West Region racers round out U.S. Whistler Cup team

The Western Region J3’s and J4’s battled the wind, fog and snow for the final two remaining Whistler Cup spots last Monday at Bogus Basin in the Junior Olympic women’s GS and men’s SL races.  
  
The Western Region J3’s and J4’s battled the wind, fog and snow for the final two remaining Whistler Cup spots last Monday at Bogus Basin in the Junior Olympic women’s GS and men’s SL races. 
    The competition was close and three new names were added to the Whistler Cup selections after the completion of the events. The competition was fierce in the race arena, but the team spirit between the athletes was one of the highlights; you could hear the cheers from the start halfway down the course. Congratulations to all the athletes who participated in the 2008 J3/J4 Junior Olympics Festival.  
    The overall combined awards consisted of the top three overall J4 competitors for men and women and then the top six overall J3 competitors. In the J4 women, the PNSA division swept the podium with Linnea Baysinger from TAS Alpental Snoqualmie Ski Foundation leading the charge. In the J3 women, Park City Ski Team athlete Sydney Staples took the top honors. For J4 men, the overall winner was Peter Papineau, also a Park City Ski Team athlete. Lastly, the J3 men’s overall title was given to Rowmark’s Andrew Kircher who won two out of three events.  
    Western Region Whister Cup nominations included some very familiar names from this weekend, including both 2008 Topolino attendees Foreste Peterson from Squaw Valley Ski Team and Scott Snow from Independence Racing Team. The Western Region Whistler Cup athletes will head to Whistler this Sunday, March 30, to meet up with the remaining Whistler Cup athletes from the Eastern and Rocky/Central Regions to complete this year’s 2008 Team USA at the Whistler Cup.

2008 Whistler Cup Nominations from the USSA Western Region

J4 Women
Linnea Baysinger – TAS Alpental Snoqualmie Ski Foundation (PNSA)
Breezy Johnson – Jackson Hole Ski Club (IMD)

J3 Women
Sydney Staples – Park City Ski Team (IMD)
Foreste Peterson – Squaw Valley Ski Team (FW)
Emma Naatz – Snowbird Ski Education Foundation (IMD)

J4 Men
Max Hall – Squaw Valley Ski Team (FW)
Hughston Norton – Heavenly Ski Foundation (FW)

J3 Men
Andrew Kircher – Rowmark Ski Academy (IMD)
Scott Snow – Indpendence Racing Team (PNSA)
Max Martin – Jackson Hole Ski Club (IMD)

Women’s GS podium finishers:

J4 Women  
1. Breezy Johnson – Jackson Hole Ski Club (IMD)
2. Josephine Hubble – McCall Ski Racing Team (IMD)
3. Ivy Duncan – Discovery Ski Team (ND)

J3 Women
1. Emma Naatz – Snowbird Ski Education Foundation (IMD)
2. Sydney Staples – Park City Ski Team (IMD)
3. Hailey Schur – TAS Alpental Snoqualmie Ski Foundation (PNSA)

Mens SL podium finishers:

J4 Men
1. Hughston Norton – Heavenly Ski Foundation (FW)
2. Kipling Weisel – Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (IMD)
3. Peter Papineau – Park City Ski Team (IMD)

J3 Men
1. Andrew Kircher – Rowmark Ski Academy (IMD)
2. Scott Snow – Independence Racing Team (PNSA)
3. Max Martin – Jackson Hole Ski Club (IMD)

Overall J4 Women:
1. Linnea Baysinger – TAS Alpental Snoqualmie Ski Education Foundation (PNSA)
2. Karina Schwartznau – Crystal Mountain Alpine Club (PNSA)
3. Anna Mounsey – TAS Alpental Snoqualmie Ski Education Foundation (PNSA)

Overall J3 Women:
1. Sydney Staples – Park City Ski Team (IMD)
2. Emma Naatz – Snowbird Ski Education Foundation (IMD)
3. Melissa Daniels – Squaw Valley Ski Team (FW)
4. Foreste Peterson – Squaw Valley Ski Team (FW)
5. Noah Duff – Mammoth Mountain Ski Team (FW)
6. Morgan Duffy – Stevens Pass Alpine Club (PNSA)

Overall J4 Men:
1. Peter Papineau – Park City Ski Team (IMD)
2. Max Hall – Squaw Valley Ski Team (FW)
3. Kipling Weisel – Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (IMD)

Overall J3 Men:
1. Andrew Kircher – Rowmark Ski Academy (IMD)
2. Scott Snow – Independence Racing Team (PNSA)
3. Eric Haferman – Bridger Ski Foundation (ND)
4. Max Axelrod – Squaw Valley Ski Team (FW)
5. Bronson Wright – Snowbird Ski Education Foundation (IMD)
6. Max Martin – Jackson Hole Ski Club (IMD)