Following seven weeks of indoor practicing, the 10-member The Dalles High Riverhawks ski team is hoping to begin the 2024 season with their first race Jan. 7 at Mt. Hood Meadows.
The Riverhawk skiers, guided by eighth-year Coach Dane Klindt, are hoping weather conditions will improve, because the snow level on Mount Hood is far below normal for this time of year. The Jan. 7 Kelsey Hewitt Memorial is a fun season opening nonleague event, but it’s in jeopardy of being canceled because of the lack of snow. The memorial event is a favorite season opener for the athletes because most dress in costume for the low-key races.
“I don’t think any teams have even had a chance to practice skiing yet at Mount Hood,” said Klindt, who is the Mt. Hood Ski Racing League president. “There’s no way to do any training right now other than weightlifting workouts in the gym. We’re really concerned about the first race even being able to take place.
“I’m starting to feel bad for the kids, because they’re not able to do anything to prepare for the season. The conditions are abnormal for this time of the year. This is the worst start to the season since I’ve been the coach.”
The Riverhawks’ five-member boys squad is led by seniors Cooper Klindt and Henry Perez, who both qualified for the 2023 Oregon Interscholastic Ski Racing Association (OISRA) state championships last year at Mt. Hood Meadows. Cooper Klindt finished 20th in slalom and 31st in giant slalom — and was 15th in the combined events — at the 2023 state championships. Other Riverhawk skiers include returning senior Connor Kovalchuck, returning sophomore Jase Perez and junior Ari D’Arso, a first-time ski team member.
The five-member Riverhawk girls squad includes senior Faith Gouge, sophomore Abril Rincon and Riley Nordquist, a home school student from Maupin. Gouge, Rincon and Nordquist are returning skiers from a year ago.
“We have a good up and coming young team and I’m really looking forward to seeing how well the girls are going to do,” Coach Klindt said.
Newcomers to the Riverhawks this year include freshmen Kaiya Doty and Kailee Klindt. Kailee Klindt was a member the Riverhawk ski team last year as an eighth grader, but the results of her events were not counted in the official standings of the OISRA.
Doty also competes as a swimmer during the winter months, which is a rare accomplishment for The Dalles High School student athletes. “Kaiya is good kid; she’s a great student and we’re excited to have her on the ski team because she’s a great skier and she’s doing very well in swimming, too,” Klindt said.
Doty who swims for Coach Nate Timmons is the first athlete that Klindt has guided during his coaching career that was doing double duty in winter sports. Timmons said: “You don’t see kids competing in two sports in the same season very often. Kaiya definitely has the dedication and the discipline and the drive to do that.”
The Riverhawks’ first Mt. Hood Ski Race League event is Jan. 12 at Ski Bowl East. There are nine events on the schedule, which concludes with the state championship race March 7-8 at Mount Bachelor in Bend.
Commented
Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.