BY WILL FALLTRICK
Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation Cross Country athletes from the Prep, Comp, and Post Grad teams delivered a strong weekend of racing at the IMD Junior National Qualifier held Feb. 7-8 at Trail Creek in Wilson, Wyo.
The two-day event featured a classic interval start race on Saturday followed by a skate mass start on Sunday, challenging athletes across disciplines and race formats.
Building on momentum from the previous qualifier at Soldier Hollow, Utah, SVSEF skiers laid down fast times and showed depth across age groups, with podium finishes in both classic and skate races. The weekend was highlighted by Nick Gardiner, who earned victories in both the classic and skate races in the Men’s Under 18 category.
“The team continued their momentum from Soldier Hollow and laid down some fast times in the double distance race weekend,” said Chris Mallory, Head SVSEF XC Comp Team Coach. “It was fun to see some new faces step up on the podium, showing the depth this crew has.”
Saturday’s classic interval start races rewarded pacing and technical execution, while Sunday’s skate mass starts demanded tactical awareness and confidence racing head-to-head.
“Our Sun Valley skiers were flying out there this weekend,” said Kelley Yeates, SVSEF XC Head Prep Team Coach. “It was inspiring to see them take charge, especially in the mass start races.”
Across the weekend, athletes benefited from strong mentorship and team culture that spanned age groups.
“Athlete mentorship and camaraderie across ages enabled athletes to bring out their best,” added Assistant SVSEF XC Comp Team Coach Susie Quesnel.
SVSEF XC Post Grad Head Coach Max Polito noted the significance of the venue and competitive environment: “Racing at Jackson brought us back to the roots of Intermountain skiing as venues changed and the community stepped up to support our events…It was a weekend of learning, experimentation, and commitment, with goals ranging from process and technique focus to podium finishes.”
SVSEF Cross Country Program Director Becky Flynn highlighted both individual and team success: “This was a busy weekend full of lots of great racing for SVSEF XC. It was great to see Nick Gardiner take the win both days—he has been training well and it really came together for him. The rest of the team followed suit with podium finishes across days and disciplines. The PG, Comp, and Prep teams were cheering each other on throughout the weekend and that showed in the results.”
Athlete Results – IMD Junior National Qualifier #2
(Top three SVSEF athletes in each event)
Saturday – Classic Interval Start
MU20 7.5km
5th – Zach Quesnel
MU18 7.5km
1st – Nick Gardiner
2nd – Caleo Morrison
4th – Tait Boschen
MU16 7.5km
8th – Thijs Lloyd
11th – Bailey Kurtz
16th – Finn O’Donnell
MU14 3km
8th – Augie Allaire
11th – Cody Lloyd
22nd – Daniel Chudleigh
MU12 2km
2nd – Henri Allaire
4th – Stephen Chudleigh
6th – Vance Gardiner
FU20 7.5km
6th – Anna Gilman
FU18 7.5km
8th – Natalie Carlson
15th – Josie Bolinger
FU16 7.5km
6th – Stella St. George
8th – Josephine Renner
10th – Sydney Nelson
FU14 3km
5th – Nina O’Sullivan
10th – Payton Daley-Scheingraber
28th – Rose O’Grady
Sunday – Skate Mass Start
MU20 10km
5th – Zach Quesnel
MU18 10km
1st – Nick Gardiner
2nd – Tait Boschen
5th – Caleo Morrison
MU16 5km
8th – Finn O’Donnell
13th – Thijs Lloyd
21st – Bailey Kurtz
MU14 2.5km
8th – Augie Allaire
16th – Silas Seppa
21st – Daniel Chudleigh
MU12 2km
1st – Henri Allaire
3rd – Stephen Chudleigh
5th – Vance Gardiner
WU18 10km
7th – Natalie Carlson
WU16 5km
3rd – Stella St. George
4th – Josephine Renner
7th – Sydney Brown
WU14 2.5km
2nd – Nina O’Sullivan
5th – Payton Daley-Scheingraber
28th – Rose O’Grady
SVSEF Cross Country athletes will next compete at the final IMD Junior National Qualifier in West Yellowstone, Mont., where results will determine selections for the IMD Junior National Team.
The weekend after that they will be home for a major race at Lake Creek.