Ankeny wins 77th annual Fisk Trophy at Suicide Six
SOUTH POMFRET, Vt. — This year’s Fisk Trophy slalom race at Suicide Six on Sunday (Feb. 9), the 77th consecutive running of the event, proved to be the embodiment of why ski racing is so easy to love. The race, an annual tradition for the local community, has been in existence since 1937 and is the oldest alpine trophy race in North America. Sunday’s field consisted of a wide variety of participants from seasoned veterans who narrowly missed making the U.S. Olympic team to first-year FIS skiers who had yet to score any points bellow 990.
No matter what their points were, the day started the same for all racers. At the top of the lift before first run inspection, the friendly faces of the ski patrol greeted each competitor with a “pig in the blanket” treat, their own rendition of the classic recipe of a crepe-wrapped sausage link doused in maple syrup. This was, after all, a FIS race in Vermont.
The hill itself at Suicide Six is one of the more daunting and technical slalom tracks on the Eastern racing circuit. Standing atop the first pitch of “The Face” during inspection, many racers suspected the day could be a struggle. The first run course was tight and direct, perfectly suited to a skier with quick feet and fast reaction times and typical for a hill with such a steep gradient. While it opened up for a short period of time on the middle flat, athletes would face another challenge and rhythm change down the short final pitch.
For the athletes starting at the back of the pack, this race was not a very good opportunity to score. However, it was still a useful chance to gain experience by studying elite races like Michael Ankeny, Robby Kelley, and Sasha Zaitsoff, as the highest points in the top seed were 20.69.
After the dust of the first run settled, Canadian Sasha Zaitsoff came out on top closely followed by the U.S. Ski Team’s Michael Ankeny just 0.22 seconds back and Sean Higgins still within a half-second in third. Ankeny’s teammate Robby Kelley sat fifth, and local favorite Andrew McNealus slotted into ninth despite a slight hiccup at the bottom of the first pitch.
The second run was set similarly to the first with only slightly more distance between open gates on the first pitch and a bit less space through the middle flat. Interestingly enough, the fastest second run time belonged to the man who started first in the flip, former Middlebury skier Brian Shpall, who ultimately finished 14th. Another big move in the second run came from Shpall’s former teammate McNealus, as he put it all on the line and finished second on the run, propelling himself into second place overall. Ankeny managed the pressure of finishing second on the first run well and secured victory in the 77th edition of the Fisk Trophy. Robby Kelley rounded out the podium in third, while Zaitsoff tragically skied out just before the flat, losing an insurmountable amount of time to finish sixth.
RESULTS
Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total Time | Diff. | FIS Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 3 | 934502 | ANKENY Michael | 1991 | USA | 42.96 | 46.30 | 1:29.26 | 13.14 | |
