Our schools in Grand Country are the training grounds for our athletes of tomorrow. With the predominance of winter weather, great mountainous terrain and therefore excellent availability of winter sports, Grand Nordic tries to introduce our youngsters to an outdoor sport that can take them almost anywhere in the State of Colorado or the Rocky Mountains. We offer Nordic skis and sometimes boots to the smallest in pre-schools and then elementary schools and recreation department offerings. Then the kids can graduate to Middle school teams or even learn as a beginner. In high school, kids must purchase their own equipment or they can join more elite paid training programs that can lead to higher competition levels so we offer them scholarships for these expenses.
And our locals do excel… the season for MPHS started Dec 17 at Snow Mtn Ranch with a skate race that barely happened on minimal snow between Middle Park, Steamboat and Poudre Valley – the race/tour de Northern Colorado. Elizbeth Hammond was first woman and Gray Barker was second man in closely contested races. After Gould races were canceled due to road closures, the Jan 15 skate race in Steamboat produced a girls sweep with Sylvia Brower and Elizabeth Hammond 1-2, and Haley Miller, Annie Kuhns, Sierra Jamison, Paige Vecchiarelli, and Alaina Mears close behind. The boys swept with Gray Barker 1st and Dane Jensen, Ewan Gallagher, Kyle Vogelbacher, and Kadin Starr all in the top 7. At the first state qualifier at Gold Run skate race, MPHS was missing our club racers (WP Comp Center kids raced in more elite Rocky Mtn Division races) and several sick kids and fielded a very small team. MPHS still tied for a girls 4th with Elizabeth Hammond, Haley Miller, and Annie Kuhns and only 4 boys raced tieing them for 7th. The second state qualifier was both a classic and skate race at Maloit Park in Minturn with all the faster skiers present where the classic girls tied for 2nd and boys were 3rd and skate girls 3rd and boys 4th. Even with no club kids present for the relay races in Leadville, the girls team was 2nd and boys 4th. The last state qualifier in Steamboat was a classic race with all the best skiers present and Middle Park again dominated with the girls finishing 2nd and boys 1st.
Then came the much-anticipated State Championships held a Snow Mtn Ranch. The SkyHi News showed a picture of local Sylvia Brower blowing away the girls classic field on Friday. A champion is born indeed! MPHS women led the field of some 13 schools by almost 20 points. The men were in 2nd place behind Eagle Valley by one point. The reporter from Summit County reported only on the Thursday skate race where the Panthers were 3rd and 5th respectively.
Following the States, the Tour de Northern Colorado Championship in Steamboat was a 1.5k sprint with the qualifying heats resulting in 4 MPHS girls and 4 MPHS boys in the final heat of 6. Both finished on top by sheer numbers and brought home the traveling trophy Wooden Skis. To finish the season, the 3k classic at Maloit Park saw the women tied for 2nd led by Sylvia Brower and Elizabeth Hammond and the men in 3rd led by Gray Barker and Ewan Gallagher.
Our local kids did very well in a season that was off to a thin-cover start and difficult courses while all of us coped with the huge snow dumps that followed. Sickness and covid protocols added to the confusion. For the State Championships, parents and other locals came out to volunteer at SMR to provide a great course, excellent hospitality, good coordination, timing, and officiating to the visiting teams and families from all over the State. Hats off to everyone for that performance…
Probably the last competition of the Season is coming up this weekend March 12 and 13 at Snow Mtn Ranch – the Annual Snow Mtn Stampede, one day of Skate and one day of Classic racing. Either day, choose from a 2K kids race which is FREE, a 12.5K, a 25K race or Tour, or a 50K marathon – all run on a 12.5K loop at Snow Mtn Ranch. Volunteers are always needed so visit www.skigrandnordic.org for direct links for both registration information and volunteering. Finish out the season in grand style, two days, two races, BE THE BOSS! then get ready for crust skiing…
