‘Girl on Fire’ blazes to opening slalom win

By Published On: January 15th, 2014Comments Off on ‘Girl on Fire’ blazes to opening slalom win
Karin Rand of Richmond, Vt. (C.J. Feehan)

Karin Rand of Richmond, Vt. (C.J. Feehan)

RICHMOND, Vt. — When Keely’s Ski Camp for Girls and Tecnica/Blizzard selected Vermont racer Karin Rand to receive the ‘Girl of Fire’ scholarship, they were onto something hot. The U16 from Cochran’s Ski Club opened up the season of Northern Vermont Council (NVC) racing with a 3.78-second win in Sunday’s (Jan. 12) slalom at her home hill. Yes, that’s nearly a four second margin of victory down two courses that each ran just over 40 seconds.

Trailing first run leader Ellie Curtis of GMVS by 0.35 of a second, Rand knew she needed to try something different on the second run.

“After first run I had a lot of input from my coaches who said, ‘That was awesome, but we know you can go faster’,” said Rand. “Especially my start, they said that I could push it harder and get up to speed sooner, so that’s what I tried to do.”

First run leader Curtis ended up hipping out in the second run but still managed to ski back on course to finish 18th, while her teammate Hannah Utter stepped up to the challenge from bib 50 to take second place overall and another GMVS athlete, Tarrah Price, rounded out the podium in third. Burke Mountain Academy’s Olivia Gerrard, who sat third after the first run, experienced similar difficulties as Curtis and was disqualified in the second run. GMVS skiers ultimately dominated positions two through five, but Mt. Mansfield’s Nicole McNabb broke the streak to finish sixth.

“This continues to be one of my favorite race hills and least favorite races,” remarked Burke Mountain Academy head coach Kirk Dwyer, whose team walked away from the day without a single podium result. A former athlete of Dwyer’s, Sam Coffin, became head U16 coach at Cochran’s this season and helped lead Rand to her win over the likes of several full-time academy athletes.

Hannah Utter of GMVS (C.J. Feehan)

Hannah Utter of GMVS (C.J. Feehan)

“I haven’t know Karin for too long, but so far I’ve been super impressed with how hard she works and how she takes such initiative. All I can say is the win is really well-deserved. It shows that it doesn’t matter what hill you ski on or what program you’re in if you have drive and heart,” noted Coffin. “I just think it’s cool that our kids did well on a hill where they used a crowbar to take the fences out of the ice yesterday in the rain.”

The secret to Rand’s success may lie in a ritual she started just before the first run by taking a swig of Slopeside Syrup, the liquid gold produced on the Cochran’s property by the Olympic namesake family.

“I think I was really comfortable today because it’s my home hill, and the pressure didn’t feel like it was very high, so it just felt like training,” added Rand.

GMVS established a dictatorship over the men’s race as Canadian newcomer Chris Jones from Montreal slayed the second run for the win and was followed on the podium by his teammates Jimmy Krupka and Markus Meitinger in second and third, respectively.

For Jones, who struggled to find consistency in his skiing at Mt. Tremblant last season, the 1.67-second victory was a warm welcome to the United States.

“I’m new to GMVS and new to this whole system,” said Jones. “I’ve (won races) before, but I had a tough season last year. Mentally, it was a big switch for me. Sometimes you hit those years where the results aren’t coming in, but you know it’s all part of the experience. So I’m really happy right now with the win.”

Mt. Mansfield’s Trent Gutstein put together two consistent runs to finish fourth just ahead of Burke Mountain Academy’s Liam McKim, who moved up from ninth after first run to ultimately finish fifth.

 

