The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
J5’s in Powderhorn, J3’s in Vail and J2’s in Maine
Crested Butte Mountain Sports Team alpine racers headed across the state and country to compete in the finals for the respective age classes.
Coach Nate Coady took a crew of seven J5 (ages 9-10) over to Powderhorn ski resort for their age class final.
It was their first exposure to the upper echelon of alpine racers in their class, and the skiers responded with a handful of respectable results.
“It’s all part of the experience,” says head alpine coach and Crested Butte Mountain Sports team director Drew Cesati. “We do it for fun but there’s an intrinsic learning experience—see what the competition is doing out there and see how they’re skiing.”
Summit Wallace made the biggest jump over the weekend of racing. After starting 87th in the slalom, Wallace flashed the course to finish in sixth place overall.
“That’s a stand-out result,” says Cesati. “Summit’s up there with the big boys from Vail and Aspen.”
Wallace was joined by teammates Max Hall, Everest Davis, Marco Alling and Charlie Zeiter.
Karavella Zeiter, Maddie Redden and Lily Redden represented the CBMST on the girls’ side.
“We’re excited to have such a good-sized group at that race,” says Cesati. “We’re slowly trying to grow that base of alpine racers.”
Meanwhile, CBMST first-year J3 (ages 13-14) racer Solon Gray got his first taste of Nationals, also known as the JO’s, last week in Vail, including his first real downhill.
“He adjusted quite well to the stronger field and bigger event,” says Cesati. “Bottom line is I think it was a good experience and he gets another crack at it next year. Getting to JO’s in your first year is a goal in and of itself.”
J2 (ages 15-16) alpine racer Mick Osmundson returned to the J2 Nationals for the second year in a row held in Sugarloaf, Maine. He was one of 20 skiers to represent the Rocky/Central regional men’s team.
Osmundson, typically a speed event specialist, had a solid result in the opening slalom race skiing to a 23rd-place finish.
He finished 26th in the Super G and then had his top result of the week a day later, posting a 21st-place finish in the Giant Slalom.
Osmundson closed the week of racing with 40th- and 37th-place finishes in his two downhill events.
