Junior racer from Minnesota steals show in girls slaloms at Alyeska race series

Sophia Palmquist of Buck Hill Ski Racing Club (Minnesota) made a showing in Wednesday's races in the Coca-Cola Holiday Classic at Alyeska's Race Trail.

Palmquist, an Under-12 athlete, won both girls slalom races, going up against both U12 and U14 opponents.

She won the girls' first slalom race of the day, four seconds ahead of runner up Ava Liles of Alyeska Ski Club. Hannah Kragt placed third.

Palmquist's consistent runs landed her another first place finish in the second slalom race followed by Liles. Quincy Donley rounded out the podium in third place.

In the boys' first slalom, Camden Palmquist of Minnesota led by more than three seconds after the first run, but was overtaken in the second run, landing Daniel Ferucci of Alyeska Ski Club a first-place finish. Gunner Bergstedt finished second, Ben Neuberger third and Camden fell to fourth overall and second in his age class.

In the second slalom race of the day, Alyeska Ski Club U14 boys battled for first with the top three places being separated by 0.6 seconds. Noah Rygh won followed by Evan Rand and Nolan Quigley.

U12 and U14 junior athletes from Fairbanks, Hilltop, Hillberg and Alyeska ski clubs competed in the slalom races and will finish the final day of the Coca-Cola Holiday Classic with giant slalom races Thursday.

Coca-Cola Holiday Classic
Alyeska Resort

Top 5 per age class

Slalom race No. 1

Girls

U12 — 1) Sophia Palmquist, Buck Hill Ski Racing Club, 1:04.81; 2) Alyssa Gries, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:27.51; 3) Kea Anderson, Alyeska Ski Club; 1:36.92 4) Ava Austerman, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:37.64; 5) Brook Lentfer, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:40.75.

U14 — 1) Ava Liles, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:08.77; 2) Hanna Kragt, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:11.37; 3) Quincy Donley, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:13.19; 4) Georgia Lantz, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:18.77; 5) Reese Rude, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:20.40.

Overall — 1) Sophia Palmquist, 2) Ava Liles, 3) Hanna Kragt, 4) Quincy Donley, 5) Georgia Lantz.

Boys

U12 — 1) Daniel Ferucci, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:09.22; 2) Ben Neuberger, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:10.99; 3) Maxwell Carl, Hillberg Youth Ski Team, 1:14.95; 4) Aven Elsberg, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:22.31; 5) George Von Wichman, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:23.27

U14 — 1) Gunner Bergstedt, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:10.94; 2) Camden Palmquist, Buck Hill Ski Racing Club, 1:11.54; 3) Evan Rand, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:13.25; 4) Thomas Hartman, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:13.27; 5) Connor Gries, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:14.11

Overall — 1) Daniel Ferucci, 2) Gunner Bergstedt, 3) Ben Neuberger, 4) Camden Palmquist

Slalom race No. 2

Girls

U12 — 1) Sophia Palmquist, Buck Hill Ski Racing Club, 1:09.89; 2) Ava Schweiger, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:36.80; 3) Isabella Peterson, Hillberg Youth Ski Team, 1:37.96; 4) Abigail Kragt, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:39.59; 5) Alyssa Gries, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:41.78.

U14 — 1) Ava Liles, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:15.09; 2) Quincy Donley, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:21.74; 3) Sophie Neuberger, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:21.83; 4) Megan Gamez, Hilltop Alpine Race Team, 1:28.22; 5) Victoria Schmalle, Hilltop Alpine Race Team, 1:30.54.

Overall — 1) Sophia Palmquist, 2) Ava Liles, 3) Quincy Donley, 4) Sophie Neuberger, 5) Megan Gamez.

Boys

U12 — 1) Finnigan Donley, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:18.19; 2) Aven Elsberg, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:31.75; 3) Ben Neuberger, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:32.07; 4) Charlie Folds, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:38.46; 5) Ryder Deschamps, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:50.70.

U14 — 1) Noah Rygh, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:16.43 2) Evan Rand, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:16.88; 3) Nolan Quigley, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:17.03; 4) Gunner Bergstedt, Alyeska Ski Club, 1:24.60; 5) Liam Lauderdale, Hillberg Youth Ski Team, 1:24.91.

Overall — 1) Noah Rygh, 2) Evan Rand, 3) Nolan Quigley, 4) Finnigan Donley, 5) Gunner Bergstedt.