Mammoth Junior Teams highlights for Jan. 12-24

Mighty Mite TeamThe Mighty Mites had a busy weekend with a family social on Jan. 19 in the new Mammoth Teams Headquarters. The junior racers enjoyed a guest appearance by Woolly as their parents had a chance to meet other parents and hear more about the Mammoth Ski and Snowboard Team from team administrators. On Monday, Jan. 21, the Mighty Mites gathered on Ralphies for some morning gate training in preparation for their first race of the season, the Kittredge Fun Cup, scheduled for Feb. 9.U10-U12 TeamThe U10, U12 and U14s took part in the first of three Junior Village Championship races of the season on Sunday, Jan. 20. The dual race, sponsored by Footloose Sports was held on Fascination. The athletes are placed on one of ten teams sponsored by local businesses with the goal of winning the coveted Jr. VC Overall title and trophy. Kittredge Sports sponsored the winning team with individual top times for each age group going to the following racers: Ladies-U10 Jordan Whistler (Petras); U12 Kendall Lach (Beach Mint); U14 Mack Carkeet (Petras); Men-U10 Liam Gooch (Burgers); U12 Charlie Regelbrugge (Johns Pizza); and U14 James Gooch (Footloose).

U14 Alpine Team

Jan. 12, five Mammoth Ski Team U14 members traveled to Squaw Valley for the first Far West Ski Cross event, the new fifth discipline in Alpine Skiing. The ski cross course is specially designed to test all of the skiers’ skills, with different features. Physical endurance and strength are also a key factors, since the winning skier must ski between 4 and 5 runs of 35-60 seconds.  In the U14 Mens division Russell Hicks (Bishop) was third, Ned Jacobs (Westlake Village) 11th, Duncan Reid  (Bishop) 14th, McKenna Latt  (Venice) was second in the ladies division. The following day Reid captured first, Hicks was fourth, Jacobs 11th and Latt repeated her second place finish. On Jan. 20, the U14s took part in the first Junior Village Championships race. (See related story under U10-U12 Team.)

U18 Alpine Team

Jan. 14-17, Mammoth Mountain Ski Team U18s Natalie Riffel, Madeline Riffel, Danica Hagen, Alexa Wehsener, Tyler Wormhoudt and Casey Haveruk traveled to Schweitzer Mountain, Idaho for a four days FIS Speed racing. MMST’s Tyler Wormhoudt took 4 top ten results including a third and tenth in the Super G races and seventh and eighth in the downhills. Sisters Natalie and Madeline Riffle both landed top results with Natalie taking a 15th in the first downhill followed by her sister in 16th place just .21 seconds behind. The following day Madeline was 12th and Danica Hagen was in 16th. In the Super Gs Madeline captured fifth and eighth.

USASA Skiercross/Boardercross

Saturday, Jan. 19 members of both the Alpine Ski Team and Snowboard Team convened on Chair 4 for the first USASA Ski Cross/Boarder Cross of the season. Members of both groups were challenged by the jumps, rolls and banked turns of the event. In the end, top podium spots in their respective divisions were captured by: John Connolly, Erica Lynch, Daniel Schneider, Tessa Maud, Cody Beavers, McKenna Latt, Sam Beutner, Julian Arregoces, Torrey Patrie, Justin Wallasch, Corrah Phillips, Freeman Andrews, and Connor Albright.

Additional results may be found at: www.facebook.com/MammothMountainCommunityFoundation. –MMCF

(Photos: Susan Morning/Mammoth Mountain Community Foundation)