Colony’s 6-time region champ leads Valley skiers into state meet

PALMER — Less than two weeks after a historic Region III Championships for Valley cross-skiing programs, local athletes are set for the ASAA/First National Bank Nordic Ski State Championships, which start Thursday in Fairbanks.

Valley squads dominated the podium at the region meet, Feb. 8-9 at the Government Peak Recreational Area near Palmer. Colony swept the team titles. Colony’s Annika Hanestad swept the girls’ individual titles. Colony’s Noah Hanestad and Palmer’s Joseph Walling each scored a first-place finish in varsity boys’ competition.

“There’s an upswing with skiing in the Valley,” Colony head coach Mark Strabel said.

Strabel said he feels his program has remained consistent and Palmer has been developing talented skiers. Local programs have also benefited from the quality of the trails at the Government Peak Recreation Area.

“All the pieces are coming together,” Strabel said.

Colony’s star skier, Annika Hanestad, is now 6 for 6 in region races. The junior has swept both the classic and freestyle events in each of her first three years as a member of the Knights program. While Hanestad’s success is a rare accomplishment, Strabel said, Colony’s talented skier has great aspirations and a very high ceiling in the sport.

“She has bigger aspirations as far as what she wants to accomplish,” Strabel said.

Hanestad qualified for the U.S. National U18 team last year. Between her work on the state and national level, Hanestad is doing things that have not been done by a Valley skier since Strabel’s brother Eric ruled the trails. Mark Strabel said Hanestad is the first Valley skier since his brother to qualify for the U18 national team. Eric Strabel has been elected to multiple halls of fame since.

Mark Strabel said Hanestad will be part of a loaded girls field during the state meet. The state’s best includes West Valley’s Kendall Kramer, who is one of the top girls skiers in the nation. Regardless, Strabel said he sees Hanestad among the top four or five in the state, with the potential to finish in top three.

“You never know what happens,” Strabel said.

Events begin with the boys’ 7.5-kilometer classic Thursday at 11 a.m. at Birch Hill in Fairbanks. The girls’ 5-K follows at 5 p.m. The girls’ 7.5-K and boys’ 10-K mass start freestyle are slated for Friday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The girls and boys relay races are Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Contact Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.