STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK
The nation’s fastest junior skiers will converge on Sun Valley’s Bald Mountain Wednesday for the U.S. Alpine Junior National Championships.
And Hilary Knight and other members of U.S. Women’s gold medal hockey team and Olympic Snowboard Bronze Medalist Arielle Gold will be on hand that evening to drape medals around the necks of the winners.
The Welcome Ceremony will take place from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 28, in Ketchum Town Square with Sun Valley’s Hilary Knight presenting athletes with Super G awards, along with teammates Hannah Brandt, Haley Skarupa, Nic Hensley, Kelly Pannek and Lee Stecklein.
Old Death Whisper will provide live music as vendors hawk food and beverages. And NBC broadcaster and Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation board member Steve Porino will do the announcing.
“Should be a good community event. There will be lots of big names and it should be fun for all ages,” said Julia Seyferth, communications director for the SVSEF.
At least nine Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation athletes have qualified for the U.S. Alpine Junior National Championships. They are Erin Smith, Lily Fitzgerald, Skylar Cooley, Allison Rathfon, Madison Ferris, Spencer Wright, Jack Smith, Hayden Terjeson and John Blackburn.
Six of those took part in the U.S. Alpine National Championships that wrapped up on Monday—an experience that they hope will give them an edge heading into the Juniors, which also will take place on the Warm Springs side of the mountain. Those are Smith, Fitzgerald, Wright, Smith, Terjeson and Blackburn.
The race schedule:
Wednesday, March 28-Super G
9 a.m. Men’s
12:30 p.m. Women’s
4:30-7:30 p.m. Welcome Ceremony at Ketchum Town Square
Thursday, March 29-Giant Slalom
9 a.m. Women’s First Run
10:30 a.m. Men’s First Run
1:30 p.m. Men’s Second Run
2:30 p.m. Women’s Second Run
2:30 p.m. Award Ceremony on Warm Springs Plaza
Friday, March 30-Slalom
9 a.m. Women’s First Run
10:30 a.m. Men’s First Run
Noon. Women’s Second Run
1:30 p.m. Men’s Second Run
2:30 p.m. Awards Ceremony at Warm Springs Plaza
The title sponsor is Smartwool.