2 | 9 | 930194 | MCNEALUS Andrew | 1990 | USA | 43.70 | 45.89 | 1:29.59 | +0.33 | 15.43 |
3 | 4 | 930160 | KELLEY Robby | 1990 | USA | 43.36 | 46.25 | 1:29.61 | +0.35 | 15.57 |
4 | 5 | 530837 | KELLEY Tim | 1986 | USA | 43.35 | 46.41 | 1:29.76 | +0.50 | 16.61 |
5 | 6 | 930188 | MARSHALL Tucker | 1990 | USA | 43.90 | 45.97 | 1:29.87 | +0.61 | 17.38 |
6 | 8 | 103646 | ZAITSOFF Sasha | 1990 | CAN | 42.74 | 47.21 | 1:29.95 | +0.69 | 17.93 |
6 | 7 | 930133 | HIGGINS Sean | 1990 | USA | 43.15 | 46.80 | 1:29.95 | +0.69 | 17.93 |
8 | 1 | 103779 | GARAND Dominique | 1991 | CAN | 43.31 | 46.82 | 1:30.13 | +0.87 | 19.18 |
9 | 10 | 6531063 | GINNIS Alexander | 1994 | USA | 43.87 | 46.68 | 1:30.55 | +1.29 | 22.10 |
10 | 12 | 934566 | ROBERTS Hig | 1991 | USA | 43.67 | 46.90 | 1:30.57 | +1.31 | 22.24 |
11 | 11 | 103313 | DAWSON Travis | 1988 | CAN | 44.23 | 46.87 | 1:31.10 | +1.84 | 25.92 |
12 | 2 | 530326 | WILSON Ryan | 1987 | USA | 43.58 | 47.58 | 1:31.16 | +1.90 | 26.34 |
13 | 18 | 421722 | ADDE Andreas | 1988 | NOR | 45.54 | 45.98 | 1:31.52 | +2.26 | 28.84 |
14 | 20 | 532837 | SHPALL Bryan | 1989 | USA | 46.25 | 45.45 | 1:31.70 | +2.44 | 30.09 |
15 | 17 | 930023 | COFFEY Sam | 1990 | USA | 45.33 | 47.19 | 1:32.52 | +3.26 | 35.78 |
16 | 30 | 930174 | LAWRENCE Chad | 1990 | USA | 46.00 | 46.76 | 1:32.76 | +3.50 | 37.45 |
17 | 29 | 6530498 | MCKENNA Christopher | 1993 | USA | 45.80 | 47.19 | 1:32.99 | +3.73 | 39.05 |
18 | 24 | 6530121 | FARRELL Brad | 1992 | USA | 45.74 | 47.30 | 1:33.04 | +3.78 | 39.40 |
19 | 22 | 103706 | KIDD Charlie | 1990 | CAN | 45.71 | 47.53 | 1:33.24 | +3.98 | 40.79 |
20 | 34 | 6530108 | BROOKS Dylan | 1992 | USA | 46.04 | 47.24 | 1:33.28 | +4.02 | 41.06 |
21 | 25 | 103527 | BEADON Christopher | 1989 | CAN | 45.53 | 47.92 | 1:33.45 | +4.19 | 42.24 |
21 | 14 | 6530250 | MORSE Ben | 1992 | USA | 45.57 | 47.88 | 1:33.45 | +4.19 | 42.24 |
23 | 42 | 934505 | BAILEY Nick | 1991 | USA | 46.02 | 47.47 | 1:33.49 | +4.23 | 42.52 |
24 | 37 | 6530493 | MACOMBER Sam | 1993 | USA | 45.84 | 47.89 | 1:33.73 | +4.47 | 44.19 |
25 | 39 | 934511 | BONEWALD Geoffrey | 1991 | USA | 46.42 | 47.38 | 1:33.80 | +4.54 | 44.67 |
26 | 38 | 103881 | FISHER MCCARNEY Dylan | 1992 | CAN | 45.86 | 48.19 | 1:34.05 | +4.79 | 46.41 |
27 | 35 | 6530005 | HOPKINS Kris | 1991 | USA | 45.25 | 48.90 | 1:34.15 | +4.89 | 47.11 |
28 | 46 | 6530031 | STENICKA Nicholas | 1991 | USA | 46.27 | 48.54 | 1:34.81 | +5.55 | 51.69 |
29 | 49 | 6530507 | NIEDERHAUSER Christoph | 1993 | USA | 46.65 | 48.45 | 1:35.10 | +5.84 | 53.70 |
29 | 33 | 6530009 | OGLE Jay | 1991 | USA | 46.63 | 48.47 | 1:35.10 | +5.84 | 53.70 |
31 | 50 | 104044 | READ Kevyn | 1993 | CAN | 46.95 | 48.42 | 1:35.37 | +6.11 | 55.58 |
32 | 32 | 6530475 | HOULE Carson | 1993 | USA | 46.63 | 48.97 | 1:35.60 | +6.34 | 57.18 |
33 | 60 | 103895 | MCCONVILLE Charles | 1992 | CAN | 47.09 | 48.55 | 1:35.64 | +6.38 | 57.46 |
34 | 45 | 304050 | WATANABE Takehiro | 1993 | JPN | 46.79 | 48.94 | 1:35.73 | +6.47 | 58.08 |
35 | 13 | 110266 | ANGUITA Martin | 1991 | CHI | 47.31 | 48.46 | 1:35.77 | +6.51 | 58.36 |
