Skiers from all over the state descended on the Lookout Mountain Trails outside Homer over the weekend for the third and fourth installments of the Besh Cup Series.
The series brings together the top skiers in Alaska and is used to determine the Alaska teams for Junior Nationals as well at the Arctic Winter Games. Races three and four were held at Lookout Mountain on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, with several local and Kenai Peninsula skiers fairing well.
Saturday was devoted to freestyle sprints. Kenai’s Karl Danielson led the peninsula skiers with a second place in the finals for U16, U18 and U20 boys. Other peninsula finishers were: Soldotna’s Jeremy Kupferschmid, 22nd; Soldotna’s Koby Vinson, 26; Homer’s Caleb Rauch, 44; Homer’s Jacob Davis, 47; Soldotna’s Jack Harris, 49; Soldotna’s Bradley Walters, 51; and Homer’s Denver Waclawski, 52.
In the 1.2-kilometer race for U16 and U18 women, Kenai’s Addison Gibson took third in the final. Quincy Donley won the event. Other peninsula finishers were: Homer’s Katia Holmes, 25; Soldotna’s Sonora Martin, 36; Homer’s Zoe Stonorov, 37; Soldotna’s Kellie Arthur, 43; and Soldotna’s Cameron Blackwell, 51.
In the U14 boys 1.1-kilometer sprint, Soldotna’s Tyler Hippchen took 19th place. Homer’s Reid Rauch claimed the top spot in the .5-kilometer sprint for U8 and U10 boys. Homer’s Joy Ridgely took second, Anchor Point’s Nate Jaworski was third, Homer’s Fischer Corazza Spurkland was fourth and Homer’s Sawyer Johnson was fifth.
Sunday saw skiers participate in an interval-start classic race. Kenai’s Gibson led the way in the 5K for U18 women by taking fourth place at 16:58, about 30 seconds behind the winner. Arthur was 14th in 19:15 and Homer’s Holmes was 15th in 19:27.
Danielson took fourth place for U20 males Sunday with a time of 29:47, Davis was sixth at 31:29 and Waclawski was eighth at 33:19.
For U16 females, Homer’s Autumn Daigle finished seventh in a 5K race with a time of 19:21. Martin took 14th at 20:39 and Stonorov was 15th at 20:50.
For U18 males, Kupferschmid was 21st in in the 10K, finishing at 33:55. Harris was 22nd at 34:09, Rauch was 24th at 35:17 and Walters was 26th at 35:38.
