Flathead Valley ski racers compete in qualifiers

Flathead Valley Ski Education Foundation racers travelled in a couple different directions last weekend. The U12 and U14 teams were in Red Lodge for three slalom races while a few of our U16 and U18 team members traveled to Sun Valley, Idaho, for one slalom and two giant slaloms.  

All race results were not available prior to press but Claire Graham of Whitefish was second overall in the first race and came back strong for a win in the second. Finlee Klocke had three solid finishes, and Kessa Drendel had a breakthrough weekend with a fourth-, seventh- and ninth-place finish in the girls U14. Ella Elliott finished 13th in the first U14 race. 

In the U12 girls, Adelyn Danley found the podium with third place and13th place. Renoir Averill had two solid 17th place finishes.  

On the boys’ side, Colter Bengtson took second place overall in all three slalom races. Theo Elliott and Riley Ralston-Love each had strong second place finishes in the U12 boys’ races. Edmund Dickson was solid in his first races ever, earning seventh and 11th place in the U12 boys and George Dickson, also in his first races, was 16th in two of his races. 

In Sun Valley, Melody McNally won two U18 giant slalom races, while Kira Paatalo finished second in the slalom for Northern Division U16 girls and fourth in one of the giant slaloms. Grayson Galle competed in his first race ever and was the fifth fastest Northern Division U16 boy.  

Whitefish Mountain Resort is also set to host Youth Ski League races Feb. 22 - 23. To volunteer, contact [email protected].