2025 William Hovey Memorial Race
The 2025 edition of the William Hovey Memorial Race took place Sunday January, 12th under sunny skies and moderate temperatures. Racing began at 9:30 for the field of 228 total athletes representing U10s, U12s, and U14s from across New York State. The conditions proved to be excellent and course sets utilized the terrain on the hill creating a fair test for all competitors.
Competitors were tested to put two runs together and the racers who combined tactical precision with the right amount of risk and speed were rewarded. In the boys U10 division, West Mountain Racing dominated the field, sweeping the first 5 spots, with William Shuket earning the victory, with a combined time of 2:04.0. In the girls U10 category NYSEF’s Kaylee Gaudette recorded the win with a solid combined time of 1:58.6. The top five finishers in the girls U10 field represented Holiday Valley, West Mountain, Windham, and Polar Bear.
In the Boys U12 category, the top spot was captured by Westin Paul from Holiday Valley with a time of 1:44.2. The top five included racers from Windham and Holiday Valley. On the girls U12 side, NYSEF’s Ava Reynolds took the top spot with a time of 1:46.6 edging out racers from West, and Windham who rounded out the top five for the U12 girls.
For the U14’s the Hovey winner is recognized with a name on a plaque with some of NYSEF’s and NYSSRA’s most accomplished alumni, representing Olympians, USST alumni, and many Division I ski racers. This year’s winner on the girls side joined her brothers Rowen and Lincoln as a Hovey Winner, Cecilia Norfolk, skiing for West Mountain Norfolk notched a combined time of 1:45.8 edging out Madison O’Brien, second, of Oak Mountain and NYSEF athletes Evelyn Palma, third, and Lucy Orringer, fourth, with Melanie Matusinsky rounding out the top 5 finishers for the U14 girls.
On the boys side NYSEF’s Jace Bush secured his name on the Hovey Plaque with a combined time of 1:42.2. Bush entered the second run with a tenth of a second lead over Holiday Valley’s Robert Marshall and secured the win with an impressive second run, besting the field by a second. The top 5 included West Mountain’s Derrick Crivelli in third, and Charlie Fuller in fourth, with NYSEF’s Henri Meunier rounding out the top five, finishing fifth.
The Hovey is a great tradition and it was excellent to see so many young athletes representing many clubs in New York State and creating a competitive field. Congratulations to the winners.