Michael Cooper seized his second title in two days Wednesday at Alyeska Ski Resort, capturing the boys giant slalom in the U16 Western Region alpine ski championships.
In the girls slalom race, Isabella Wright overcame the disappointment of failing to finish her second run in Tuesday's giant slalom -- she stood second after the first run -- by posting the fastest time in both slalom runs and earning that title.
Cooper, representing Far West, posted the second-fastest time on each run Wednesday to post a two-run time of 1 minute, 46.16 seconds to top runner-up Gray Larsen of Intermountain Division (1:46.80) and third-place finisher Alexander Birkner of Intermountain (1:47.29). Pieter Weemaes of Far West, second in Tuesday's slalom, racked the fastest first-run time but failed to finish his second run.
Cooper on Tuesday delivered the best time in both slalom runs to take that title. Wednesday, he generated the second-fastest time in each run. The top Alaskan boy again was Garrett Mashburn, who finished 20th.
The boys race weeded out a lot of competitors -- 42 of the 91 starters did not finish one of their runs.
Wright, representing Intermountain, on Wednesday was the fastest girl in each slalom run with times of 46.95 seconds on the first run and 48.28 on the second run for a combined time of 1:35.23. That earned her narrow victory over Stephanie Lebby of the U.S. Academy Team (1:35.47). Lebby on Tuesday did not complete her first giant slalom run, so Wednesday furnished redemption.
Natalie Williams, 31st in the slalom, roared back Wednesday to finish third for Far West in 1:37.25.
The top Alaska girl was Ashlee Weller, who finished 15th overall (1:42.50) after posting the 12th-fastest second-run time.
Thursday was scheduled to be a training day, but will instead feature the super-G for both genders. Those races, initially set for Friday, were moved ahead one day because of the forecast of incoming inclement weather.
U16 Western Region Championship
Wednesday's results
At Alyeska Ski Resort, Girdwood
Boys, giant slalom
Two-run total time
1) Michael Cooper, FW, 1:46.16; 2) Gray Larsen, IMD, 1:46.80; 3) Alexander Birkner, IMD, 1:47.29; 4) Tanner Lujan, PNSA, 1:47.41; 5) Harrison Fugate, IMD, 1:47.42; 6) Michael Estrella, PNSA, 1:47.46; 7) tie, Andrew Miller, IMD, 1:47.88, and Jordan Cashman, FW, 1:47.88; 8) 9) Luke Rodarte, FW, 1:47.98; 10) Ian Griffith, IMUS, 1:48.02; 11) Stockton Troyer, IMD, 1:48.36; 12) Tanner Reidel, IMD, 1:48.73; 13) Montana Kurahara, PNSA, 1:48.83; 14) Ranier Paulus, IMD, 1:49.36; 15) Nathan Gunesch, PNSA, 1:49.58; 16) Austin Pena, FW, 1:49.68; 17) Macintyre Henderson, IMD, 1:49.75; 18) David Domonoske, IMD, 1:49.98; 19) Travis Glynn, FW, 1:50.23; 20) Garrett Mashburn, AK, 1:51.15; 21) Jay Fitzgerald, IMD, 1:51.30; 22) Henry Baldwin, PNSA, 1:51.53; 23) Michel Macedo, PNSA, 1:51.65; 24) Austin Savaria, IMD, 1:52.23; 25) Nicholas Dixon, PNSA, 1:52.25; 26) Dominik Brazerol, IMD, 1:52.78; 27) Austin Keellor, PNSA, 1:53.18; 28) Trevor Maxwell, PNSA, 1:53.48; 29) C. Reid Reininger, PNSA, 1:53.74; 30) Duncan Fuller, IMD, 1:54.22; 31) Cody Winters, FW, 1:54.36; 32) Brittain Walton, NO, 1:54.47; 33) Zachary Mikkelson, PNSA, 1:54.60; 34) Connor Hafen, FW, 1:54.81; 35) Emmett Say, IMD, 1:56.19; 36) Logan Deangelis, FW, 1:56.31; 37) Tristan LeCuyer, PNSA, 1:56.32; 38) Braydon Hall, PNSA, 1:56.91; 39) Michael Hayes, PNSA, 1:57.99; 40) Dylan Turner, PNSA, 1:58.84; 41) Isaac Grebisz, PNSA, 1:59.54; 42) Kevin Wolfe, FW, 2:00.36; 43) Anders Harris, NO, 2:00.67; 44) Mitch Eisenstat, FW, 2:01.50; 45) Corbin Kray, PNSA, 2:02.70; 46) William Ingrim, AK, 2:05.94; 47) Peder Rickbell, NO, 2:07.06; 48) Colson De Carlo, NO, 2:07.93; 49) Reilly Buck, NO, 2:12.93.
