‘Girl on Fire’ blazes to opening slalom win
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.
“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
|