Strong Start

SANDPOINT, ID - Hosted by Schweitzer Mountain Resort , the Chad Engstrom Memorial Race is traditionally the first race of the season for the Emerald Empire Youth Ski League (EEYSL).

The Bluewood Alpine Race Team (BART) is one of seven EEYSL member teams and fielded 12 athletes at this year's event, which featured Giant Slalom races both Saturday, January 8, and Sunday, January 9.

Despite being a small part of the total of 152 rac- ers competing, BART skiers finished well enough to set the team solidly in the middle of the team standings. The team's oldest two skiers, Reid Reininger and Colleen Gibbons, captured four first-place finishes while the team's two youngest skiers, Mackenzie Davis and Evangeline Siess, both missed gates on Saturday but rallied to claim two top-ten and one topfive placing for the weekend .

Reininger and Gibbons used this event as a warmup for the Junior Olympic Qualifier this week at Mt Spokane, where they hope to continue their early season success. The BART Youth racers will not be traveling this week and will continue their training at Bluewood in preparation for the next EEYSL event, 49 Degrees North's Fast Blast January 28-30.

Name Class Saturday Sunday