Valley skiers compete at state meet

ANCHORAGE — Valley skiers have been heating up the snow at the ASAA/First National Bank State Nordic Ski Championships at Kincaid Park in Anchorage.

Skiers competed in staggered start 7.5-kilometer freestyle races on Thursday and a mass start classic race on Friday. Joseph Walling continues to lead the pack from the Valley, holding the spot for 10th overall headed into Saturday’s relay races.

“It’s just pure adrenaline trying to get out there and just go as quick as possible but not blow up. You know, nothing’s better than to go out there and beat some kid from town just to see their face,” said Palmer’s Kaj Taylor.

Walling and Taylor led the Valley skiers on Thursday and Friday. Walling finished sixth in the skate race with a time of 18:08.5 and currently sits in 10th overall. Taylor finished 25th in the skate race but made a massive leap on Friday, finishing in 15th place with a time of 30:52 and catapulting Taylor into 18th overall.

“If you’re finishing anywhere around the top 20 in a 94 skier field in the state of Alaska you’re reaching the top of the mountain,” said Palmer coach Mikey Evans.

Thursday’s skate race featured a staggered start with 94 skiers completing the course one after another, separated by only 30 seconds. Walling was the last of those 94 skiers and had speedy competition to chase in front of him.

“I think it’s motivated me to go a little faster. I just want to catch some people ahead of me,” said Walling.

After two days of racing, Palmer sits in sixth overall in the team standings and Colony is currently in 10th place. Skiers will compete in Saturday’s relay races which are brought out at the state meet to add excitement and separate teams on the last day. Each team will send two skiers to race a classic loop, 3.5-K for the girls and 5-K for the male athletes before two athletes from each team will race on a different section of the course on skate skis.

“It just adds a complexity that you manage and the kids look forward to it. They like it. It’s exciting racing as long as everybody makes their exchange in the exchange zone and everybody’s time counts. All you’ve got to do is give your best effort and you’ve got to be happy with that,” said Evans.

Kendall Kramer of West Valley has dominated both girls races, finishing first and establishing a 90-second lead. Alexander Maurer of Service also won both races and has about half the lead that Kramer does on the second place skiers.

Palmer junior Jaxson Lee jumped from 51st in the skate race to 44th in the classic race, and junior Tom Merritt went from 61st on Thursday to 52nd on Friday with a classic time of 34:27.5.

“It’s definitely a lot more intense than regions are. Everyone from the state is here and Alaska arguably has the fastest skiers in the world or the U.S. so it’s pretty cool to be here,” said Colony junior Garrett Streit. “It’s kind of like, this is it you have to put it all on the line and see where you stack up against the state.”

Streit has led the Knights boys team, finishing 20th in the classic race with a time of 31:39.3 and currently sitting in 25th overall. Colony junior Simeon Ramirez placed 36th overall after two days of racing. Junior Glen Steer and freshmen Jayden Rice also scored for the Knights.

“We had a lot of skiers that raced really well and stepped up, especially on the boys side. We had Glenn Steer, Jaden Rice, Simeon, almost all the boys really stepped up,” said Colony coach Mark Strabel.

The Valley girls were led by Palmer sophomore Rosie Whittington-Evans who jumped six places on Friday to take 16th overall. Whittington-Evans and teammate Aila Berrigan remained close during the skate race on Thursday, but Whittington-Evans finished the classic race in 25:10 to catapult into the top 20. Berrigan is in 25th overall, and Abbi Boucher also scored both days for the Moose. Sofijia Spaic finished 35th overall and teammate Lydia Bushey finished 43rd.

“I’m just glad the kids are racing well and they feel good,” said Strabel.

Colony junior Nicole Bell and freshmen Anna Bell also scored for the Knights.