LETTER FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | |
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SSWSC Families,
Happy Holidays to all of you! I hope you all take time to relax, reflect, enjoy the important people in your life and appreciate how fortunate we are to live in this beautiful, snowy valley. We have a wonderful season ahead of us and so much to be grateful for this winter. Safe travels if that’s part of your holiday plan, and if you are staying in the valley, I hope to see you on the hill.
Thank you for being part of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club,
Sarah Floyd
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Murphy Roberts Holiday Classic Recap | |
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The Murphy Roberts Holiday Classic Wraps Up on Howelsen Hill
The 21st Annual Murphy Roberts Holiday Classic races wrapped up four days of action-packed racing, two GS days on Steamboat Ski Resort, and two days of slalom on Howelsen Hill. The races featured sixteen nations, some of the best collegiate, regional and local racers, as well as members of the US ski team. The Night Slalom was rescheduled to take place during the day due to the incoming storm, but the crowds came out, and the festivities continued with some of the best racing of the week on one of the most challenging hills in the country.
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In the GS races, Cooper Cornelius from the University of Denver won the men’s race on Monday, and Mary Bocock from the US Ski Team won the women’s race. Tuesday, Nicholas Unkovskoy from Burke Mountain Acadamy won the men’s race, and Sara Rask from Sweden and skiing for the University of Denver came in first.
SSWSC athletes stole the show in the U18 category, with Noelle Roth (15th overall) winning the GS race on Monday and Roman Elvidge winning both GS races on Monday and Tuesday (31st overall on Monday and 33rd overall Tuesday). Nick Demarco placed 2nd U18 in the Monday GS race (40th overall).
GS race Photo: SSWSC athlete Charlie Welch by Tania Coffey.
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Racing action moved to Howelsen Hill on Wednesday and Thursday. In the men’s slalom race on Wednesday, Justin Alkier from Canada took the top podium spot for the men and Nora Brand from Germany, skiing for the University of Denver. SSWSC athlete Jeremy Nolting took the 2nd place podium spot (27th overall) for the U18 men in the slalom. On Thursday, Nora Brand continued her podium domination, winning the women’s race for the second day in a row, and Jeremie Lagier took the top spot for the men. It was a close overall race, but Nora Brand will have her name permanently placed on the Murphy Roberts Holiday Classic trophy as the women’s overall champion, and Justin Alkier was men's champion!
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Jeremie Lagier on the FM Light & Sons leader saddle, Thursday. | |  |
Nora Brand on the FM Light & Sons leader saddle, Thursday. | | |
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“The level of racing this year was incredible,” said Jon Nolting, SSWSC Chief Operating Officer. “The top five men separated by only two-tenths of a second! Three nations represented on the women’s podium with a World Junior Champion in there! Howelsen Hill showed its teeth for sure with the icy, water-injected surface. The crowd was fantastic despite the rescheduling, and the racers certainly delivered a show.”
On Wednesday, SSWSC announced the Murphy Roberts Scholarship recipients before the awards. Hig and Cassidy Roberts presented the scholarships on Wednesday afternoon to Elena Dzuira from SSWSC and Spencer Peterson from Vail Ski and Snowboard Club. The Roberts Family set up a generous scholarship fund in memory of their son Murphy, for whom the race is named.
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Murphy Roberts Holiday Classic Overall Champions | |
Women's Champion Nora Brand (left) and Men's Champion Justin Alkier (right). | |
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Mission Mt. Mangart - JANUARY 9, 2023
The SSWSC and Special Olympics Steamboat and Yampa Valley are hosting a showing of the 10th Mountain Division Documentary, Mission Mt. Mangart, an award-winning documentary by Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame inductee Chris Anthony, in partnership with the Tread of Pioneers Museum. The showing will be on January 9 from 5-8:30pm in Olympian Hall. Tickets are $50 and include beer, wine, and chili. Tickets are on sale now!
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NEED A LAST MINTUNE GIFT? WINTER CARNIVAL BUFFS AND POSTERS AVAILABLE NOW!
