The Bridger Ski Foundation Skimo Team just returned from the Whitefish Whiteout, where we had 14 kids from the team compete, including five athletes who were first-time racers! This was a USA Skimo National Cup event (the only one in Montana) and many of the athletes got points for their age groups in both the Vertical event and the Individual event.
Girls Vertical: Lucy Eickson came in second in the vertical in her first skimo race ever! Lucy Ostrowski came in 3rd with Julia Seipel in a close 4th. Ingrid Brown and Elia Sheilign worked together to finish 7th and 8th.
Boys Vertical: Owen Dinkins 5th, Xirae Wicks 7th, James Madsen in 8th, Issacc Spencer in 9th, Anthony Warren in 11th, and the two youngest competitors, Bram Belchwender and Owen Sherer in 12th and 13th respectively.
Individual: The most vertical elevation gain we have done all year!
Girls: Lucy Ostrwoski came in third, Julia Seipel 4th, Ingird Brown in 5th and Elia Sheiling in 6th.
Boys: Owen Dinkins came in second in the Junior Individual with Xirae Wicks in his first race coming in 4th after a battle with James Madsen who ended in 6th place. 7th place was Isaac Spencer, and rounding out 9th, 10th and 11th were Bram Belchwender, Anthony Warren and Owen Sherer.
Three athletes raced the short course because it was their first race ever. Lucy Ericskon was in 3rd place until she went off course accidentally. Bran Dunnington ended his first race in 4th and Kwinz Wicks ended up 6th!
Of note is how great the team did despite only really being able to actually ski at practice about four times this season. We have no snow at Bear Canyon and have been doing mainly dryland all season. This is particularly difficult due to the inability to allow them to practice skiing descents, and it has been challenging to get in enough uphill vertical to be prepared for this kind of event. Congrats, team!
Individual: https://competitivetiming.com/results/2026/265558M
Vertical: https://competitivetiming.com/results/2026/265558A