36 | 19 | 104003 | OVERING Robert | 1993 | CAN | 47.05 | 48.90 | 1:35.95 | +6.69 | 59.61 |
37 | 52 | 6530826 | ROBERTSON Carter | 1994 | USA | 47.00 | 49.13 | 1:36.13 | +6.87 | 60.86 |
38 | 59 | 6530140 | MCLAUGHLIN Prescott | 1992 | USA | 47.15 | 49.19 | 1:36.34 | +7.08 | 62.32 |
39 | 57 | 6530487 | KRONE Kevin | 1993 | USA | 47.69 | 48.82 | 1:36.51 | +7.25 | 63.50 |
40 | 63 | 6530187 | MAJOR Victor | 1992 | USA | 47.32 | 49.41 | 1:36.73 | +7.47 | 65.03 |
41 | 66 | 6530099 | ARTSMA Robert | 1992 | USA | 46.91 | 49.84 | 1:36.75 | +7.49 | 65.17 |
42 | 51 | 6530262 | BECK Andrew | 1992 | USA | 47.12 | 49.84 | 1:36.96 | +7.70 | 66.62 |
43 | 54 | 6531482 | FERRI James | 1996 | USA | 47.27 | 49.91 | 1:37.18 | +7.92 | 68.15 |
44 | 79 | 6531523 | O BRIEN Keilan | 1996 | USA | 47.49 | 49.96 | 1:37.45 | +8.19 | 70.03 |
45 | 65 | 934569 | RYAN Jim | 1991 | USA | 48.11 | 49.55 | 1:37.66 | +8.40 | 71.49 |
46 | 58 | 104126 | FARROW Kyle | 1994 | CAN | 47.61 | 50.54 | 1:38.15 | +8.89 | 74.89 |
47 | 61 | 6530523 | SCHUMAN Keith | 1993 | USA | 48.04 | 50.51 | 1:38.55 | +9.29 | 77.67 |
48 | 88 | 6531392 | COLLOPY Ryan | 1995 | USA | 47.85 | 50.81 | 1:38.66 | +9.40 | 78.43 |
49 | 100 | 6531981 | SLATTERY Logan | 1997 | USA | 49.73 | 50.53 | 1:40.26 | +11.00 | 89.55 |
50 | 83 | 6530924 | BARNEY Ryan | 1994 | USA | 49.60 | 50.87 | 1:40.47 | +11.21 | 91.00 |
51 | 82 | 6530494 | MALONE Dylan | 1993 | USA | 49.69 | 50.79 | 1:40.48 | +11.22 | 91.07 |
52 | 116 | 6531882 | SCHIBLI Scott | 1997 | USA | 49.69 | 51.30 | 1:40.99 | +11.73 | 94.62 |
53 | 104 | 6531917 | CAMPBELL Pate | 1997 | USA | 49.12 | 51.95 | 1:41.07 | +11.81 | 95.17 |
54 | 76 | 934526 | FRUTH Loudon | 1991 | USA | 48.70 | 52.52 | 1:41.22 | +11.96 | 96.21 |
55 | 87 | 422402 | MAURSTAD Fredrik | 1995 | NOR | 49.08 | 52.22 | 1:41.30 | +12.04 | 96.77 |
56 | 112 | 6531892 | WAGNER Kalle | 1997 | USA | 49.95 | 51.74 | 1:41.69 | +12.43 | 99.48 |
57 | 91 | 6531123 | COSENTINO Nicholas | 1995 | USA | 50.23 | 51.81 | 1:42.04 | +12.78 | 101.91 |
58 | 81 | 6531338 | MANGIACOTTI Brian | 1995 | USA | 50.10 | 51.96 | 1:42.06 | +12.80 | 102.05 |
59 | 90 | 6531535 | QUEIROLO Wyatt | 1996 | USA | 49.91 | 52.30 | 1:42.21 | +12.95 | 103.09 |
60 | 111 | 6531678 | CHARDAVOYNE Justin | 1996 | USA | 50.77 | 51.93 | 1:42.70 | +13.44 | 106.49 |
61 | 105 | 6531101 | ABADAN Taner | 1995 | USA | 50.53 | 52.32 | 1:42.85 | +13.59 | 107.54 |
62 | 118 | 6531978 | JANCO Cole | 1997 | USA | 50.56 | 52.74 | 1:43.30 | +14.04 | 110.66 |
63 | 122 | 6531841 | CHAMBERS Brian | 1997 | USA | 51.13 | 52.49 | 1:43.62 | +14.36 | 112.88 |
64 | 16 | 930214 | OLIVER Coley | 1990 | USA | 45.53 | 58.76 | 1:44.29 | +15.03 | 117.54 |
65 | 75 | 6531542 | STAMLER Max | 1996 | USA | 52.63 | 52.49 | 1:45.12 | +15.86 | 123.30 |
66 | 106 | 6531852 | GALLAGHER Christian | 1997 | USA | 56.45 | 50.74 | 1:47.19 | +17.93 | 137.68 |
67 | 120 | 6531656 | PENNY Kyle | 1996 | USA | 53.15 | 54.36 | 1:47.51 | +18.25 | 139.90 |
68 | 71 | 6530845 | BOARDMAN Michael | 1994 | USA | 48.26 | 1:06.78 | 1:55.04 | +25.78 | 192.21 |
69 | 114 | 6531598 | JORDAN Colby | 1996 | USA | 51.64 | 1:03.74 | 1:55.38 | +26.12 | 194.57 |
