STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK
Sun Valley skiers Sammy Smith, Peter Wolter and Mariah Bredal, who are fresh off the World Cup circuit, will compete on their own turf Thursday through Saturday when the XC FIS Sun Valley International Spring Series takes place on the trails at Galena Lodge and at Lake Creek.
They will be joined Sun Valley’s Junior National Championship competitors Galen Grohusky, David Shycon, Otus Beason, Molly Maybach, Jodie Willow Maguire, Charlie St. George, and Nick Gardiner; as well as Tait Boschen, Duncan Fryberger, Caleo Morrison, Cyrus Pott, Zach Quesnel, Eden Keeney, Stratton Cunningham, and Dave Walters.
Fifteen local homes are hosting foreign athletes from Germany, Norway and Canada for the races.
German racers are Lara Dellit, Marius Bauer, Verena Veit, Korbinian Heiland, Tom Wagner, and Lena Einsiedler. Norwegian racers are Hermann Skram Botturud, Eirik Asdoel, Brage Strandli, Henrik Svindseth, Aurora Mjoen Groendalen, Siri Lindbergsengen Nesheim, Tiril Stavrum, Simon Tegnander, Henrik Haug Solbrekke, Helene Ekrheim Haugen and Julie Sofie Franksdatter Aas.
Racers from Canmore, Alberta, are Charlie Williams, Teo Wadsworth, Ben Field, Jonas Rolseth, Max Clement, Anders Evanson, Stefan Buxton-Carr, Logan Bryant, Torin Comeau, Lily Lynch, Aislin Simson, Aria Grandi, Kaisa Lemyre, Leanne Gartner, Charlotte Wilson, and Sabine Comeau.
The race schedule:
Thursday, April 4—The Salomon Pursuit Race, which involves 5 kilometers of classic and 5 kilometers of freestyle, will take place at 9 a.m. at Galena Lodge on Jenny’s Way and Senate Meadows trails. The 5K freestyle pursuit will start at 11 a.m.
Friday, April 5—The Elephant’s Perch Team Spring starts at 9:30 a.m. at Lake Creek with the team spring qualifier. The team spring rounds start at 1 p.m. with the team spring heats at 3 p.m. and the finals about 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 6—The SKIDA Free Distance Race and Series Finale will start at 9 a.m. at Galena Lodge with a freestyle Mass Start Distance Race.
Race day shuttles for spectators at Galena Lodge will be provided at the Baker Creek parking lot from 7:30 a.m. to one hour after the conclusion of the races. Shuttles for those wishing to see the Lake Creek races will operate from the Hulen Meadows lot a half mile south of Lake Creek from 7:30 a.m. to one hour after the conclusion of the races.
The one-week, six-race FIS Spring Series kicked off with three races in Jackson Hole, Wyo., March 30-April 1. This weekend’s races, hosted by the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, are open to seniors and juniors ages U16 and older. Skiers will compete for prize money, as well as overall series standings.