Over the weekend of January 7 & 8, 2023, Sugar Bowl Ski Resort and Tahoe Freeride hosted the first stop of the Tahoe Junior Freeride Series on the demanding slopes of Mt. Disney’s “The Nose.”
Teams from across California flocked to the powder-filled venue, bringing over 250 dedicated athletes through the weekend’s incoming storm.
Saturday saw the younger competitors strutting their stuff on the cliff-riddled run, with boys and girls aged 12-14 in both ski and snowboard categories laying down competition runs throughout the day.
Standout performances from Sugar Bowl Ski Team & Academy athletes were commonplace throughout the event.
Spectators saw 8th grader Sebastian Baranchuk effortlessly 360 his way to the top of the podium for 12-14 ski boys group “A,” scoring his first win of the season. Teammates Angus Blackburn and Lincoln Gerstner followed closely, snapping up 2nd and 4th place, respectively, with technical and powerful runs down the powder-filled slopes.
Grayson Knauf rounded out the top 10 for the Sugar Bowl boys, smoothly executing his run and finishing 9th. In the 12-14 ski boys group “B,” young shredders Noah Theis (9th place), Corbin Althof (11th), and Turner Gould(12th) made their presence known with strong technique and impressive finishes.
In the Girl's 12-14 ski category, SBSTA represented well with many strong runs throughout the day. Weekend team member and proud “She-redder” Luciana DiLuna stunned the judges with technical prowess and big air up top, walking away with a 2nd place medal.
Rookie freeride Lily Cutler sliced her way through the most technical part of the venue with ease and joined her teammate on the podium in the number three position. Ava Fox, one of Sugar Bowl Academy’s newest student-athletes, made a splash in the category with a strong run and a well-deserved 9th-place finish.
On the boy's snowboard roster, 12-year-old Justin “J-Man” Labar slashed his way down the face cementing his reputation as one of the most well-rounded riders on the hill.
During the evening’s award ceremony, collaborative efforts from the Ski For Scotty Foundation and Tahoe Freeride unveiled a new token of recognition.
This newly minted and sure-to-be coveted award is a commemorative belt buckle featuring our fallen freerider Scotty Lapp.
This award goes to athletes that exemplify Scotty’s energy with inspiring runs that push the limits of possibility while holding true to a “fun first” approach. SBSTA’s own Lily Cutler was the first recipient of this recognition for her bold skiing and good energy on course throughout the day.
On Sunday, the older kids had center stage, with the theme of the day being fast, fluid, and playful runs. In the boys 15-18 category on panel “A,” senior Cole Davidson led the charge with the fastest run of the day, featuring two big airs right down the fall line. His efforts earned him a second-place spot on the day. Teammate Shea Markoff impressed the judges and nabbed 3rd place; with two 360s in his run, showcasing his ability to spin natural and unnatural in the difficult terrain.
On the ski boys “B” panel, SBA junior Alex Slezak skated into 2nd place with a big air up top and technical prowess in the middle of the venue. First-year academy athlete Riis Hornik also rounded out the top 10 with a fluid and impressive run. Moving into the stacked 15-18 girls competition, the SB freeride women flooded the top ten, with Eliza Gould tackling a rowdy mid-run drop to grab 6th on the day.
Teammate Vivianne Brown (8th place) stunned on the “dead tree air,” and style maven Elsa McAllister showed off her powerful style on the right side of the venue culminating in a unique and sizable air earning her the 10th spot on the day. For the boys, 15-18 snowboard category, veteran shredder Lyle Stone linked up the “Breadloaf cliff” into the technical chutes mid-venue.
His impressive and fluid run earned him his first podium of the year, landing in 3rd for the day.
With variable weather, challenging visibility, and slow travel conditions, thanks go out to all the staff, volunteers, and parents involved with the herculean effort needed to get the event off the ground this weekend.
Complete results link here:
Results TJFS Stop #1 Sugar Bowl IFSA Jr. Regional 2* 1/7/2023
(Sugar Bowl Ski Team & Academy)
