Stowe racers speed across the country

While much of the late winter and early spring has been characterized by cold temperatures and hard race surfaces, spring finally returned with warm temperatures out West and rain/sleet/snow in the East. Despite the weather, MMSC racers used these races to cap off the season and improve their standings for next season.  

Next up for all racers is the spectator-friendly Sugar Slalom this weekend. Held on Slalom Hill, this event attracts some of the best skiers in the country to enjoy the spring air, consume sweet sugar-on-snow, and partake in one day of serious racing, followed by a second day with costumes and the occasional snowball aimed at racers. So come to Spruce this weekend to watch the entertainment.

On Saturday night, at the annual MMSC Banquet, athletes and adults will reflect on the season, distribute awards and have some fun.

U16 Nationals

In what has become an annual ritual of bringing together the best U16 (14-15 years old) racers from across the country, the U16 Nationals were again held in Park City, Utah. In this unique event, athletes are evaluated based on performance in skiing drills and physical conditioning as much as race results. One objective is to identify athletes who the U.S. Ski Association might groom to become U.S. Ski Team athletes.

Trent Gutstein was the lone MMSCer to be invited, based on his performance at the Eastern U16 Championships at Whiteface a couple of weeks ago. After a first day of skiing skills assessment, the boys hit the gates for a day of slalom and another of giant slalom. After skiing a lightning fast first run in slalom, Gutstein was disqualified for missing a gate — an easy thing to do for racers who must sometimes navigate six gates or more in a single second. He made up for it in the giant slalom, with 21st overall (21st first run, 24th second run).

Gutstein finishes up with physical testing and then a return back home for the Sugar Slalom.

Eastern series

The FIS Eastern Cup Finals bring together the best U18 (16-17 years old) racers in the Eastern Region for the final six races of the season-long series — two races each of super-G, giant slalom and slalom. MMSC sent 10 men and five women to the events at Burke and Sunday River, Maine.

The races started off at Burke with two super-G races for both genders. Maggie Gilligan was the top MMSC finisher for the women, with 11th and 15th places over the two races.

A cadre of men sped through the course in top-30 form, including Griffin Brown (fifth and 12th), Brian Mangiacotti (16th and 20th), Charles Harrison (22nd) and Colby Jordan (28th).

The technical events of giant slalom and slalom followed, where MMSC brought nine men and five women. In a field filled with current U.S. Ski Teamers, three MMSC men skied to top-30 results, including Brown (12th and 10th in giant slalom, 17th in slalom), Harrison (14th in giant slalom, ninth in slalom) and Carter Robertson (23rd in giant slalom, 13th in slalom). Of particular note were Henry Townsend and Mangiacotti, both of whom moved up 50 places from their seeds in the giant slalom.

On the women’s side, Michelle Connacher posted a 22nd place in giant slalom, and Sandra Schoepke followed in 23rd (sixth for U18s). In the slalom, Schoepke added a 14th (fourth for U18s), while Gilligan posted a 30th (10th for U18s).

When all was said and done, MMSC athletes performed admirably through this series, with three men in the top 15 in overall standings ( Robertson fifth, Brown 10th and Harrison 13th), and Schoepke eighth overall for the women.

Next up for many athletes is the USSA Central Division Championships in Lutsen, Minn., where a number of topnotch Eastern racers will challenge the best of the Midwest in their crowning race series. Before you discount this challenge, remember that before moving to Colorado, Michigan skier Lindsey Vonn became one of the country’s best junior races skiing relatively small Midwest hills.

USSA giant slaloms

Sugarbush squeezed many racing events into one day — two giant slalom races each for men and women. Despite the soft conditions, Sugarbush pulled it off, and 14 MMSC men and three MMSC women U16 and older participated.

On the men’s side, Ethan Schmitt, Calvin Dixon and Dash Kim all broke the top 10, with Schmitt in fifth and ninth (third and fourth for U16s), Dixon in sixth (second for U18s), and Kim in seventh and eighth (second and third for U18s).

Top performers on the women’s side included Caroline Drinkwater in seventh (sixth for U18s) and Nicole McNabb in seventh (sixth for U18s).

Western spring series

Sun Valley, Idaho, held a Spring Series similar to the Eastern Cup previously reviewed. On hand was a host of western-based U.S. Ski Teamers.

One lone MMSC athlete, Sean Higgins, made the trip to compete against the best of the West. At the end of the series, Higgins was competitive with the best of them, posting 25th in one super-G, 14th in another and 13th in a giant slalom.