Members of the Viking’s 2020 girls’ varsity alpine ski team pose for a picture at the Hibbing Invite. From L-R: Genevieve Silence, Allie Duclos, Kalina Dimitrova, Sophia Blanck, and Halle Lamb. Photos courtesy of Charles & Jenny Lamb
Temperatures in the mid-twenties, overcast skies, and three inches of new snow set the table for a great day of alpine ski racing held January 3 at Giants Ridge.
Approximately 70 boys and girls from eight Arrowhead Conference teams, plus Brainerd, skied two runs of slalom, one run on Innsbruck, and one run on Helsinki.
Masen McKeever threw down two fast runs earning a trip to the stage with a 5th place finish. Eighth grader Ray Dressly made all the right moves in both his runs and squeezed into 10th, followed by Cy Oberholtzer in 18th, Ben Obinger 20th, and Elijah Blank 23rd.
In the JV field, Reuben Youngdahl had a miscue in his first run but skied great in his second attempt to finish in 6th place. Andrew Halberg was close behind in 8th; Finn Taylor skied tough on the steep Helsinki pitch to place 10th, and Cody Lang pushed too hard and was disqualified (DSQ).
The Cook County boys’ team took home the third-place plaque.
Brainerd was the boys’ varsity team winner, and Bren Elleson was the boys’ winner.
Girls
Halle Lamb skied two solid runs making the stage by taking 8th. Genevieve Silence continues to improve and skied a fantastic, edge of your seat first run down the icy pitch of Helsinki, landing an impressive 6th. But Genevieve blew out in her second attempt (DSQ) and finished at the back of the pack. Kalina Dimitrova finished 16th, and Allie Duclos blew out in her second run and hiked to place 30th.
In the girls’ JV race, Sophia Blanck placed second and earned a trip to the podium! Liv Hedstrom placed 4th.
The individual varsity girls’ winner was Emma Hiebert from Brainerd, and Brainerd was the girls’ team winner. The Cook County girls’ team finished in 6th place.
After the meet, head coach Charles Lamb commented on the competition. “Both of the Brainerd boys’ and girls’ teams are fast and deep this year, and they are dominating our races,” he said, adding, “Duluth East is also a very deep and fast team this year.”
Despite the strength of the larger schools, Lamb said, “I was proud to have three kids in the top ten at this race.”
The alpine ski team will get a break from racing this week because it is the end of the quarter, but that doesn’t mean the team won’t be practicing on the Lutsen slopes.
“We have been training hard and will be focusing on tougher sets on steeper terrain to prepare for the Koo Koo Invite and ultimately the Section 7 championships in early February.
The next race for the Alpine Vikings will be the Koo-Koo Invite held at Lutsen Mountains on January 23 at 10 a.m.
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