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South Shore high school skiers swept the podium at the Tahoe Basin League's Emily Clothier Memorial Ski Race on Thursday at Heavenly Mountain Resort.
Whittell High School's Simon Nikles won the boys' slalom race with a combined two-run time of 52.39 seconds. South Tahoe's Michael Suglian and Luca Genasci finished second and third. Their times were 53.95 and 54.28 seconds, respectively.
South Tahoe also landed a racer on the girls' podium. Vikings' senior Ashley Killeen finished runner-up to Incline's Grace Dolan with an overall time of 1:01.68. Dolan's winning time was 59.27.
Clothier was a 14-year-old Heavenly Ski and Snowboard Foundation racer who died in a training accident on March 20, 2008, at Heavenly Mountain Resort.
“Every time you come here, you think about her and race for her,” said STHS senior Erich Bau mann, who got to know Emily while she was on the school's cross country running team.
Pink ribbons adorned the course ropes, and Clothier's younger sister, Mikaela, served as forerunner.
“Our team circled up before the race, and the team made Mikaela part of the team circle,” said STHS coach Mike Shreve.
The South Tahoe boys and Truckee girls won Thursday's team titles. The Vikings took their fourth straight boys' race by packing five competitors in the top nine. South Tahoe's Chris Whatford placed fifth, Justin Smaine eighth and Baumann ninth.
Behind Nikles' first league victory, the Warriors pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the day by finishing second in the boys' team standings. Team scores were South Tahoe 178, Whittell 156, North Tahoe 142, Truckee 139, Douglas 93 and Incline 45.
The Warriors' season-best performance was also aided by Hughston Norton placing sixth, Cody Dangtongdee 14th and Sean Sullivan 19th.
“That's an outstanding finish for us,” said Whittell coach Patrick Kelly. “South Tahoe is such a strong team. For us to finish second is a feather in our cap.
“Simon put together two really nice runs back to back, finishing first in both heats.”
The Vikings' Jake Daum, Pierce Bickert and Mark Bergsohn finished near the top as well, placing 11th, 12th and 15th.
Truckee handed the Vikings' girls their first runner-up finish after three straight league wins. Truckee put four skiers in the top 10 to compile a winning score of 167 points. The Wolverines were followed by South Tahoe at 162, North Tahoe (156), Douglas (123), Whittell (54) and Incline (48).
Killeen's season-best runner-up finish was her second podium result in four races.
“She enjoys the sport,” Shreve said. “She has an incredible work ethic and is always looking for ways to improve. Ashley listens and is able to transfer what she learns into what she does.”
South Tahoe's Lindsey Buchanan skied to fifth place with a combined time of 1:04.74. Teammates Melissa Smith, Melissa Ewing, Shannon Colleton and Aimee Pitcher finished in a logjam at13th through 15th places and 17th. The Whittell girls were led by Rachel Laub in 30th, followed by Colette Craig in 31st and Jenna Fragola in 32nd. Laub was sixth after the first run, but hiked to complete a missed gate on her second run.
STHS's Jake Krazczek won the JV race with a total time of 1:08.15. Garrett Singer was second and Jared Lindner third.
The league will double up on Tuesday at the sixth annual Ryan Shreve Memorial Race at Sierra-at-Tahoe. At 9:30 a.m., a one-run GS is scheduled on Clipper, then at noon a two-heat slalom is planned. The top male and female overall in the combined races will receive trophies in Shreve's honor.
Whittell High School's Simon Nikles won the boys' slalom race with a combined two-run time of 52.39 seconds. South Tahoe's Michael Suglian and Luca Genasci finished second and third. Their times were 53.95 and 54.28 seconds, respectively.
South Tahoe also landed a racer on the girls' podium. Vikings' senior Ashley Killeen finished runner-up to Incline's Grace Dolan with an overall time of 1:01.68. Dolan's winning time was 59.27.
Clothier was a 14-year-old Heavenly Ski and Snowboard Foundation racer who died in a training accident on March 20, 2008, at Heavenly Mountain Resort.
“Every time you come here, you think about her and race for her,” said STHS senior Erich Bau mann, who got to know Emily while she was on the school's cross country running team.
Pink ribbons adorned the course ropes, and Clothier's younger sister, Mikaela, served as forerunner.
“Our team circled up before the race, and the team made Mikaela part of the team circle,” said STHS coach Mike Shreve.
The South Tahoe boys and Truckee girls won Thursday's team titles. The Vikings took their fourth straight boys' race by packing five competitors in the top nine. South Tahoe's Chris Whatford placed fifth, Justin Smaine eighth and Baumann ninth.
Behind Nikles' first league victory, the Warriors pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the day by finishing second in the boys' team standings. Team scores were South Tahoe 178, Whittell 156, North Tahoe 142, Truckee 139, Douglas 93 and Incline 45.
The Warriors' season-best performance was also aided by Hughston Norton placing sixth, Cody Dangtongdee 14th and Sean Sullivan 19th.
“That's an outstanding finish for us,” said Whittell coach Patrick Kelly. “South Tahoe is such a strong team. For us to finish second is a feather in our cap.
“Simon put together two really nice runs back to back, finishing first in both heats.”
The Vikings' Jake Daum, Pierce Bickert and Mark Bergsohn finished near the top as well, placing 11th, 12th and 15th.
Truckee handed the Vikings' girls their first runner-up finish after three straight league wins. Truckee put four skiers in the top 10 to compile a winning score of 167 points. The Wolverines were followed by South Tahoe at 162, North Tahoe (156), Douglas (123), Whittell (54) and Incline (48).
Killeen's season-best runner-up finish was her second podium result in four races.
“She enjoys the sport,” Shreve said. “She has an incredible work ethic and is always looking for ways to improve. Ashley listens and is able to transfer what she learns into what she does.”
South Tahoe's Lindsey Buchanan skied to fifth place with a combined time of 1:04.74. Teammates Melissa Smith, Melissa Ewing, Shannon Colleton and Aimee Pitcher finished in a logjam at13th through 15th places and 17th. The Whittell girls were led by Rachel Laub in 30th, followed by Colette Craig in 31st and Jenna Fragola in 32nd. Laub was sixth after the first run, but hiked to complete a missed gate on her second run.
STHS's Jake Krazczek won the JV race with a total time of 1:08.15. Garrett Singer was second and Jared Lindner third.
The league will double up on Tuesday at the sixth annual Ryan Shreve Memorial Race at Sierra-at-Tahoe. At 9:30 a.m., a one-run GS is scheduled on Clipper, then at noon a two-heat slalom is planned. The top male and female overall in the combined races will receive trophies in Shreve's honor.
