Rocky J5 Finale: Warm temps, hotter skiing

On March 17-18,  the Rocky division J5 Finale was held at Sunlight Mountain Resort outside Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Unlike Junior Olympics, racers do not have to qualify for the Finale, but it still attracts many of the most talented skiers in the region.
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado — On March 17-18,  the Rocky division J5 Finale was held at Sunlight Mountain Resort outside Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Unlike Junior Olympics, racers do not have to qualify for the Finale, but it still attracts many of the most talented skiers in the region.
    The GS races took place on Saturday, with blue skies and highs in the 70s. Racers and parents from Team Winter Park celebrated by dressing in Hawaiian shirts and leis and hosting a finish-area barbecue. Chandler Sedberry from Taos Sports Associates dominated the competition, winning both girls races by more than a second. She was followed by Erika McCormick from Ski Club Vail and Raina Galbiati from Team Winter Park in the first race, and Maggie Cleaver from Team Winter Park and Katy Harris,  a first-year J5 from Quantum Ski Club, in the second race.  
    The results from the first boys race looked like they came from the World Cup,  with the top eight finishers all within a second, Austin Baker, a first-year J5 racing as an independent, took first and was followed by Chance Conaty from Purgatory Ski Club and Clayton Kirwood from Ski Club Vail. Andrew Hancock from Aspen Valley Ski Club won the second race, with Conaty in second and Roy Benge from Aspen Valley Ski Club in third.
    Sunday brought the slalom races, as well as more spring weather. A handful of racers, mostly from Steamboat, showed their spirit by racing in costumes. Kelly Belfanz from Team Winter Park won the first girls race, with McCormick in second and Cleaver in third. In the second race, Bailey Kuechenmeister from Eldora Mountain Ski Club took the lead with Galena Wardle, a J6 from Aspen Valley Ski Club, and McCormick behind her.  
    Florian Szwebel from Team Winter Park won the first boys race, followed by Colby Lane from Aspen Valley Ski Club and Matthew Gregory, a J6 from Aspen Valley Ski Club. In the second race, Lane came in first, with Hancock in second and Baker in third.