Two new skiers build up the courage to try sit-skiing.
HUNTINGTON – Each state in the Northeast selects 20 Under 16 (U16) skiers and 24 High School students to race in a regional championship in March. This past Sunday over 220 skiers from Vermont traveled to Sleepy Hollow Touring Center to race in a 3 km classic race in the morning and then a 3 km skate race in the afternoon to see who will be on Vermont’s team. Parke Chapin (Green Mountain Valley School) took top honors for the boys winning both the classic and skate races. Greensboro’s Leo Circosta placed 10th overall to qualify. Charlie Krebs was 24th (from Craftsbury but attends St. Johnsbury) and just missed a spot but will still have a chance to make the team at the state high school championships where four additional skiers are named to the Vermont squad. Charlie Kehler (Craftsbury) easily made the U16 team placing sixth overall and was 26th overall. Alan Moody and Silas Hunt (both Craftsbury) were 41st and 67th, respectively. Max Demaine (Glover) was 64th. Thomas Kehler (Greensboro) jumped in for the fun of it as a U14 and placed 101st. On the girls’ side, Virginia Cobb (Westford) won both races. Leo’s sister, Amelia, placed third overall and first among the U16 skiers. Ruth Krebs (Craftsbury-St. J.) and Anika Leahy were 11th and 16th overall qualifying them for the high school team. Both are still under 16 and were fifth and seventh in the U16 age group. Isabel Linton (Coventry) was 28th, Ava Purdy (Wheelock/St. J.) 51st, and Tressa Urie (Albany/Putney School) 89th.
Adaptive Skiers Take to the Trails
CRAFTSBURY – Green Mountain Adaptive Sports sponsored a day of skiing at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center this past weekend. It was an opportunity for people with various disabilities to try out sit-skiing and other forms of exploration on snow. East Montpelier’s Otis Loga, a high school student at U-32, joined COC staff in teaching newcomers to the sport. Otis has been racing on a sit-ski in numerous high school races this winter.
