Cooper Spur ski racers post solid early results

Cooper Spur Race Team coach Dan Bubb reported CRST skiers swept in almost all age categories.

"We had top finishers in four out of the six age groups at both the Baldwin and Diamond races," Bubb said. "In some cases we packed the top three positions."

As a result, the Cooper Spur Race Team season score is almost double the next place team so far.

"There's a lot of good competition out there," Bubb reflected. "The cool thing about the weekend was it was anybody's race in all age groups."

Ross Hoag, chief of race for both events, was struck by how CRST has dominated the season thus far.

"In terms of total points for top ten finishes, I've never seen this big of a gap before," Hoag said. "The Cooper Spur team has really grown, and the kids are doing a good job."

Both the Jack Baldwin and Diamond Dual races are significant in that they are qualifiers for regional Buddy Werner team selection.

Hoag also finds the influx of young racers amazing.

"In past years, there's usually been maybe 35 kids in the eight and under category," Hoag said. "The number of racers has doubled this season. There've been around 70 boys and girls racing in this category each event, and some of them are placing at five and six years old."

Next up for CRST are the Oregon 3-Way Championships on Feb. 9 and 10, at Ski Bowl in Government Camp.

Jack Baldwin Memorial Slalom

Jan. 26, Cooper Spur, Ore.

White Salmon-area skiers helped Cooper Spur Race Team win both the boys and girls divisions of the Jack Baldwin Memorial Slalom.

Kellyn McCutcheon and Katie Crumpacker both posted top-10 finishes in the girls 9-10 race.

McCutcheon took ninth with a combined two-run time of 1:45.01. Crumpacker placed 10th in 1:45.91.

In the boys 9-10 race, Tanner Boudreau came in third in 1:35.23, and Ethan Cranmer was seventh in 1:42.58.

Whitney Reynier finished eighth in the girls 11-12 slalom. Her two-run time was 1:30.59.

The boy 11-12 competition saw four local skiers finish in the top 15.

Scott Boudreau led the way, placing fifth in 1:25.71.

He was followed by Forrest Cranmer in seventh (1:28.65), Jeff Emmerson in 12th (1:35.23), and Mike Crumpacker in 15th (1:37.79).

Diamond Dual Slalom

Jan. 27, Cooper Spur, Ore.

Tanner Boudreau moved up to a second-place finish in the boys 9-10 competition of the Diamond Fruit Diamond Dual Slalom.

His combined time of 1:11.60 was just a half-second slower than the winning total.

Ethan Cranmer placed ninth in the same race in 1:20.50. Finn Anderson finished 15th (1:23.69).

In the girls 9-10 division, Kellyn McCutcheon and Katie Crumpacker continued their run of consistent finishes by placing eighth and tenth.

McCutcheon skied two runs in 1:23.31. Crumpacker posted a combined time of 1:24.01.

The boys 11-12 race produced a Cooper Spur sweep and four top-15 finishes by White Salmon-area skiers.

Jeff Emmerson placed third (1:06.28), missing second by a hundredth of a second and first by .89 seconds.

Scott Boudreau (1:08.73) came in sixth, Ethan Cranmer (1:13.28) followed in seventh and Mike Crumpacker (1:16.88) picked up 15th.

In the girls 11-12 event, Whitney Reynier's overall time of 1:16.29 was good for 11th place.