Almost a whole team picture before the GS race. Left to right: Moriah Ernest, Megan Ditzenberger, Shelbie Ralston, Jamie Sitter, Carley Clegg, Danielle Sweet, and Carmen Smith.
Jamie Sitter gets her momentum moving downhill with this nearly perfect kick start.
The reincarnated Alpine Ski Team travelled to Winter Park this weekend for its first race of the season. Competing in the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) of the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA), the girls skied slalom Saturday and giant slalom Sunday against some of the top schools in the country. University of Colorado, Denver University, and the US Air Force Academy are just some of the colleges that challenged Western’s girls.
Coach Tyler Johnson made a point of Western’s Alpine Ski Team inspecting the courses as a team.
Carmen Smith and Megan Ditzenberger get out the pre-race jitters.
Arriving at Winter Park early Saturday morning with the expectations of warming up before their 9:30am slalom start, the ladies were greeted by a few inches of fresh snow. While other racers grumbled about the less than ideal slalom conditions, Western’s Alpine Ski Team had a blast skiing the untracked powder. A great skier might be good in the gates, but a great racer is an all around great skier. The two race runs down Lower Hughes that morning and early afternoon were challenging for Western’s racers, but proved to be a fun learning experience.
Carmen Smith asking coach Tyler Johnson questions about the slalom course after inspection.
Megan Ditzenberger and Shelbie Ralston get their game faces on before the first slalom run.
With the men running giant slalom before the women Saturday morning, Western’s ladies had extra time to warm up and free ski on the beautiful bluebird day at Winter Park. Racing down Hughes, and through a cut over to Lower Hughes, the girls expected a difficult course but were met with a fairly simple one. Two delays on the cut over provided extra speed and a chance for a clean, aerodynamic tuck. Shelbie Ralston led the ladies with bib number 3 and a 15th place finish.
Shelbie Ralston’s first GS run Sunday.
Carmen Smith clearing Shelbie Ralston’s boots before her GS run Sunday.
For most of Western’s Alpine Ski Team, it was their first time ski racing on a collegiate level this weekend. And as a team, we would like to give a special thanks to everyone who made it possible to bring back the Alpine Ski Team this season: Tyler Johnson, Dave Wiens, Duncan Callahan, Jason Holton, Crested Butte, and of course the alumni. We hear from alumni everywhere we go, and I cannot put into words how much it means to all of us to have your support. As Jamie Sitter put it on the van ride to Winter Park Friday afternoon: “Welcome back, princess!” And the comeback queens are here to stay.
Almost a whole team photo before the slalom race. Left to Right: Tashia Huberty, Shelbie Ralston, Tyler Johnson, Carmen Smith, and Jamie Sitter. Front: Megan Ditzenberger.
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