BY WILL FALLTRICK

Podiums, perseverance, and learning moments marked the final Intermountain Division Champs qualifier of the year for the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation’s North Series Team.

SVSEF Alpine U12 North Series athletes wrapped up their final Intermountain Division  qualifier Feb. 28–March 1 at the Cranston Cup at Tamarack Resort. The weekend featured Giant Slalom (GS) and Slalom (SL) races and served as the final qualifying opportunity for IMD Championships.

Leading the way for SVSEF was Walker Gove, who not only claimed victory in Sunday’s slalom but also secured the overall Cranston Cup title for the boys--a standout achievement to conclude the last regular race of the season before the IMD Championships.

Walker Gove too first place in slalom, and he took home the North Series Cranston Cup trophy home for first overall combined slalom and giant slalom results.

Alta Questad topped the podium in the Girl’s Giant Slalom.

The weekend was a fitting finale to the North Series regular season with fast skiing, podium finishes, breakthrough performances, and valuable experiences gained. 

“It was another epic weekend with lots of great skiing, podiums and a few tears. There were lots of lessons learned this weekend,” said Head North Series Team Coach Claudia Stern. “It was a great apprenticeship for these athletes and a reminder that growth in ski racing comes from both success and setbacks.”

One athlete remarked "You told me to charge hard and I did, and I crashed!!" as an example of young racers who are learning to find their limits. 

The Girls U12 Slalom podium boasted Tea Smither (4th), Dylan Spengler (2nd), Blakely Martens (3rd) and Dylan Meyer (5th).

With the North Series qualifier season complete, SVSEF athletes now look ahead to IMD Championships March 20-22 in Jackson Hole, Wyo.

SVSEF Athlete Results

Slalom – Boys

1st – Walker Gove

The team competed under blue Idaho skies.

2nd – Asa Sattler

4th – Ford Rixon

7th – Keller Spachman

10th – Cole Martens

Slalom – Girls

2nd – Dylan Spengler

3rd – Blakely Martnes

4th – Tea Smither

5th – Dylan Meyer

7th – Estelle Turzian

8th – Freya Moffat

9th – Rienza Buonchristiani

10th – Lexi Barthel

Giant Slalom – Boys

2nd – Dylan Smiley

3rd – Ford Rixon

4th – Walker Gove

8th – Evan McGregor

Giant Slalom – Girls

1st – Alta Questad

3rd – Kayla Kloster

4th – Marie McNeal

5th – Estelle Turzian

6th – Dylan Spengler

7th – Amelia Beck

8th – Sophie Robins

10th – Dylan Meyer

11th – Tea Smither

13th – Payton Minor