Ski team shows their mettle in furious three-day span

“This was a big week for The Dalles skiers,” TD head coach Dane Klindt said. “In the biggest giant slalom of the year, all the Dalles racers did great, and George and Lucy really shined.”

Amongst a field of 154 skiers, Harrison bounced back from his first run time of 1:33.78 with a 1:27.50, sixth-best, to wrap up his day at 3:01.28 to secure his top-10 status, fewer than 24 seconds behind overall winner, Nils Streedain, of Franklin (2:37.34).

For the weekend, Booth notched 11th place in all three of her two-run times, and in Saturday’s race posted a 1:32.07 and followed that up with an 11th-best 1:29.29 for a 3:01.36, which put her 13.08 ticks behind overall leader, Zoe Coughlin-Glasser, out of Grant (2:48.28).

“Lucy had two impressive runs,” Klindt said. “She has been working hard on her racing skills, and as a freshman has shown everyone that she will be a force next year.”

Junior varsity standout and eighth grader Cooper Klindt showed his stuff by taking home 23rd place in 3:21.10, as he improved by 4.22 seconds from his first run with a second-run tally of 1:38.44.

Austin Weir also had a solid second try, bouncing back from a 1:45.35 to a 1:36.42 to get a 3:21.77.

Grey Roetcisoender worked a two-run split of 3:27.08 to get 30th place, cutting down nearly six seconds on a second attempt of 1:40.57.

Junior varsity skier Henry Perez (3:37.92) picked up 36th place; Paul Kelly tacked on a 3:49.12 to secure 41st on the varsity boys side and Bucky Wilkonson placed 44th after his 3:55.03.

Peyton Beeks didn’t complete his first try, but put together a 1:45.63 on his second attempt, good for 36 in that heat.

Following up Booth for the Riverhawk girls was Hannah Biehn, who timed out in 1:38.59 and 1:37.68 for her two-run total of 3:16.27 to get 17th place.

“Hannah has started taking ski racing seriously this year,” coach Klindt said. “Something has happened, and she has improved more in the last few weeks than in the last couple of years. It’s really clicking with her and to see her hard work paying off is really exciting.”

Ella Smith ended up 32nd in the girls varsity field with her 3:30.31; Fiona Dunlop hit two runs in 3:56.36 to finish 44th, and Ashley Quisenberry looked to be earning a top-20 spot at 19th in 1:38.79 in her opening attempt but did not finish her second attempt.

Monday, teams had a pair of makeup slalom races, and in the first one, Booth Biehn, Harrison and Roetcisoender were in the top-22 overall.

“It was quite an accomplishment for our league to complete two races, but one that was nice to pull off with all the crazy weather we have had all year,” coach Klindt said.  

Harrison enjoyed the fourth-best, first-run mark of 41.18 and added a 45.21 to total 1:26.39 for his eighth-place outcome, 8.49 behind top finisher Franklin’s Alex Borisenko (1:17.90).

In 19th place was Roetcisoender, who put up a 46.11 and a 50.30 to secure a 1:36.41, and then Beeks (1:49.45) and Kelly (1:49.75), were in 24th and 25th place, respectively, following their two tries, and Wilkonson completed one run in 51.41, but did not finish his second attempt.

Booth led the Lady Riverhawks in her runs of 42.65 and 46.15 to complete her 11th-place final mark of 1:28.80 and wound up less than 11 seconds behind top finisher Hood River Valley’s Eva Jones (1:17.87).

Biehn posted a 45.07 and a 52.79 to finish with a 1:37.86 to grab 22nd place, just seconds behind the overall leader.

Quisenberry wound up 27th with her 1:44.29, Smith notched a 1:48.05 to place 28th, and Dunlop timed out in 1:57.90 to score 30th place.

The challenges of racing twice in one day took its toll on the ski racers, so conserving energy and finding an extra gear to rack up another two-run time was going to be tough.

Harrison finished his second two-run slalom try in 38.96 and 45.05 for a 1:24.02 to lock down 10th place in the field, 16.64 behind Franklin’s Streedain (1:07.38).

Roetcisoender pushed ahead in 43.86 and 48.69 to get a 1:32.55 and 20th place, and Kelly had a 1:45.19 for 28th place.

Completing one run in the second slalom event were Cooper Klindt (48.33), Wilkonson (50.36), Perez (51.18) and Beeks (52.17).

On the girls side, Booth came out firing in her opener in 39.07 and added a 44.71 to total 1:23.78, which gave her 11th place, 12.35 seconds behind top finisher Franklin’s Annelise Norkitis (1:11.43) and 10.45 in back of Hood River’s Jones (1:13.33).

Quisenberry reeled off a 47.21 and 51.11 to get her 1:38.32 to place 21st, and Dunlop had a 56.69 opener and followed that up with a 1:00.42 and a combined 1:57.11 to earn 25th place.

Biehn managed just one time of 42.82 and Smith added a 54.43 on her second attempt after not finishing run No. 1.

“George and Lucy really shined on Monday and put four solid runs together,” coach Klindt said. “The rest of the team did a great job, mentally. Putting two good runs together in a day is tough, but we had the six athletes put four together, and The Dalles stepped up to the challenge.”

TD have one final race of the year Saturday, a giant slalom aboard Meadows, and it will be determined after those races if the Hawks will get a state qualifier.  

For as young as the team is, there have been plenty of season highlights to build upon.

“I’m really proud of all The Dalles racers,” coach Klindt said. “The improvement and devotion all these athletes have put toward ski racing is building, and I am excited to work with the team.”