Last week, the U16 Alpine State Championships were held at Whiteface Mountain, not only giving our Northwood and NYSEF athletes a home advantage but also allowing them to be more comfortable overall on the hill during the three-day event, which included Slalom, Giant Slalom, and Super G events. This weekend turned out to be extremely successful, with Northwood athletes nearly sweeping the top 10 spots in every event.
From states, the top athletes advance to either Easterns or Finals: the first batch of 7 or so people go to Easterns, while the next 7 places qualify for Finals. While Easterns is a level above Finals, both fields are extremely competitive, including the top athletes in the age bracket in the region. One difference between both groups, however, is that good performance at Easterns allows skiers to qualify for Nationals, of course, given the name, a nationwide event bringing together the best U16 skiers in the country for competition. This is very different from the U18 Nationals qualifications, which are mainly based on points accumulated throughout the season instead of one race series determining placement.
While Northwood and NYSEF athletes had a home hill advantage, it would be nothing without the dedication and tireless training from themselves and dozens of coaches. Most of the season’s training comes down to states, which pretty much concludes the fast-paced season.
The list of Northwood athletes qualified for Easterns for the women includes: Maika Beaudoina ’27, Riley Ward ’27, Ollie Boutelle ’28, Bella Cummings ’27, and Georgie Larkin ’28. For the men, Hudson Marshall ’27, Luke Wardlaw ’28, and Will Carou-Jones ’27.
The Finals men’s team of Northwood students includes Emmett Fox ’27 and Charlie Fox ’27. We wish both teams the best of luck in their races.