Women’s Results

Rank Bib Name Team Club Class Result 1 Result 2 Combined
1 7
Rand, Karin
USA
COCH
U16
41.40   (2)
44.11   (1)
1:25.50
2 50
Utter, Hannah
USA
GMVS
U16
43.82   (7)
45.46   (2)
1:29.28
3 5
Price, Tarrah
GMVS
U16
42.91   (4)
46.47   (4)
1:29.38
4 37
Davis, Madeline
USA
GMVS
U16
43.18   (5)
46.47   (4)
1:29.65
5 41
Meynard, Sophia
USA
GMVS
U16
43.39   (6)
46.41   (3)
1:29.80
6 26
McNabb, Nicole
USA
MMSC
U16
44.52 (10)
47.28   (9)
1:31.80
7 27
Bruce, Anna
USA
BMA
U16
45.29 (11)
46.63   (6)
1:31.92
8 12
Smith, Rachel
USA
MMSC
U16
44.44   (9)
47.63 (10)
1:32.07
9 29
Provost, Rebecca
USA
GMVS
U16
46.60 (18)
46.69   (7)
1:33.29
10 49
Biele, Parker
USA
BMA
U16
45.60 (13)
48.03 (13)
1:33.63
11 43
Williams, Elizabeth
USA
BMA
U16
45.59 (12)
48.10 (14)
1:33.69
12 10
Arencibia, Rebecca
USA
GMVS
U16
45.81 (15)
48.28 (15)
1:34.09
13 1
Smith, Wren
USA
BMA
U16
44.40   (8)
49.87 (20)
1:34.27
14 25
Queally, Katie
USA
GMVS
U16
46.72 (19)
47.76 (11)
1:34.48
15 4
Grondin, Isabel
USA
BMA
U16
46.23 (17)
48.51 (16)
1:34.74
16 6
Hultgren, Ava Rae
USA
IND
U16
45.95 (16)
48.91 (17)
1:34.86
17 52
Wilson, Mckenna
USA
BMA
U16
47.40 (26)
47.85 (12)
1:35.25
18 14
Curtis, Ellie
USA
GMVS
U16
41.05   (1)
54.42 (29)
1:35.47
19 13
Doemland, Edith
USA
GMVS
U16
46.95 (21)
49.22 (18)
1:36.17
20 19
Faour, Kamli
USA
COCH
U16
46.74 (20)
49.94 (21)
1:36.68
21 9
Nolan, Margo
USA
GMVS
U16
47.47 (27)
50.00 (22)
1:37.47
22 23
Andrews, Payton
USA
GMVS
U16
48.14 (30)
49.71 (19)
1:37.86
23 3
Matthes-Theriault, Sophia
USA
MMSC
U16
47.34 (25)
50.58 (24)
1:37.91
24 45
Vander Mel, Lucy
USA
BMA
U16
47.29 (24)
50.89 (25)
1:38.18
25 35
Hubbard, Ella
USA
GMVS
U16
47.15 (23)
51.16 (26)
1:38.32
26 54
Schibli, Lila
USA
GMVS
U16
47.71 (28)
52.47 (28)
1:40.19
27 24
Ross, Bay
BMA
U16
50.02 (32)
50.39 (23)
1:40.41
28 30
Cutting, Carolyn
USA
COCH
U16
49.94 (31)
51.50 (27)
1:41.44
29 36
Quimby, Gabrielle
USA
BMA
U16
45.76 (14)
56.59 (31)
1:42.35
30 28
Kantor, Shelby
USA
BMA
U16
59.86 (41)
47.27   (8)
1:47.13
31 34
Harnsberger, Ellen
USA
GMVS
U16
53.24 (34)
56.18 (30)
1:49.42
32 47
Beilke, Piper
USA
COCH
U16
53.88 (35)
57.24 (32)
1:51.12
33 51
Ashnault, Carleigh
USA
BMA
U16
54.72 (36)
57.33 (33)
1:52.05
34 11
Beresford, Josephine
USA
COCH
U16
50.34 (33)
1:03.15 (37)
1:53.50
35 40
Klinck, Charlotte
USA
MRSC
U16
56.42 (38)
59.66 (34)
1:56.08
36 31
Vezina-Dufresne, Charlotte
JPSC
U16
56.31 (37)
59.87 (35)
1:56.18
37 18
Paquette, Nathalie
USA
COCH
U16
58.08 (39)
1:00.53 (36)
1:58.62
46
Gerrard, Olivia
USA
BMA
U16
42.63   (3)
DQg43
8
Urdang, Eleanor
USA
GMVS
U16
47.13 (22)
DNF
20
Campbell, Katie
USA
GMVS
U16
47.82 (29)
DNF
17
Sullivan, Abigail
USA
BMA
U16
58.39 (40)
DNF
44
Skovran, Juliana
USA
GMVS
U16
DNF
DNF
33
Morton, Isobel
USA
GMVS
U16
DNF
DNF
32
Nullmeyer, Ali
GMVS
U16
DNF
DQg18
21
Lorenze, Paige
USA
BMA
U16
DNF
DNF

 

Men’s Results

Rank Bib Name Team Club Class Result 1 Result 2 Combined
1 33
Jones, Christopher
 
GMVS
U16
38.89   (3)
41.20   (1)
1:20.09
2 23
Krupka, Jimmy
USA
GMVS
U16
39.80   (8)
41.96   (2)
1:21.76
3 15
Meitinger, Markus
 
GMVS
U16
39.52   (6)
42.45   (3)
1:21.97
4 11
Gutstein, Trent
USA
MMSC
U16
39.45   (5)
42.82   (5)
1:22.27
5 44
Mckim, Liam
USA
BMA
U16
39.93   (9)
42.81   (4)
1:22.74
6 22
Horwitz, Kai
 
BMA
U16
39.13   (4)
43.64   (8)
1:22.77
7 40
Grabowski, Jake
USA
GMVS
U16
40.53 (11)
43.34   (7)
1:23.87
8 18
Beney, William
USA
BMA
U16
40.45 (10)
44.19 (12)
1:24.64
9 28
McKim, Shamus
USA
BMA
U16
41.03 (13)
44.09   (9)
1:25.12
10 41
Vazquez, Leandro
USA
COCH
U16
41.24 (15)
44.12 (11)
1:25.36
 