Disqualified 2nd run | ||||||||||
108 | 6531390 | GALLAGHER Neil | 1995 | USA | ||||||
95 | 6530804 | ROBERTS Murphy | 1994 | USA | ||||||
92 | 6530891 | BURTON Andrew | 1994 | USA | ||||||
77 | 6531086 | WILLIAMS Michael | 1993 | USA | ||||||
68 | 6530284 | COFFIN Eric | 1992 | USA | ||||||
28 | 6530234 | MARSHALL Craig | 1992 | USA | ||||||
Disqualified 1st run | ||||||||||
115 | 6531760 | DIXON Calvin | 1996 | USA | ||||||
113 | 6531487 | GIANNOTTO Sean | 1996 | USA | ||||||
109 | 6531282 | COMBE Jacob | 1994 | USA | ||||||
107 | 6531055 | REILLY Sean | 1994 | USA | ||||||
101 | 6531174 | MORTON Theo | 1995 | USA | ||||||
97 | 6531708 | MCNAMARA P Finn | 1996 | USA | ||||||
80 | 6530882 | ADAMS Kieran | 1994 | USA | ||||||
69 | 6530246 | ENGELKEN Taber | 1992 | USA | ||||||
56 | 422274 | GRIMSRUD Mathias Mjelde | 1993 | NOR | ||||||
43 | 6530495 | MARTIN Max | 1993 | USA | ||||||
Did not start 1st run | ||||||||||
117 | 6531926 | KIESEL Peter | 1997 | USA | ||||||
84 | 6530294 | BOBOTAS Tom | 1992 | USA | ||||||
70 | 6530920 | LOVE Shane | 1994 | USA | ||||||
Did not finish 2nd run | ||||||||||
119 | 221299 | CARDON Casey | 1997 | GBR | ||||||
110 | 6531925 | BLANCHARD Jack | 1997 | USA | ||||||
102 | 6531933 | WEST Andrew | 1997 | USA | ||||||
89 | 6531885 | SHEILS Paul | 1997 | USA | ||||||
72 | 6531117 | BURCIN Kyle | 1995 | USA | ||||||
67 | 6531545 | SULLIVAN Aleck | 1996 | USA | ||||||
64 | 6531371 | TOMLINSON Henry | 1995 | USA | ||||||
62 | 6531251 | RICHARD Max | 1995 | USA | ||||||
53 | 103901 | SUTTON Brandon | 1992 | CAN | ||||||
48 | 934627 | CLIFFORD James | 1991 | USA | ||||||
47 | 6530538 | WOOLSON Thomas | 1993 | USA | ||||||
36 | 6531203 | SPROCK Ty | 1995 | USA | ||||||
27 | 6531115 | BROWN Griffin | 1995 | USA | ||||||
26 | 103891 | KELLOCK Jonathan | 1992 | CAN | ||||||
23 | 934682 | MCKENNA Matthew | 1991 | USA | ||||||
21 | 103669 | BERTRAND Mathieu | 1991 | CAN | ||||||
Did not finish 1st run | ||||||||||
123 | 221308 | SHERRAS Richard | 1997 | GBR | ||||||
121 | 6531513 | MATEL Samuel | 1996 | USA | ||||||
103 | 6531505 | KUSUMI Kazui | 1996 | USA | ||||||
99 | 40577 | LAIDLAW Harry | 1996 | AUS | ||||||
98 | 6531274 | MARSHALL James | 1995 | USA | ||||||
96 | 502236 | FRISK David | 1997 | SWE | ||||||
94 | 6531442 | ANKENY Teddy | 1996 | USA | ||||||
93 | 6531273 | LORD Hunter | 1995 | USA | ||||||
86 | 6531199 | SHEILS Charles | 1995 | USA | ||||||
85 | 930230 | RANDALL William | 1990 | USA | ||||||
78 | 6530831 | LENNOX Trevor | 1994 | USA | ||||||
74 | 6530179 | THOMAS Dylan | 1992 | USA | ||||||
73 | 430668 | DZIEDZIC Andrzej | 1995 | POL | ||||||
55 | 103588 | LUSH Curtis | 1990 | CAN | ||||||
44 | 104333 | GEDEON-ACHI Ghassan | 1993 | CAN | ||||||
41 | 6530338 | LENTZ Christoph | 1992 | USA | ||||||
40 | 934555 | MULHERN Liam | 1991 | USA | ||||||
31 | 6530950 | HAYES Colin | 1994 | USA | ||||||
15 | 6530117 | CONE Robert | 1992 | USA |
Theo Morton, intern, is a student-athlete at GMVS who competed in this year’s Fisk Trophy race. He is contributing articles to Ski Racing Magazine as part of his senior project for graduation.