BSSEF hosts first alpine races of season

Nordic team starts strong, Freeride gearing up

By Luke Kirchmayr EBS Contributor

Over the past few weeks, the Big Sky Freeride team has been preparing for this year’s competitions, including the upcoming Snowbird National Jan. 18-21 and the Jackson Regional Jan. 25-27. To help prepare for official events, they held a mock competition on the Obsidian terrain with an IFSA-certified judge present to expose the athletes to the judging process.

The team is also participating in an avalanche safety class from the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center on Sunday, Jan. 20.

Alpine

The official start of the 2018-2019 alpine ski race season at Big Sky Resort was hosted by the Big Sky Ski Education Foundation with a U16 regional qualifier, Jan. 4-6. The races started with a giant slalom on Jan. 4, followed by two slaloms Jan. 5 and 6. The races were held on Tippy’s Tumble and the Ambush headwall via the new connector built under the Ramcharger 8 chairlift. Conditions were perfect with sunshine and a hard, fast surface, and there were more than 80 racers competing from Montana and South Dakota.  

On the same weekend, there was an additional race hosted by the Bridger Bowl Ski Foundation at Bridger Bowl Ski Area that was open to U8 through U16 racers. The event was well attended with more than 130 racers, including 20 competitors from the Big Sky Ski Team. 

Racing continued in Big Sky with National FIS races Jan. 9-15. Some of the best national junior racers in the nation where present at this event hosted by the Big Sky Ski Education Foundation. The strong field of 190 racers was open only to competitors U19 and older, and with mostly blue bird days and bone-hard surface conditions on Tippy’s Tumble and Ambush, the course was in ideal shape. Five members of the Big Sky Ski Team qualified for this very competitive event. 

Race results: Big Sky alpine team:

