Truckee, CA…Northstar At Tahoe rolled out the red carpet for the USSA Junior Olympic Qualifier in Giant Slalom this last weekend. Close to 200 of the best skiers on the west coast descended on one of the crown jewels of the North Tahoe area. The Northstar at Tahoe race department, grooming crews and race team did a great job of providing a great, challenging race course. The racers vied to be the fastest down the long course that rewarded strength, speed and stamina.

Coaches from various teams set two different courses each day. On day one the course sets were more open and let the skiers carry speed. Most of the top women and men ran times of under a minute per run on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday the course sets became increasingly tighter and more technical. These sets slowed the pace just a few seconds. Northstar has world class race facilities that included Live-Timing.com feeds for all the races. Live-Timing.com is a great service that feeds results of races in real time to the web. This service has changed completely the way fans, parents and coaches keep track of the races. Now everyone knows instantly what times each competitor runs usually before they do.

The results…On Friday Tenaya Standteiner, Marie Johnson and Hannah Johnson led the way for the women. Erik Arvidsson, Addison Dvoracek and James Lebel filled the podium for the boys. On Saturday young first year J3 Stephanie Lebby had a blistering first run that helped her earn the top spot by only 4 one hundreths of a second over Audrey O’Brien with Julia Cashell coming in third. On Saturday for the Men Erik Arvidsson pulled off a very difficult task of repeating as a winner. Garret Driller sped into second and Addison Dvoracek made his second appearance on the podium of the weekend. On Sunday Diana Abbott was the class of the field followed by Marie Johnson and Audrey O’Brien in third. For the men young Mr. Arvidsson bobbled and his win streak ended at two in a row. Garret Driller skied the fastest times of the day. Addison Dvoracek made his third trip to the podium for the weekend. James Label skied into third.

Squaw Valley easily won the “Battle of the Teams” with Sugar Bowl also getting some podium spots. Mammouth, Heavenly and others also had athletes in the hunt. One team that jumps out as an overachiever just based on number of athletes alone is Diamond Peak. Even though Diamond Peak is one of the smallest teams they always manage to deliver. They were the only other team after Sugar Bowl to score a podium. Some of their results came on the speedy skis of Hannah Johnson proving again that her trip to Whistler last year was no fluke. On Friday though they had two girls in the top 10 and all weekend long they had solid results from the majority of the team.

For the J-3s the next leg in their race for the Junior Olympics comes the last weekend in February as they head to Squaw Valley for 3 Days of Super G. Northstar at Tahoe should get high marks for providing a great venue and resort for the weekend. Complete Results are at Live-Timing.com or http://www.fwskiing.us

We have hundreds of photos of the weekend. On day two we captured the starts of some of the top racers as they left the gates in high speed bursts. These made for some interesting shots of different starting techniques.

Over 300 Photos of Day Three

Over 500 Photos of Days One and Two

Top 15 Ladies Day One

1 9 F6085245 Standteiner, Tenaya SVST/96 59.58 59.51 1:59.09 0.00
2 4 F6092928 Johnson, Marie SVST/96 59.94 1:00.32 2:00.26 8.55
3 13 F6181366 Johnson, Hannah DPST/96 1:00.75 1:00.38 2:01.13 14.90
4 12 F5997648 Abbott, Diana SVST/96 1:00.69 1:00.72 2:01.41 16.95
5 2 F6049605 Cashell, Julia SVST/96 1:00.76 1:00.79 2:01.55 17.97
6 1 F6052161 O`Brien, Audrey N SVST/96 1:01.12 1:00.47 2:01.59 18.26
7 10 F6007710 Lebby, Stephanie SVST/97 1:01.31 1:00.98 2:02.29 23.38
8 3 F6022966 Bickert, Maia HSEF/97 1:01.55 1:01.95 2:03.50 32.22
9 8 F6073712 Keller, Lauren DPSEF/97 1:01.78 1:01.82 2:03.60 32.95
10 7 F6005433 Hagen, Danica MMST/96 1:02.30 1:01.31 2:03.61 33.02
11 5 F6103691 Schadlich, Daisy SBST/96 1:01.63 1:02.51 2:04.14 36.89
12 6 F6073563 Ryder, Sierra SVST/96 1:03.19 1:01.52 2:04.71 41.06
13 28 F6055826 Schaffner, Perry SBST/96 1:02.42 1:02.54 2:04.96 42.88
14 15 F6053102 Riffel, Natalie MMST/96 1:02.31 1:02.90 2:05.21 44.71
15 11 F6052252 O`Brien, Nina F SVST/97 1:03.33 1:02.54 2:05.87 49.53

