By BRAD DUFFY
For The Enterprise
Over 220 skiers from across the Northwest came to compete in the two-day Meadows Challenge held at Mt Hood Meadows last weekend.
Many racers consider this a great tune up race before the Buddy Werner Championships.
Saturday was a full-length slalom course, which proved to be a challenge for many of the young racers. Two courses were set side by side on Rams Head. One was for the girls, the other for the boys. There was no 6-and-under division for boys or girls, so the young skiers that did compete had to do so against the 7- and 8-year-olds.
After the 9- to 14-year-olds take their first timed run, the host team resets the course, then the 8-and-under girls and boys take their one run.
The race finishes up with the 9-14 racers taking their second runs, and the rankings are taken by their combined times.
Cooper Spur Race Team had some strong finishes. Six-year-old Annalyssa Sassara placed eight in the 8-and-under girls division. William Lamer took second for 8-and-under boys, Molly Clarke came in sixth in the 9-10 girls, Ricki Swearingen finished fifth in the 11-12 girls, and Jordan Mallon won the 13-14 boys.
RACE RESULTS
8-under Girls:
8, Annalyssa Sassara. 10, Casey Holzman. 14, Shae Duffy.
8-under Boys:
2, William Lamer. 6, Zach Mikkelson. 7, Nicolas Bergen. 10, Kiefer Kreps. 14, Austin Keillor. 20, Micah Melkonian. 28, Chase Lariza.
9-10 Girls:
6, Molly Clarke. 11, Rachel Osmundsen. 13, Allie Spadaro. 14, Maggie Osmundsen. 21, Hailey Kern. 22, Alix Melton.
11-12 Girls:
5, Ricki Swearingen. 10, Kelsey Spadaro. 12, Hannah Mears.
13-14 Boys:
1, Jordan Mallon.
On Sunday, Meadows Race Team set a long and technical giant slalom course on Rams Head. Cooper Spur Race Team's 8-and-under boys dominated the field by taking six of the top 10 spots.
Montana Kurahara, Hunter Kern, William Lamer, and Kellan Duffy finished frist through fourth respectively.
In the 8-and-under girls, Kellie Clarke finished in second place, while looking like Bode Miller balancing on one ski before regaining her balance.
RACE RESULTS
8-under Girls:
2, Kellie Clarke. 7, Annalyssa Sassara. 12, Casey Holzman. 22, Chloe Kurahara.
8-under Boys:
1, Montana Kurahara. 2, Hunter Kern. 3, William Lamer. 4, Kellan Duffy. 9, Kiefer Kreps. 10, Zach Mikkelson. 13, Nicolas Bergen. 16, Micah Melkonian. 18, Austin Keillor. 23, Riggs Bardin. 24, Chase Lariza. 27, Dakota Kurahara. 33, Levi Geller.
9-10 Girls:
9, Molly Clarke. 14, Allie Spadaro. 18, Hailey Kern.
9-10 Boys:
9, Jackson Hukari. 19, Cooper Holzman. 26, Jacob Fischer.
11-12 Girls:
5, Ricki Swearingen. 8, Kelsey Spadaro. 9, Hannah Mears. 13, Rachael Sassara. 18, Alix Melton.
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