Skiing on a mended knee, Hunter Eid wins his comeback race

Hunter Eid came back in full swing following knee surgery at the end of last season to win the first alpine race of this season.

Eid, 16, won the first slalom race for skiers 16 and older Sunday at the season-opening Coca-Cola Holiday Classic at Alyeska Ski Resort. He placed second in the day's second slalom.

In the first slalom, Eid built a substantial lead in his first run to beat second-place Kevin Leach by more than two seconds.

In the second slalom, Eli Seaver beat Eid by half a second. Conner Lane took third in both races.

The first girls slalom of the day produced a tight battle between winner Piper Sage, runner-up Mary Grace Stahla and third place Randi Von Wichman. Only eight-tenths of a second separated the
three U-16 skiers.

In the second race, Von Wichman trailed Stahla in the first run but grabbed the win with a fast second run. Hannah Kragt and Madi Maroney took second and third.

The race series concludes Monday with giant slalom races.

Top 5

Slalom #1

Girls

U16 — 1) Sage, Piper, Alyeska Ski Club (ASC), 1:27.30; 2) Stahla, Mary Grace, ASC, 1:27.99; 3) Von Wichman, Randi, AS, 1:28.12; 4) Griggs, Johanna, Juneau Ski Club (JSC), 1:30.18; 5) Liles, Ava, ASC, 1:31.98.

U19 — 1) Ingrim, April, 1:32.86; 2) Patten, Lexi, ASC, 1:35.96; 3) Maroney, Madi, ASC, 1:36.67; 4) Maroney, Miki, ASC, 1:40.09 5) Wessels, Lubava, ASC, 1:58.98.

Overall — 1) Sage, Piper, Alyeska Ski Club (ASC), 1:27.30; 2) Stahla, Mary Grace, ASC, 1:27.99; 3) Von Wichman, Randi, AS, 1:28.12; 4) Griggs, Johanna, Juneau Ski Club (JSC), 1:30.18; 5) Liles, Ava, ASC, 1:31.98.

Boys

U16 — 1) Horrigan, Colin, ASC, 1:23.43; 2) Wrigley, William, ASC, 1:24.15; 3) Quigley, Nolan, ASC, 1:27.84; 4) Rand, Evan, ASC, 1:29.24; 5) Gries, Connor, ASC, 1:30.56.

U19 — 1) Eid, Hunter, ASC, 1:17.73; 2) Leach, Kevin, ASC, 1:20.02; 3) Lane, Conner, ASC, 1:21.64; 4) Ostberg, Adam, ASC, 1:37.35; 5) Mandich, Joshua, ASC, 2:02.88.

Overall — Eid, Hunter, ASC, 1:17.73; 2) Leach, Kevin, ASC, 1:20.02; 3) Lane, Conner, ASC, 1:21.64; 4) Horrigan, Colin, ASC, 1:23.43; 5) Wrigley, William, ASC, 1:24.15.

Slalom #2

Girls

U16 — 1) Von Wichman, Randi, Alyeska Ski Club (ASC), 1:40.90; 2) Kragt, Hannah, ASC, 1:45.15; 3) Bergstedt, Francesca, ASC, 1:46.55; 4) Liles, Ava, ASC, 1:49.54; 5) Abts, Sarah, ASC, 1:49.76.

U19 — 1) Maroney, Madi, ASC, 1:45.24; 2) Patten, Lexi, ASC, 1:46.66; 3) Kane, Kennedy, ASC, 1:52.84; 4) Wessels, Lubava, ASC, 2:11.77.

Overall — 1) Von Wichman, Randi, Alyeska Ski Club (ASC), 1:40.90; 2) Kragt, Hannah, ASC, 1:45.15; 3) Maroney, Madi, ASC, 1:45.24; 4) Bergstedt, Francesca, ASC, 1:46.55; 5) Patten, Lexi, ASC, 1:46.66.

Boys

U16 — 1) Horrigan, Colin, ASC, 1:40.80; 2) Rand, Evan, ASC, 1:42.92; 3) Folds, Jonah, ASC, 1:44.04; 4) Sticka, Tanner, ASC, 1:46.43; 5) Abts, Tyler, ASC, 1:49.43.

U19 — 1) Seaver, Eli, ASC, 1:30.27; 2) Eid, Hunter, ASC, 1:30.75; 3) Lane, Conner, ASC, 1:33.60; 4) Eriksson, Austen, ASC, 1:40.34; 5) Leach, Kevin, ASC, 1:41.79.

Overall — 1) Seaver, Eli, ASC, 1:30.27; 2) Eid, Hunter, ASC, 1:30.75; 3) Lane, Conner, ASC, 1:33.60; 4) Eriksson, Austen, ASC, 1:40.34; 5) Horrigan, Colin, ASC, 1:40.80.