Racing for the Eastern Finals: Skiers take on Gore

For the competitors at the U19+ Eastern Finals at Gore Mountain, it is the World Cup and Olympics rolled into one.

Over three days, elite skiers representing race teams throughout the eastern United States gather for competition in Super G, GS and slalom, taking on one of the best race hills in America.

Located in the Adirondacks, Gore Mountain is New York State’s largest ski mountain. Boasting a vertical drop of 2,537 feet and 446 accessible acres, it spans four mountains including Gore, Bear Mountain, Burnt Ridge Mountain and Little Gore Mountain.

All the competitions in the U19+ are taking place on Echo, the signature trail on Burnt Ridge Mountain that holds FIS and USSA race certifications. With steep pitches, and a squiggly section called the Wormhole, it offers challenges to the best skiers on the hill.

Previewing the Super G course on the morning of competition, the ungroomed surface shone from the ice. 39 women and 64 men took on the course for one run each to see who could claim the best time going as fast as they could down the trail. Super giant slalom, or Super G, is regarded as a “speed” event, in contrast to the technical events giant slalom and slalom. With fewer turning gates, Super G is designed for speed, with top racers hitting 50 t0 60 miles an hour.

Super G Competition on Friday, March 23, 2018

In the women’s Super G race, Beth Fisher of NWS finished first with a time of 1:18.84, followed by Audrey Colgin of PROC just .46 back, and a tie for third by Page Hazen of KBAC and Grace O’Connor of BSA with 1:19.36, .52 off the leader.

Grace O’Connor of BSA takes third place in Super G (See more images below)

For the men, Nathan Briselden of Holiday Valley took First place finishing in 1:13.41, edging out Matthew Masciadrelli of Blandford Ski Area by .02, with Tanner Hill of Jiminy Peak rounding out the top three, just .66 out of first.

Matt Masciadrelli of BSA takes second place in Super G (See more images Below)

 

Full results are available here: Women’s Super G | Men’s Super G

 

USSA Eastern Regionals Final Super G 2018 – Athlete images for sale from event

 

GS Competition on Saturday, March 24, 2018

The GS (Giant Slalom) competition took place on Echo trail as well but gave the competitors a total different feel from the Super G. Making two runs down the course, the winners were determined by the combined time.

Beth Fisher of NWS took gold in the Women’s division with a combined time of 2:26.65, finishing just two-hundredths of a second ahead of Jacqueline Balch of Sundown with 2:26.67. Grace O’Connor of Blandford Ski Area took third with a total time of 2:28.67.

Beth FISHER of NWS finishes FIRST during the GS (See More Below)

In the Men’s competition, Tanner Hill edged out Matthew Masciadrelli by .76 for first place, 2:20.75 to 2:21.51. Austin Roussel of PICO finished third wit a time of 2:21.83.

Matthew Masciadrelli finishes second in GS at 2018 USSA Eastern Finals (See More Below)

 

Full results are available here: Women’s GS | Men’s GS

 

USSA Eastern Regionals Final GS 2018 – Athlete images for sale from event

 

Slalom Competition on Sunday, March 25, 2018

The technical event of slalom requires a totally different kind of skiing from the faster events of Super G and GS, with the racer taking on a course with tighter turns on a straighter line. With two courses set side by side on the Echo trail, the men and the women ran their competitions on two distinctly differnet courses. Just as in GS, the competitors take two runs and the combined time determines the winners.

Nathan Briselden of HV took first place with a time of 1:17.57 in a field of 92 men. Tanner Hill of Jiminy Peak took the silver postion with a time of 1:18.05, less than half a second behind. Taking the final position on the podium was Brian Smith of MP with a time of 1:19.18.

Nathan Briselden of  HV skis to a First Place finish in Slalom (See More Below)

For the women, Alexandra Chambers of PICO captured First Place with a total time of 1:15.16. Annesley Black of GACPtook second with 1:15.74, followed by Beth Fisher of NWS in third with 1:16.67.

Alexandra Chambers of PICO finishes FIRST in GS (See More Below)

 

Full results are available here: Women’s Slalom | Men’s Slalom

 

USSA Eastern Regionals Final Slalom 2018 – Athlete images for sale from event