Top 15 Men Day One

1 14 F6039101 Arvidsson, Erik SVST/96 58.33 58.92 1:57.25 0.00
2 15 F6048003 Dvoracek, Addison SVST/96 58.62 1:00.00 1:58.62 10.17
3 5 F6049704 Lebel, James SBST/96 59.54 59.14 1:58.68 10.61
4 150 F6102925 Driller, Garret SVST/96 59.74 59.42 1:59.16 14.17
5 4 F6000376 Wilson, Cody SVST/96 59.99 59.52 1:59.51 16.77
6 8 F6097091 Moffat, Kye SVST/96 1:00.30 1:00.00 2:00.30 22.63
5 4 F6000376 Wilson, Cody SVST/96 59.99 59.52 1:59.51 16.77
6 8 F6097091 Moffat, Kye SVST/96 1:00.30 1:00.00 2:00.30 22.63
5 4 F6000376 Wilson, Cody SVST/96 59.99 59.52 1:59.51 16.77
6 8 F6097091 Moffat, Kye SVST/96 1:00.30 1:00.00 2:00.30 22.63
7 128 X6249056 Hannon, Fraser SBST/96 1:00.36 1:00.36 2:00.72 25.75
8 22 F6066104 Fabrizi, John Michael SSRT/96 1:01.01 1:00.29 2:01.30 30.05
9 12 F6086847 Everson, Nathan MMST/96 1:00.59 1:00.86 2:01.45 31.16
10 13 F6040638 Underkoffler, Lucas MMST/96 1:01.31 1:00.22 2:01.53 31.76
11 23 X6293781 Kelly, Zac MMST/97 1:01.02 1:01.09 2:02.11 36.06
12 1 F6135776 Earley, Lucas SVST/96 1:00.25 1:02.39 2:02.64 39.99
13 17 F6153027 Chen, Gavin DPSEF/96 1:00.75 1:01.90 2:02.65 40.07
14 24 F6189872 Farrar, Benjamin DPST/96 1:01.42 1:01.25 2:02.67 40.22
15 11 F6039960 Beutner, Michael MMST/96 1:00.64 1:02.17 2:02.81 41.26

Top 15 Ladies Day Two

1 10 F6007710 Lebby, Stephanie SVST/97 1:04.79 1:12.26 2:17.05 0.00
2 1 F6052161 O`Brien, Audrey N SVST/96 1:05.01 1:12.08 2:17.09 0.25
3 2 F6049605 Cashell, Julia SVST/96 1:06.12 1:12.73 2:18.85 11.43
4 13 F6181366 Johnson, Hannah DPST/96 1:06.31 1:12.95 2:19.26 14.03
5 7 F6005433 Hagen, Danica MMST/96 1:06.29 1:13.40 2:19.69 16.76
6 5 F6103691 Schadlich, Daisy SBST/96 1:06.83 1:13.35 2:20.18 19.87
7 3 F6022966 Bickert, Maia HSEF/97 1:07.32 1:13.03 2:20.35 20.95
8 11 F6052252 O`Brien, Nina F SVST/97 1:07.89 1:13.30 2:21.19 26.28
9 6 F6073563 Ryder, Sierra SVST/96 1:07.61 1:13.69 2:21.30 26.98
10 12 F5997648 Abbott, Diana SVST/96 1:06.70 1:14.79 2:21.49 28.19
11 8 F6073712 Keller, Lauren DPSEF/97 1:08.30 1:13.32 2:21.62 29.01
12 24 F6157960 Dunn, Lauren N SBST/96 1:07.99 1:14.45 2:22.44 34.22
13 66 F6298300 Auer, Sarah E SSRT/97 1:07.98 1:14.52 2:22.50 34.60
14 27 F6192843 English, Francesca SVST/97 1:08.33 1:14.44 2:22.77 36.31
15 15 F6053102 Riffel, Natalie MMST/96 1:08.17 1:15.29 2:23.46 40.69

