Alpine Ski Team Caps Season with Hometown Flannel Classic
March 23, 2023
February and March were a whirlwind for Thetford Academy’s Alpine Ski Team. The Southern District Championship held at Pico on Monday, February 27th, marked the last regular season race and was the final determinant for which teams or individuals would advance to the VT State Championship at Burke. Coach Dixon shared that the competition is fierce in districts, and as ski racing is non-divisional, Thetford competes against several Division I and II teams.
TA athletes put up a strong showing in the event’s GS, with Maya Dixon in 12th, Anne Hesser in 19th, Charlotte Reimanis in 23rd and Ella Harvey in 24th. On the Men’s side Harley Ransom led the way with a 16th place finish followed by Isaac Yukica in 20th, Olivier Yukica in 24th, and Hardy Payson in 25th.
In the afternoon slalom race, with “some work and a little bit of luck,” TA’s Ladies team beat a strong Ladies team from Rutland. TA’s top finishers were Maya Dixon with a 10th place finish, Anne Hesser in 15th place, Ella Harvey in 23rd, and Alicja Perdrizet in 25th. For the Men’s, the top finisher was Isaac Yukica in 16th, Harley Ransom in 19th, Oliver Yukica in 20th, and Hardy Payson in 24th.
In the end, the Men’s team edged out Mount Saint Joseph Academy and Hartford to advance to the State Championship, but the Ladies finished fourth behind the Rutland team. Maya Dixon’s tenth place finish in the Slalom qualified her as an independent for the State Championship.
Before the March 6-7 championship at Burke, the entire team joined TA’s qualifying racers to explore the mountain, enjoy a hearty dinner together, and connect off the mountain. After a good night’s rest, the competitors headed to Burke’s challenging race hill” “Burke is a ‘no joke”‘steep and long race hill that tests the nerves and abilities of all competitors. It also brings out the best high school alpine racers in the state, some of which have been training and racing at Burke since the age of 8 or younger,” said Coach Dixon.
Racing as an independent, Maya Dixon skied well in the GS in her first trip to the State Championship finishing in 34th out of a field of 55. On the Men’s side the top finisher was Harley Ransom in 44th followed by Isaac Yukica in 47th, Oliver Yukica in 49th and Hardy Payson in 51st out of a field of 65.
A Thetford Alpine Ski Team season isn’t complete until the Hometown Flannel Classic at Storrs Hill is over. The event was started several years ago as a fun way to engage parents and families, as most of the season races are during the day and difficult for parents to attend. This year, the Thetford team, along with Lebanon and Hartford, raced under the lights at Storrs, with ski team parent Chris Hastings announcing. Coach Amy Huyffer provided the ice cream, and of course, flannel was abundant. The top places and finishes are less important than the fun that was had, but the Thetford team fared well – especially in the large sophomore contingent on the team.
Congratulations on a great season and think snow for 2024!
