Columbia Falls High School junior Findley Dezzani competed at the U.S. Nordic Nationals in Anchorage, Alaska last week alongside her former Glacier Nordic Club teammate Maeve Ingelfinger, who now skis for Dartmouth. 

“These championships had the best of collegiate and professional-level skiers along with some high school athletes such as myself,” Dezzani said, who was racing in her first U.S. Nationals. 

The venue at Kincaid Park in Anchorage provided fun and challenging terrain, with short steep hills and gradual rollers that Dezzani said were “unlike any other course” she had skied on before, making tactical racing essential.  

“Rarely did early leaders end up on top of the podium,” Ingelfinger said about the course.

The Whitefish High School graduate’s favorite races were the classic sprint and classic 10k mass start because of the head-to-head nature.  

“I raced three junior heats with a deep field of talented racers ranging from club to collegiate level,” Ingelfinger said. 

Ingelfinger placed fourth and second, qualifying to represent the U.S. at World Juniors in Italy the first week of February.  

Dezzani’s favorite race was the classic 10k mass start in which the field of junior competitors started at the same time.  

“Though a crash in the beginning of the race cost me several places, it was still fun to navigate the course among the fast girls,” Dezzani said.  

Dezzani said that over the six days of competing, they spent time in between races testing skis, previewing courses and enjoying frequent moose encounters.