Welch leads Gorge skiers at state championships

Welch finished eighth in the boys combined standings at the 2022 OISRA State Championships March 3-4.

Welch’s giant slalom runs on the Middlefork course March 4 were 1 minute, 4.38 seconds and 1:05.28, for a combined time of 2:09.66. A day earlier, he had finished the slalom (held on the Stadium course) in 10th place with a two-run time of 1:35.88. Teammate Caiden Titus was 39th (1:53.85). Titus did not compete in the giant slalom.

Ian Kenyon of Portland’s Lincoln was the winner in giant slalom in 2:02.4. He had the fastest run of the day in 1:00.21. Kenyon led Lincoln to first place as a team in giant slalom, slalom and combined. Bela Chladek of Sisters was the slalom winner in 1:24.97 for his two runs. Ian Kenyon of Lincoln had the fastest single run of the day in 40.88.

Hood River did not have a complete boys team competing at state.

In girls competition, giant slalom runs were held March 3 on the Middlefork course. Hood River’s Maya Corcoran was 38th overall with runs of 1:19.48 and 1:25.06. Teammate Emily Teets did not finish her first run and did not start her second. A day later on the Stadium course, Corcoran was again 38th overall, this time in slalom. She had runs of 58.15 and 51.87 for a combined total of 1:50.02. Teammate Delia Skakel was 64th overall in slalom in 2:07.06 — which included a run of 59.66. Teets did not finish her first run.

Annie Henrickson of Oregon Episcopal was the slalom winner with the top runs of 41.85 and 41.19 in each session. Nicole Prall of Portland’s Lincoln was the giant slalom individual winner in 2:17.22. She had the second-fastest times in both the first and second runs of the day. Henrickson had the fastest time overall in her morning giant slalom run at 1:05.61, but she did not finish her second run. The fastest second run of the day was 1:08.77 from Lakeridge’s Jiyoon Pak, who did not finish her first run.

Oregon Episcopal won the team slalom, got fourth in giant slalom, and won the girls combined championship.