Girls, slalom
Two-run total time
1) Isabella Wright, IMUS, 1:35.23; 2) Stephanie Lebby, USAT, 1:35.47; 3) Natalie Williams, FW, 1:37.25; 4) Molly Leavens, USAT, 1:38.46; 5) tie, Hannah West, IMD, 1:39.12, and Elyse Burandt, PNSA, 1:39.12; 7) Amanda Pretti, FW, 1:39.74; 8) Alexandria Oseland, PNSA, 1:39.92; 9) Brittney Straw, FW, 1:40.00; 10) Francesca English, FW, 1:40.67; 11) Haley Cutler, IMD, 1:40.83; 12) Teagan Santin, FW, 1:41.61; 13) Maureen Lebel, FW, 1:41.81; 14) Maia Bickert, FW, 1:42.03; 15) Ashlee Weller, AK, 1:42.50; 16) Lily Rose Longton, FW, 1:42.54; 17) Margo Lane, AK, 1:42.62; 18) tie, Claire Thomas, IMD, 1:43.11, and Lauren Keller, IMD, 1:43.11; 20) Gracie Struthers, PNSA, 1:44.15; 21) Amanda Lundgren, AK, 1:44.35; 22) Annika Hansen, FW, 1:44.49; 23) Liz Baer, IMD, 1:44.55; 24) Beth Mixon, PNSA, 1:44.80; 25) Sabrina Futral, FW, 1:46.36; 26) Pilar Alvarez, FW, 1:46.40; 27) Carina Bracy, PNSA, 1:47.59; 28) Hannah Lukes, AK, 1:48.00; 29) Sierra Cunningham-Ward, IMD, 1:49.18; 30) Callie Dahlberg, PNSA, 1:40.30; 31) Madeline Zeldes, PNSA, 1:50.73; 32) Shannen Burton, PNSA, 1:50.92; 33) Allison Frey, PNSA, 1:51.20; 34) Frances Ruth Carlisle, AK, 1:51.41; 35) Kathleen Smith, FW, 1:51.63; 36) Amelia Henry, PNSA, 1:51.64; 37) Alanna Demuro, IMD, 1:51.88; 38) Erin Maidman, FW, 1:51.92; 39) Phoebe Rogers, PNSA, 1:52.02; 40) Ashley Lodmell, PNSA, 1:52.14; 41) Katherine Brown, FW, 1:53.32; 42) Hannah Everson, FW, 1:53.70; 43) Devan Lamere, IMD, 1:54.35; 44) Stella Gardner, NO, 1:54.90; 45) Madison Milgard, IMD, 1:55.11; 46) Ariana Davis, IMD, 1:55.83; 47) Sydney Harris, IMD, 1:55.97; 48) Megan Wurden, PNSA, 1:56.43; 49) Michael Gardner, FW, 1:56.68; 50) Daphne James, FW, 1:57.24.
51) Kaya Benzon, IMD, 1:57.66; 52) Elisabeth Heit, FW, 1:57.69; 53) Siri Knudsen, PNSA, 1:58.25; 54) Sarah Auer, FW, 1:59.44; 55) Megan Rescigno, FW, 1:59.49; 56) Juliette Parke, IMD, 2:05.10; 57) Sylvia Coston, NO, 2:06.57; 58) Kelly Shea, NO, 2:07.63; 59) Casey Molt, PNSA, 2:08.19; 60) Sara Hulbert, NO, 2:12.80; 61) Talia Toland, PNSA, 2:15.16; 62) Kezia Jetmore, NO. 2:15.83.
Anchorage Daily News