Top 15 Men Day Two

1 14 F6039101 Arvidsson, Erik SVST/96 1:01.48 1:09.04 2:10.52 0.00
2 150 F6102925 Driller, Garret SVST/96 1:02.82 1:09.05 2:11.87 9.00
3 15 F6048003 Dvoracek, Addison SVST/96 1:02.33 1:09.78 2:12.11 10.60
4 8 F6097091 Moffat, Kye SVST/96 1:02.36 1:10.73 2:13.09 17.13
5 5 F6049704 Lebel, James SBST/96 1:02.43 1:10.78 2:13.21 17.93
6 4 F6000376 Wilson, Cody SVST/96 1:03.50 1:11.56 2:15.06 30.26
7 13 F6040638 Underkoffler, Lucas MMST/96 1:04.53 1:11.51 2:16.04 36.79
8 22 F6066104 Fabrizi, John Michael SSRT/96 1:03.84 1:12.94 2:16.78 41.73
9 17 F6153027 Chen, Gavin DPSEF/96 1:03.88 1:13.43 2:17.31 45.26
10 11 F6039960 Beutner, Michael MMST/96 1:05.11 1:12.28 2:17.39 45.79
11 9 F6036131 Wagner, Kalle SVST/97 1:05.27 1:12.52 2:17.79 48.46
12 35 F6102099 Garcia, Taylor MMST/97 1:06.27 1:11.71 2:17.98 49.73
13 1 F6135776 Earley, Lucas SVST/96 1:04.70 1:13.31 2:18.01 49.93
14 82 F5979166 Proper, Mikael J SBST/96 1:04.99 1:13.13 2:18.12 50.66
15 16 F6047344 Weemaes, Pieter SBST/97 1:05.67 1:12.59 2:18.26 51.59

Top 15 Ladies Day Three

1 12 F5997648 Abbott, Diana SVST/96 1:09.73 1:07.01 2:16.74 0.00
2 4 F6092928 Johnson, Marie SVST/96 1:09.77 1:07.52 2:17.29 3.50
3 1 F6052161 O`Brien, Audrey N SVST/96 1:10.44 1:07.07 2:17.51 4.90
4 9 F6085245 Standteiner, Tenaya SVST/96 1:09.96 1:07.81 2:17.77 6.55
5 2 F6049605 Cashell, Julia SVST/96 1:10.16 1:07.96 2:18.12 8.78
6 11 F6052252 O`Brien, Nina F SVST/97 1:11.06 1:07.89 2:18.95 14.06
7 6 F6073563 Ryder, Sierra SVST/96 1:11.91 1:07.88 2:19.79 19.41
8 7 F6005433 Hagen, Danica MMST/96 1:11.85 1:08.65 2:20.50 23.92
9 13 F6181366 Johnson, Hannah DPST/96 1:12.74 1:07.77 2:20.51 23.99
10 15 F6053102 Riffel, Natalie MMST/96 1:12.09 1:08.98 2:21.07 27.55
11 21 F6132724 Frankel, Claudia SVST/96 1:13.49 1:09.64 2:23.13 40.66
12 28 F6055826 Schaffner, Perry SBST/96 1:13.43 1:09.84 2:23.27 41.55
13 25 F6109144 Straw, Brittney NSRT/97 1:14.26 1:09.07 2:23.33 41.93
14 14 F6171862 Wolf, Remi F SBST/96 1:14.40 1:09.06 2:23.46 42.76
15 18 F6139281 Gur, Johanna O SVST/96 1:13.94 1:10.15 2:24.09 46.76

Top 15 Men Day Three

1 150 F6102925 Driller, Garret SVST/96 1:08.13 1:05.01 2:13.14 0.00
2 15 F6048003 Dvoracek, Addison SVST/96 1:07.63 1:05.93 2:13.56 2.74
3 4 F6000376 Wilson, Cody SVST/96 1:09.15 1:07.49 2:16.64 22.87
4 25 F6122022 Cooper, Michael SBST/97 1:10.52 1:07.15 2:17.67 29.60
5 1 F6135776 Earley, Lucas SVST/96 1:11.50 1:06.57 2:18.07 32.21
6 6 F6150056 Harrington, Wesley J NSRT/96 1:11.97 1:06.55 2:18.52 35.16
7 16 F6047344 Weemaes, Pieter SBST/97 1:11.02 1:07.54 2:18.56 35.42
8 27 F6159040 Bensing, Zane DPST/96 1:10.95 1:07.84 2:18.79 36.92
22 F6066104 Fabrizi, John Michael SSRT/96 1:11.93 1:06.86 2:18.79 36.92
10 23 X6293781 Kelly, Zac MMST/97 1:11.33 1:07.63 2:18.96 38.03
11 9 F6036131 Wagner, Kalle SVST/97 1:10.46 1:08.54 2:19.00 38.29
12 13 F6040638 Underkoffler, Lucas MMST/96 1:13.88 1:05.63 2:19.51 41.62
13 76 F6177059 Balin, Trent MSST/96 1:11.65 1:07.93 2:19.58 42.08
14 82 F5979166 Proper, Mikael J SBST/96 1:13.12 1:06.76 2:19.88 44.04
15 7 F5974746 Cashman, Jordan SVST/97 1:11.48 1:08.56 2:20.04 45.09