BY WILL FALLTRICK

Cyrus Pott claimed victories in two races while teaming up with Bailey Kurtz to win a sprint relay in challenging snow conditions at the Western Club Championships in Victor, Idaho.

The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation Cross Country Comp/Prep team wrapped up their race season at the Western Club Championships in Victor on March 14-15.

The Western Club Championships is an annual cross country ski racing event that brings together clubs from across the western United States for team-focused competition.  Hosted by the Grand Targhee Ski Foundation, the two-day event featured individual distance races, team sprint relays, and classic pursuit competitions across all age divisions.

SVSEF athletes showed off their preparation with fast skiing throughout the weekend despite challenging snow conditions that ranged from sloppy slush on Saturday to icy surfaces on Sunday.

Cyrus Pott led the way for SVSEF, claiming victories in both the MU18/20 8km skate race and the classic pursuit, while also teaming with Bailey Kurtz to win the MU18/20 team sprint relay.

"The kids were game and were charging from start to finish," said Rick Kapala, Director of Sport Development. "And, most importantly, their stoke and the support for their teammates was a great thing to see."

The team sprint relay event brought a festive atmosphere to Saturday afternoon's competition, with no age restrictions and costumes encouraged. SVSEF fielded competitive teams across multiple divisions, with the MU18/20 duo of Pott and Kurtz taking first place and Finn O'Donnell and Angus Ramsey claiming third in the MU16 category.

In the women's races, Payton Daley Scheingraber secured strong finishes across all three events, earning third place in the FU16 8km skate and second place in the classic pursuit. Anna Gilman represented SVSEF well in the FU18/20 division with consistent top-10 performances throughout the weekend.

"Sloppy slush skiing on Saturday followed by ice rink skiing on Sunday," said Adam Meyer, XC Devo Coach. "The team had a blast in Victor. Great way to end the season!"

SVSEF Cross Country Program Director Becky Flynn praised the event organizers and the team-oriented atmosphere: "It was great to see this race come together. Thank you to the Grand Targhee Ski Foundation for putting on a great event under challenging conditions. We are so grateful to be able to close out the race season with this fun, team-oriented event."

SVSEF Athlete Results

Saturday, March 14 – Skate Race (Distance)

MU18/20 – 8km

1st – Cyrus Pott

MU16 – 8km

4th – Bailey Kurtz

7th – Finn O'Donnell

10th – Cam Gilman

MU14 – 4km

7th – Augie Allaire

12th – Cody Lloyd

FU18/20 – 8km

6th – Anna Gilman

FU16 – 8km

3rd – Payton Daley Scheingraber

5th – Adeline Jacoby

7th – Tessa Dondero

Saturday, March 14 – Team Sprint Skate (1.5km)

MU18/20

1st – Cyrus Pott/Bailey Kurtz

MU16

3rd – Finn O'Donnell/Angus Ramsey

4th – Cam Gilman/Lukas Fitz

MU14

3rd – Augie Allaire/Cody Lloyd

FU18/20

6th – Anna Gilman/Tessa Dondero

FU16

4th – Payton Daley Scheingraber/Adeline Jacoby

Sunday, March 15 – Classic Pursuit

MU18/20

1st – Cyrus Pott

MU16

4th – Bailey Kurtz

9th – Cam Gilman

MU14

5th – Augie Allaire

10th – Cody Lloyd

FU18/20

5th – Anna Gilman

FU16

2nd – Payton Daley Scheingraber

5th – Adeline Jacoby

Complete results for the Western Club Championships may be found at https://zone4.ca/event/2026/2lGvxp/