U16 and older

Women’s giant slalom, Jan. 4

5. St. Cyr, Maci (1:49:89)

7. St. Cyr, Franci (1:51:40)

9. Winters, Madison (1:52:24)

10. Winters, Mackenzie (1:52:27)

13. Carisch, Gracie (1:53:23)

14. Davis, Hillary (1:54:82)

24. Jarrett, Emma (2:08:19)

29. Jarret, Gracie (2:26:13)

Men’s giant slalom, Jan. 4

4. Johnson, Sam (1:47:14)

8. Hassman, Kjetil (1:47:97)

13. Kirchmayr, Luke (1:54:07)

19. Hoover, Miles (1:58:68)

Women’s slalom, Jan. 5

4. St. Cyr, Macie (1:27:63)

9. Winters, Madison (1:30:17)

11. Winters, Mackenzie (1:32:29)

12. St. Cyr, Franci (1:32:52)

15. Carisch, Gracie (1:34:26)

16. Johnson, Winter (1:37:15)

20. Davis, Hillary (1:45:42)

25. Jarrett, Emma (1:51:94)

Men’s slalom, Jan. 5

7. Beatty, Ryan (1:27:06)

9. Hassman, Kjetil (1:27:79)

10. Kirchmayr, Luke (1:27:82)

15. Johnson, Sam (1:33:16)

Women’s slalom, Jan. 6

5. St. Cyr, Macie (1:36:71)

7. Winters, Madison (1:39:14)

10. Winters, Mackenzie (1:41:12)

12. St. Cyr, Franci (1:41:93)

14. Carisch, Gracie (1:43:89)

15. Davis, Hillary (1:43:98)

23. Jarrett, Emma (2:02:03)

28. Jarrett, Gracie (2:27:51)

Men’s slalom, Jan. 6

8. Beatty, Ryan (1:34:42)

18. Hassman, Kjetil (1:45:77)

19. Johnson, Sam (1:46:77)

U8 to U16 at Bridger Bowl

Women’s giant slalom, Jan. 5

4. Davis, Sophia (1:42:58)

24. Cook, Alice (2:03:03)

38. Wolfe, Olive (2:17:84)

44. Hardan, Cate (2:21:96)

Men’s giant slalom, Jan. 5

6. Bourret, Cooper (1:43:66)

7. Pecunies, Ian (1:44:06)

14. Klug, Finn (1:47:78)

16. McRae, Finn (1:48:16)

17. Torsleff, Connor (1:49:43)

28. Dituillio, Dominic (1:54:96)

29. Dituillio, Anthony (1:56:13)

36. Gale, Eli (2:00:20)

46. Clack, Jed (2:07:00)

49. Sheil, Cullen (2:10:66)

50. Mittelstaedt, Ty (2:10:99)

54. Frank, Emerson (2:13:70)

57. Andrews, Charlie (2:15:08)

58. Ueland, Dane (2:15:47)

59. Efferson, Dylan (2:15:86)

Women’s giant slalom, Jan. 6

5. Davis, Sophia (1:42:35)

16. McRae, Maeve (1:52:08)

26. Cook, Alice (2:01:85)

30. Wolfe, Olive (2:03:23)

38. Wenger, Peyton (2:08:77)

40. Hardan, Cate (2:10:34)

Men’s giant slalom, Jan. 6

2. Bourett, Cooper (1:40:20)

7. Pecunies, Ian (1:43:56)

13. Klug, Finn (1:46:73)

17. McRae, Finn (1:49:50)

20. Dituillio, Anthony (1:50:40)

25. Dituillio, Dominic (1:52:72)

26. Gale, Eli (1:53:99)

32. Clack, Jed (1:59:49)

40. Sheil, Cullen (2:01:65)

47. Ueland, Dane (2:06:33)

51. Andrews, Charlie (2:09:39)

52. Emerson, Frank (2:10:51)

53. Efferson, Dylan (2:13:89)

57. Klug, Gus (2:14:74)

FIS Tech Elite at Big Sky Resort

Men’s giant slalom, Jan. 10

62. Johnson, Sam (2:19:96)

Men’s giant slalom, Jan. 11

64. Johnson, Sam (2:20:38)

Women’s slalom, Jan. 12

29. St. Cyr, Maci (1:53:66)

43. Winters, Madison (1:59:59)

49. Schreiner, Macie (2:06:33)

Women’s slalom, Jan. 13

35. St. Cyr, Maci (1:58:77)

47. Winters, Madison (2:02:17)

53. Winters, Mackenzie (2:04:49)

Men’s slalom, Jan. 13

54. Johnson, Sam (2:01:66)

Women’s giant slalom, Jan. 14

37. St. Cyr, Maci (2:19:96)

47. Winters, Madison (2:22:22)

48. Winters, Mackenzie (2:22:50)

Upcoming Events: 

The U14 team will have a western regional qualifier at Terry Peak, South Dakota, Jan. 18-20.

The same group will travel to Whitefish, Montana, Jan. 26-28 for another regional qualifier. 

The U16 team will be in Red Lodge, Montana, Jan. 25-27 for a regional qualifier. 

Nordic

The BSSEF Nordic team had a strong showing in West Yellowstone on Jan. 5 during the first biathlon race of the season, with Big Sky skiers finishing in top places in several age groups. The day started out cold and foggy, but gradually warmed to upper 20s F making for fast snow and race conditions.

Several Big Sky athletes hit all their targets, known as a clean shoot, and did not have to ski penalty laps for missed shots. Jason Mittelstaedt, Orrin Coleman, Tobin Ide and Wats Littman all had clean shoots, and following Norwegian tradition, received a chocolate bar for each clean round. The race was a 4.5-km sprint with two rounds of shooting. It was a wave start by age group and skiers skied a 1.5-km loop and then shot five rounds, then skied another 1.5 km followed by another shoot and ended with the final 1.5-km lap.

The next Nordic event will be a 5-km race in Big Sky on Jan. 22 at 5 p.m. The 5@5 Town Series Race is open to all and will have a 1-km, 3-km and a 5-km race. Same day registration begins at 4 p.m.

For more information about the Big Sky Ski Education Foundation teams, visit bssef.com.