U16 USSA Racing

The end of the winter provides some fun opportunities to race outside of the U16 age group. Over the past two weekends some U16s raced at Cannon and Sugarbush. Their hard work from the year paid off as they lowered their points and some landed on the podium. Below are some photos from the races.

 It was so windy at the start at Cannon that the warmest place to wait was in the trees.

 After the race we took a "tram run" from the top of Cannon. This was the awesome view of Franconia Ridge.

Andrew claimed 3rd U16 in the SL.

 At Sugarbush, Bri was 2nd overall.

 Matt Price was the 2nd U16 in SL.

 Parker took 3rd overall in the GS at Sugarbush. Bri was 8th.

Shamus won the GS overall, with Matt in 5th and Andrew 6th. 

U16 Am-Can at Stowe

Tuesday through Thursday this week seven Burkies represented the eastern US against the best of eastern Canada: Shamus, Cole, Gigi, Parker, Avery, McKenna and Annie. We enjoyed awesome snow conditions and beautiful sunny skies two of three days. After the SG we even skied the other side of the mountain, which was super fun!

 Looking at the other side of Stowe from the race hill

 The blue jackets crew - Annie, Gigi, Shamus, McKenna, Parker

 Parker and Momma Biele (and Misty)

 Annie claimed 2nd in GS, with Gigi 6th and Parker 8th

Shamus wins GS! Way to represent!

Avery 8th in SL

Shamus 7th in SL

SL day - luckily the rain waited until we finished - McKenna, Shamus, Gigi, Annie, Parker

Surrogate Family Life

Today was a little rough for the BMA girls in the US Nationals GS, although Nina's win was incredible! With a day off tomorrow, the girls cooked up an amazing pesto pasta meal, and then we sat around the dinner table and played Clue to blow off a little steam. Family style game night!

NorAm Finals at BMA

Whew!  We capped off our two months of BMA hosted races with four awesome days of NorAm Finals (women's tech).  The weather did us a solid by staying manageable.  The whole community came together and helped put on a truly championship event.  We got loads of compliments from visiting athletes, coaches and officials.  Smiles all around.  Thanks again for all of the cool Vermont businesses that stepped up and provided awards for this event. (You can check out the prize lists on live-timing.)

It takes a village to keep a gate!

Forest and Yale

Lili and Julia

Matt:  Locked in.  Total focus.  100% Intensity.

Audrey with part of her swag.

Mood rings and lollipops.  If you want to know who is cooler, the rings give the answer.

Alums/former-PG's: Mardi, Lexi, Maisie, Nicole, Audrey, Anne.

The Little Bear Podium

(U18's based on NorAm Points for our four races)

Nina in 2nd.

The Big Bear Podium.

U16 Eastern Championships at Whiteface

Whiteface welcomed 19 BMA athletes to the U16 Eastern Championships last week. BMA women took three of the top ten spots in Super G with Isabel in 4th, Lizzy in 5th and Gigi in 9th, Connor Marschke jumped 70 spots from bib 80 to 19th place and recieved the Hard Charger Award. In the GS Burke men and women each took three of the top ten spots with Isabel in 2nd  Tatum in 6th and Lizzy in 7th, Will was in 5th place with Fredi in 7th and Shamus in 10th.  Will won gold in the men's SLand Fredi won bronze. The women's SL saw Megan in 5th, Tatum in 7th and Lizzy in 9th. Seven of them are now competing at the Can-Ams at Stowe- (Shamus, Cole, Gigi, Avery, Parker, McKenna and Annie) and six more (Will, Fredi, Isabel, Lizzy, Tatum and Megan) will move on to compete at U16 Nationals next week at Sugarloaf.  

In addition to congratulating the Burkies on their athletic achievements, they also recieved compliments on their show of community spirit and work ethic. Alumnus Taylor Kahl, who was at the event coaching a group of athletes from his home state of NJ wrote "I watched the Burke boys line the bottom of the Women’s GS course waiting for the arrival of their classmates. They screamed at the top of their lungs until their voices were hoarse, treating the success of their teammates as if it were their own. They congratulated each other with loud jeers and pats on the back, as Burke kids have done for generations now. Directly after the race I went to the top to helpm pull fence, only to see a mixture of coaches and blue coats scattered out on the hill. I almost had to wrestle a fence away from two young Burkies just so that I could roll one of my own...I guess rolling fences has become ingrained in the Burke Community as well." Well done Burkies!

SG-Gigi 9, Isabel 4

SG continued-Lizzy 5

Connor-Hard Charger award

GS-Isabel with silver

 

GS continued-Tatum 6, Lizzy 7

GS-Will 5, Fredi, 7, Shamus 10

SL-Will gold, Fredi bronze

Overall- Isabel bronze

Overall-Will silver

U14 Eastern Championships at Stowe

Last weekend ten Burkies competed at the U14 Eastern Championships at Stowe.  They had three great days of racing on Main Street and one skills day. The series kicked off with Super G on Friday with Maggie finishing in 5th place.  Saturday was the GS, Pat earned silver, Raph just missed the podium in 4th and Ava finished in 8th. Monday ended the series with SL, Ava won the gold, Sammi took 6th and Pat won another silver. Ava and Pat were named to the U16 National Project at Sugarloaf and the following athletes will go on to compete at Can-Ams at Mont Tremblant: Maggie, Sammi, Daphne, Claudia, Sophie, Raph and Gray.  Congratulations to all of the athletes on their hard work, fierce skiing and positive attitudes!

Morning glow on Mt. Mansfield

Raph, Pat, Maggie and Daphne

Maggie, Daphne, Claudia, Sammi and Julia

In SL, Ava earned gold and Pat took sliver

Julia, Sammi and Daphne

Ava, Pat, Maggie, Daphnee, Claudia, Sammi, Julia and Gray

Thanks Coaches-Crosby, Corey and Ryan!

U16 Finals at Sunday River

Christopher O'Brien, Jack Beney and I spent four days at Sunday River last week. We had awesome snow and fun racing. Below is a photo of the newly improved, widened race venue: "Monday Mourning" from the Super G day. Also some photos of the podiums. Nice work guys!

SL: Christopher 3rd and Jack 5th

GS: Christopher 5th and Jack 13th

Is this a recruiting violation?

U16 Boys Vermont Championships at Burke

We hosted a great race series here at Burke this weekend for U16 Boys State Championships.  We had 11 athletes competing and 9 will advance to Easterns in Whiteface, NY next week. Enjoy the photos courtesy of Christine McKim and Christin!

Team photo

Having fun!

Thanks Brandon, Tatum, Abby, Lexi and Jordan

Thanks Yale, Ryan, Jonny, Viv and Liam

Will, Vicki and Jack

Mark and Matt

Connor and Rima

Shamus, Christine and Liam

Cole, Michael and Vicky

Will

Chris R

Andrew

Chris O

Connor

Ian

Forest

Fredi

Shamus

Cole

Matt

Jack

GS-Shamus 6, Will 8

SL-Fredi 1, Will 2, Shamus 7,  Cole 10

Super G!