11 35
Despres, Jack
USA
GMVS
U16
38.70   (2)
46.87 (23)
1:25.57
12 29
Bryan, Lucien
USA
MMSC
U16
41.48 (17)
44.49 (13)
1:25.97
13 42
Woolson, Ian
USA
GMVS
U16
41.25 (16)
44.82 (14)
1:26.07
14 58
Simpkins, Finnegan
USA
MMSC
U16
42.40 (21)
44.97 (15)
1:27.37
15 53
Skovran, Nicholas
USA
GMVS
U16
42.19 (19)
46.01 (18)
1:28.20
16 37
Ingalsbe, Malcolm
USA
GMVS
U16
42.95 (24)
45.62 (17)
1:28.57
17 32
Johnson, David
USA
MMSC
U16
42.78 (22)
46.18 (19)
1:28.96
18 1
Lanser, Toby
USA
GMVS
U16
42.94 (23)
47.08 (25)
1:30.02
19 13
Kasper, Masen
USA
GMVS
U16
43.67 (28)
46.45 (20)
1:30.12
20 47
Saffo, John
USA
GMVS
U16
43.84 (30)
46.53 (21)
1:30.37
21 2
Armstrong, Jack
USA
GMVS
U16
43.19 (26)
47.30 (26)
1:30.49
22 14
Pretti, Winston
USA
BMA
U16
43.60 (27)
46.94 (24)
1:30.54
23 9
Kenney, Ryan
USA
BMA
U16
41.69 (18)
50.64 (32)
1:32.33
24 12
Taylor, Austin
USA
MRSC
U16
46.99 (39)
45.43 (16)
1:32.42
25 4
Murphy, Peter
USA
MMSC
U16
44.54 (33)
48.62 (29)
1:33.16
26 54
Chivers, Thomas
USA
COCH
U16
44.33 (32)
48.86 (30)
1:33.19
27 49
Jannke, Gianni
USA
MMSC
U16
45.58 (35)
49.40 (31)
1:34.98
28 17
Turner, Joshua
USA
GMVS
U16
52.46 (44)
42.87   (6)
1:35.33
29 21
Stojda, Marc
USA
JPSC
U16
45.01 (34)
50.76 (33)
1:35.77
30 30
Coseo, Bennett
USA
SNSC
U16
41.15 (14)
55.93 (40)
1:37.08
31 8
Benet, Roman
 
GMVS
U16
46.63 (37)
51.60 (34)
1:38.23
32 39
O`Hagan, Dallas
USA
BMA
U16
46.02 (36)
52.23 (35)
1:38.25
33 34
Hamelin, Nicolas
USA
COCH
U16
46.84 (38)
52.70 (37)
1:39.54
34 25
Payne, Devin
USA
BMA
U16
47.27 (40)
52.29 (36)
1:39.56
35 26
Greenlese, Charlie
USA
COCH
U16
47.27 (40)
52.79 (38)
1:40.06
36 51
Wolfson, Eli
USA
GMVS
U16
43.07 (25)
59.30 (41)
1:42.37
37 48
Kendig, Hunter
USA
GMVS
U16
59.58 (46)
46.64 (22)
1:46.22
38 46
Scerbin, Ries
USA
GMVS
U16
50.72 (43)
55.80 (39)
1:46.52
39 59
Ianni, Robert
USA
JPSC
U16
56.93 (45)
1:05.43 (42)
2:02.36
  20
Wilson, Matthew
USA
BMA
U16
37.59   (1)
DNF
 
  6
Schneider, Fredi
USA
BMA
U16
39.63   (7)
DQg54
 
  27
Boes, Justin
USA
GMVS
U16
40.60 (12)
DNF
 
  55
Heller, Morgan
USA
GMVS
U16
42.36 (20)
DNF
 
  50
Van Dine, Forest
USA
BMA
U16
43.72 (29)
DNF
 
  38
Baker, Zachary
USA
GMVS
U16
43.94 (31)
DNF
 
  36
Steinberg, Justin
 
JPSC
U16
48.37 (42)
DNF
 
  56
Laurin, Max
 
JPSC
U16
DNF
DNF
 
  52
Delabruere, Caleb
USA
JPSC
U16
DNF
DNF
 
  45
Gallagher, Patrick
USA
GMVS
U16
DNF
47.45 (27)
 
  31
Schmitt, Ethan
USA
MMSC
U16
DNF
DNF
 
  16
Morgan, Chauncey
USA
GMVS
U16
DNF
44.09   (9)
 
  5
Flanagan, Yale
USA
BMA
U16
DNF
48.24 (28)
 
  3
MacDonald, Spencer
USA
COCH
U16
DNF
DNF
 

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About the Author: C.J. Feehan

Christine J. Feehan is a USSA Level 300 coach who spent more than a decade training athletes at U.S. ski academies - Burke, Sugar Bowl, and Killington - before serving as Editor in Chief at Ski Racing Media through 2017. She worked for the FIS on the World Cup tour for three years and then settled into her current home in Oslo, Norway.