Academy alpine team lights up January with big results

Mick Osmundson tearing up J3 class

The Crested Butte Academy alpine ski team continues to gain speed after a successful spate of races during the month of January.

The younger racers led the team posting a flurry of podium finishes over the course of the month. It all started at the Smartwool Speed Series in Keystone January 10-13.
J2 racer (ages 15-16) Alex Jarred put together two second place finishes in two Downhill races in Keystone. Jarred then closed the month at the Colorado Junior Ski Cup in Beaver Creek February 1-2 with a 10th and fifth place finish in two Slalom races. Jarred’s results were good enough to earn him a berth to the J2 Nationals in Aspen in mid-March.
“That kid just continues to step up and put his head down,” says Academy alpine race director Drew Cesati.
Mick Osmundson continued his assault on the J3 class (ages 13-14) in 2008 with a second place in the first Downhill race and then winning the second Downhill beating the top J3 racer in the nation in Keystone.
Osmundson carried his momentum into a Smartwool Series event in Telluride January 26-27 taking first and second place in two Giant Slalom races.
Osmundson’s results push him into first place overall for J3 racers in the Smartwool points series.
“Mick’s got a few goals now,” says Cesati. “Making the J3 Junior Olympics as well as chasing the title in the Smartwool Series.”
J2 racer Katie Vandervoort led the girls’ side of the Academy team in Telluride posting a second and first place finish in the two Giant Slalom races.
“Katie’s been making a good push this year,” says Cesati. “That was a huge weekend for her.”
Annie Ochs, racing in the J3 class, had an outstanding weekend in Telluride as well placing in the top 10 in both Giant Slalom races.
Academy post-graduate racer Liz Woods continues to gain momentum in her comeback season posting solid results in her races including winning a Super G race at the races in Keystone.
The Academy race staff got a surprise from J1 (ages17-19) racer Nicole Andersect at the Keystone races when she reached the podium in the Downhill.
“She had never really raced a speed event before but we convinced her to get some speed work in,” says Cesati.
JI racer Max Lamb has established himself as a solid technical skier with slalom as his forte but he showed some versatility with strong results in the speed events in the month of January.
“For him to pull down some results in the speed events is great,” says Cesati. “As a staff we were pretty excited for him.”
In addition, Lamb was invited to compete in two Giant Slalom and two Slalom races at a National Development System (NDS) event in Park City, Utah February 13-15. The NDS attracts a select field of National team members as well as the top juniors from around the country.
“It’s a huge opportunity for him,” says Cesati. “That should help him achieve his goals this year and next.”
The team is now back on their home hill getting some training in prior to a big month of racing in March.
“I think there’s really good energy going into the training block as we prepare for the championship month of March,” says Cesati.