Schaffer and Hopke win slaloms for Wildcats
MARQUETTE, Mich. — The NMU alpine ski teams got off to a great start in day one of the USCSA Regional Championships, with both teams winning the team slalom and claiming five of six podium finishes.
The women earned gold and silver with a pair of ‘A’ skiers on their way to winning the team slalom, as Ashley Schaffer (1:19.83) and Tommie Springer (1:22.29) found themselves atop the podium. Rounding out the team scoring was Madalyn Stern, posting a time of 1:24.28 and a fifth-place finish. Blanca Srock rounded out the ‘Cats in the top-10, finishing seventh.
The men swept the podium with three ‘A’ skiers en route to winning the team slalom, as Kyan Hopke (1:06.83) claimed gold, Noah Bindas (1:08.50) earning silver, and Cashton Jaeger (34.98) rounded out the podium with bronze. Along with the podium sweep, the ‘Cats laid claim to six of the top seven finishes, with Anthony Petkov in fourth, Connor Abraham in fifth, and Reed Heathman in seventh.
The women’s results can be found here, while the men’s results can be found here.
The second and final day of the USCSA Regional Championships from Marquette Mountain takes place tomorrow, Sunday, February 15, starting at 10 a.m. ET and running to around 3 p.m. ET, with a podium ceremony to follow. The teams will compete in the giant slalom. Live results for the men can be found here, and the women here.
How It Happened
Women – Run One
Three of the top four run one results went to the ‘Cats, as Schaffer, Springer, and Stern held spots one and three with times of 37.81, 39.63, and 39.88. Blanca Srock (40.85) and Onalee Wallis (41.17) rounded out the ‘Cats in the top ten. Lucy Stern (43.15), Cassidy Whitener (43.56), Anna Roethlisberger (43.68), Maya Bubolz (44.37), Georgette Sake (44.69), Camryn Zotalis (47.34), and Kaylee Byrne (53.70) all posted run one times, and Julia Greene DNF.
Run Two
Schaffer and Springer posted the top-two results again in the second run, with times of 42.02 and 42.66. Stern posted the fourth fastest time at 44.10, and Srock seventh at 45.41. Whitener (46.66), Stern (46.93), and Roethlisberger (48.15) all posted times sub-50 seconds, followed by Bubolz (50.85) and Wallis (51.42). Zotalis (59.76) and Sake (59.78) posted times just 0.02 seconds apart, Byrne recorded a 1:06.59,
Men – Run One
Seven of the top nine run one times belonged to the ‘Cats, as the trio of Hopke (32.82), Bindas (33.95), and Jaeger (34.39) controlled the top three results. Connor Abraham (34.53) and Anthony Petkov (34.76) rounded out the top five, and Eli Heathman (34.94) and Reed Heathman (35.36) rounded out the top ten. Nathan Dehart (36.41) and Mitchell Forsberg (36.76) also turned in solid results.
Run Two
The ‘Cats claimed the top seven results in run two, and it was Hopke (34.01) and Bindas (34.55) who posted the top two results again. Petkov moved up and posted the third-quickest run two result at 34.82, and was trailed by E. Heathman (34.92), Jaeger (34.98), R. Heathman (35.00), and Abraham (35.13). Dehart (35.73) and Forsberg (36.17) rounded out the ‘Cats in the field, posting the 13th and 15th quickest results.