Neck gaiters and posters are available at the following retailers:
-FM Light & Sons
-Lyon’s Corner Drug
-Off the Beaten Path
-Pine Moon Gallery
-Ski Haus (buffs only)
-Steamboat Sotheby’s Realty Offices
-SSWSC Office
OR ONLINE on the SSWSC Pro Shop
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THE STEAMBOAT SPRINGS WINTER SPORTS CLUB SHOW | |
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK - presented by Alpine Bank | | |
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Athlete of the Week Scarlett Volk is a seventh grade student at SSMS and a first year Junior Coach with the U8 skiing program. Scarlett has been an SSWSC athlete for many years, and this year stepped up as a junior coach, putting in the time in coach education before the season to be ready to mentor younger athletes. Junior Coach Program Coordinator Linda Curzon says, “Scarlett exemplifies passion and discipline and is a great problem solver. On the first day of U8 practice at Howelsen Hill, Scarlett single-handedly mentored one of the least experienced skiers in the group with ease and grace. She shows maturity and good judgment beyond her years and we look forward to Scarlett continuing to connect with younger athletes as a junior coach.” Thank you, Scarlett! | |
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Rocky Mountain Freestyle 2023 Season Opener at Vail
Freestyle athletes competed in the RMF season opener on December 17 and 18 at Vail. The temps kept the course fast and firm. Saturday's Junior Moguls event was a two-run event, both Anabel Ayad and Peyton Billeisen earned first place! Anabel qualified second during the first run and claimed the win with her second-run performance. Joining her in the women's top ten were Abby Mclarnon and Katie McLaughlin. Congrats to Katie on her first event back from an ankle injury last season! Abby also placed first in the U17 age group! The men's team started the weekend strong; Peyton qualified and finished first overall with the fastest time of the day; right behind Peyton was teammate Xander Tatar-Brown with the highest degree of difficulty jumps of the event! Also finishing in the top ten was Collin Hassel in 6th, debuting his new top air trick, a cork 720.
The following day was Champ Moguls, with a qualifier and finals format. The top 20 athletes per gender received a second run. During finals, Anabel finished 3rd, with the podium only separated by half a point! Ella Walker had a great middle section and earned an 8th-place finish. Congrats to Mia Satkiewicz for qualifying for the finals as well. The men's team had a great day, improving their scores during their finals runs; Peyton, Xander, and Collin swept the podium in the M19 age group! Peyton finished 2nd overall, Xander 3rd, and Collin 5th!
Then it was time for Dual Moguls! Duals are always exciting, and today's event did not disappoint; great skiing from the team. Hanging on until the top eight were Anabel, Izzy, and Peyton. Anabel and Izzy skied against each other in the final round, Anabel taking 1st and Izzy 2nd overall for the event. Peyton also skied into the final rounds and placed 2nd overall.
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Cross Country Skiers Dominate at First Junior National Qualifier in Crested Butte Colorado
Cross Country athletes posted exceptional results over the two days of racing at the first Junior National Qualifier on a blue sky, chilly weekend Crested Butte on December 17 and 18, with podium placements in multiple age groups. Saturday’s format was a 5K interval start classic ski race for all competitors U16 and older. Younger athletes raced 3K and 2K. Sunday’s race was a 7.5K mass start freestyle (skate) race for the U18/20 and a 5K mass start (skate) freestyle for the U16. Younger athletes raced 3K and 2K. The air was frigid, which made it difficult to create glide when skating, but the SSWSC XC athletes persevered.
On Saturday, SSWSC athlete Grey Barbier won the men's Saturday 5K U18/U20 classic race, Trey Jones came in 2nd place, and in the men’s U16 category, Campbell McLaren placed 2nd, and Tristan Thrasher placed 3rd. On Sunday, Trey Jones stood on the podium for a second day, winning the Sunday men's 7.5K mass start skate race, and Henry Magill came in second place. U16 SSWSC athlete Tristan Thrasher took the top podium spot, with Campbell McLaren in 2nd in the men’s 5K skate race and U16 SSWSC Anna Rhodes placed 2nd in the 5K women’s skate race. Up-and-coming young athletes Quinn Dressen, Beatrice Bishop, Georgia Bishop, and Jett Brosterhous had podium finishes for the younger categories. Full race results are below. There are a total of eight JNQs scheduled for the 2022-2023 season. Thanks to Crested Butte Nordic for the amazing photography.
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Men’s and Women’s Alpine Team find success in Jackson Hole and Aspen
Men’s alpine team athlete Everett Dooley placed 3rd place at the Western Region GS race in Jackson Hole on Wednesday, December 14, and Ian Haupt was in the top ten with a 7th place finish. Ten athletes from SSWSC competed in the race at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
Fourteen men and eight women traveled to Aspen Highlands for the first races of the year in the Colorado Devo Ski Cup on December 17 and 18. On Saturday, Noelle Roth placed in the top ten in both races placing 8th in the morning and 9th in the afternoon. In the afternoon race on Sunday, Daniel Ferucci took home 5th place, Nick Demarco tied for 6th, and Roman Elvidge placed 9th.
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SSWSC U8s and U10s enjoyed a bluebird weekend at Steamboat Resort! | |
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THANK YOU TO OUR ANNUAL SUPPORT PARTNERS | |
BRONZE Annual Support Partners | | | | |
