development teams.
The morning kicked off with classic sprint heats of 1/4K or 1K distance. Sprints were followed by the highlight of the day — the biathlon. In biathlon, skiers use freestyle or skate technique and ski either a 1.5K or 3K course. Each course loops through the biathlon range 1-2 times (1.5K and 3K distance). The skiers stop, pick up rifles and shoot from the prone position at targets, taking penalty laps for each target missed. Total race time combines ski time, shooting time and penalty time.
Sandpoint skiers Jacinta Howard, Becket Howard, Sophie Brubaker finished second, 10th and 11th respectively in the 1.5K biathlon race. Jett Longanecker, Kasten Grimm and Fletcher Barrett captured first, second and third respectively in the 3K race. Jonas Benson, Evan Brubaker, Grace Rookey, Pax Longanecker, Jude Benson, Elia Howard and Taylor Bannick also took fifth, eighth, 12th, 14th, 15th, 19th and 21st respectively In the 3K.
Starlight Race Series No. 2 — The second day of competition was contested on good, hard snow. We’ll use raw scores to report individuals and adjusted for teams.
The fastest Alpine men were Gabe Lauper and Matt Conger. The fastest Alpine women were Theresa Kemink and Melinda Rossman. Telemark men were Ben Higgs and Charles Chesbro and women Natasha Splaine-Talbot and Dig Chrismer.
Snowboard men were Anton Pogue and Adam Tajan and women Tracy Tuttle and Heather Johnston. In the team competition, “Chaps and a Flap” now leads “All Bonnie — No Clyde” for top billing. And the team name of the day ... “Crashing Gates ... Not Markets.”
This weekend at Schweitzer — It’s the fifth anniversary of Get the Girls Out at Schweitzer Mountain Resort on Sunday. Once again they’ll be donning leis, shaking grass skirt tutus and bringing the spirit of the luau to the mountain.
There will be activities for all ages & abilities including crowning a ‘Queen of the Greens,’ hunting for the elusive Golden Girafficorn, runs down the NASTAR course, an over-the-top raffle and so much more. Come and join in celebrating the joy of gliding on snow, the warmth of each other’s company and the enormous power of sisterhood. Aloha!
Potpourri — The U14 racers head to Stevens Pass this weekend for super-G, while the U16 and above head to Mt. Bachelor for super-G and downhill competition. Any comments, recommendations or contributions to this column may be sent to Shep Snow by email at shep@thesnowschool.com. Negative feedback should be sent to someone else.