By Todd Brickson, Rowmark Program Director

Our Rowmark team, which consists of many of the top junior alpine ski racers and student-athletes nationally and internationally, has been working very hard on a daily basis this past spring, summer, and fall in our rigorous on-snow and conditioning program. This program prepares our athletes to be in optimal physical condition as they prepare for the fast-approaching race season. Our coaches are seeing solid technical/tactical improvements and strong bonding across our team.

One of the special attributes of Rowmark is the way in which the athletes work together and support one another through all aspects of their experience. This was exemplified during our 11th Rowmark Ski Academy Bear Lake Challenge in early September. The orientation weekend is designed to test the Rowmarkers physically, mentally, and socially; to identify and develop leadership, spirit, and cooperation skills; and for team bonding. The event also helped identify our team captains for the year, as elected by their peers. This year’s captains are Mary Bocock, Layla Hijjawi, Ford Hodgkins, and Mason Schlopy, and we are looking forward to their leadership.

A commitment to year-round physical conditioning is a critical component to optimal performance on snow. Foreste Peterson, our new head women’s FIS coach and head conditioning coach, directs a dynamic, periodized daily physical training program that includes facets such as strength and power, cardio, plyometrics, quickness and coordination, flexibility, and cross-training and games.

We also are thrilled to have Brian Morgan move into our head men’s FIS coach role and, at the same time, Lyndsay Strange move up to work with our FIS team. We also welcome Jeremy Jakob to round out our FIS staff and the return of Skip Puckett to our U16 staff.  

The theme of Rowmark Ski Academy’s summer and fall training period has been an ongoing exercise in flexibility and creativity as we piece together plans that have been constantly changing due to warm temperatures and lack of snow. We have been able to pull it off with a lot of patience and willingness to change plans, and we appreciate everyone’s ability to adapt on the fly. 

Rowmark had an interesting start to our summer ski camp plans when, back in April, it became clear we needed to cancel our annual June trip to Mammoth Mountain, California. Normally a location with ample winter snowpack and excellent race-training conditions into late June, Mammoth had a low snow season (as did most of the western US) and had to close in late May. Instead, we skied eight days, over two Fridays and three weekends, at Snowbird in May, which turned out to be a productive alternative. We are thankful to Snowbird for providing terrain on the upper mountain, the Road to Provo bowl, where we were able to free-ski, kick off our drill progression, and train gates over the eight days.

We experienced a similar challenge for our next ski camp, scheduled in August at Mt. Hood, a dormant volcano and the highest peak in Oregon that normally has good snow for race training throughout the entire summer. The already low and quickly melting snowpack was devastated even further by a record heat wave in the Pacific Northwest, where temps reached into the 110s for several days in early July. We were fortunate to be able to reschedule our dates in mid-July before the snow completely disappeared, and we had an excellent camp for the Rowmarkers who were able to change their summer plans in order to attend.

Thankfully, our third ski camp, in Schnalstal, Italy, located in the heart of the South Tyrol Alps, went off as scheduled in early October, with excellent snow conditions. Our FIS team had a great camp and also enjoyed the two-week immersion in Italian mountain culture, with its stunning beauty and delicious cuisine.

Our most recent ski camp in Copper Mountain, Colorado, in late October also went off very successfully despite the continuing unusually warm fall weather. The 12,000-foot elevation of Copper’s training venue, located at the very top of the mountain, was well prepared with man-made snow, and both our FIS and U16 teams had a very productive giant slalom camp.

Our final on-snow camp is after Thanksgiving in Aspen, Colorado, before we begin our local training after Thanksgiving at the Utah Olympic Park and Park City Mountain. Aspen’s training venue is much lower in elevation, at 9,000 to 10,000 feet, and they are having challenges with the warm temperatures to make enough snow. So we are keeping our fingers crossed that we will be able to pull off the Aspen camp. Stay tuned!

As the winter season approaches, the Rowmarkers are looking forward to putting their summer and fall on-snow training conditioning to the test. Their days will soon be filled beginning to end. Morning academic classes are followed by afternoon ski training, video review, ski tuning, and evenings of homework. Their race schedule takes them all over the country and, for a few, to Canada and Europe as well. The extensive travel causes Rowmarkers to miss several weeks of school throughout the winter, which tests their organizational, communication, and time-management skills. Their success hinges on the support of the Rowland Hall faculty and their extra efforts of frequent communication and consultation sessions, which allow the Rowmarkers to not only survive the academic load but often to excel. A big thank you goes out to these teachers for their commitment to making this happen.

In any case, the double whammy of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change have made the past year and a half particularly challenging for the sport of ski racing. It has certainly been an exercise in flexibility, as well as a true character-building period of time. We are proud of our Rowmark student-athletes for their ability to adapt and flourish in the strangest of times, and we can’t wait for the fast-approaching winter competition season.

BACK TO THE FINISH LINE

Rowmark

By Todd Brickson, Program Director

Competition Highlights

Below are competition highlights of current Rowmarkers who captured top finishes during the last month of the season.

FIS Elite Races, California

Many of our U19s raced in FIS Elite races at Sugar Bowl Resort and Squaw Valley, California, in mid-March against the best 100 boys and 100 girls in the Western US.

• Maddie Welling: Seventh overall (fifth for U19s) in slalom #1; eighth overall (and second for U19s) in slalom #2

• Mary Bocock: 10th overall (and second for U19s) in giant slalom; 11th overall (and fourth for U19s) in slalom

• Harry Hoffman: 10th overall (second for U19s) in slalom; 13th overall (second for U19s) in giant slalom


Divisional FIS Race, Wyoming

At the same time as the California races, Snow King Mountain Resort in Wyoming hosted a Divisional FIS race where the other half of our U19s competed.

• Charlotte Altman: Eighth in slalom; 14th in giant slalom

• Dagny Brickson: 15th in slalom

• Preston Bolus: 19th in slalom; 19th in giant slalom


Tri-Divisional Championships, Montana

Many of our U16s raced in the Tri-Divisional Championships at Big Sky Resort in Montana from March 18–21.

Boys:

• Matt Siegal: First in super-G; eighth in giant slalom; seventh in slalom

• Henry Cunningham: Second and third in super-G

• Leo Martin: Ninth in giant slalom  

• Jack Zipp: 11th in slalom; 13th in giant slalom


Girls:

• Arden Louchheim: Second in super-G; third in giant slalom

• Kaia Brickson: Fourth in slalom

• Charlotte Morris: Fifth in slalom

• Hayden Kaufman Schiller: Seventh in super-G


South Series Finals, Utah

U16 freshman Declan Morasch competed in the South Series Finals at Snowbasin, Utah, in late March, where he placed first in giant slalom.

77th Annual Snowcup, Utah

The 77th Annual Snowcup at Snowbird, Utah, held March 30 to April 2, was an excellent race for Rowmark, with outstanding finishes from across the team. Notably, Ian Hanrahan and Elisabeth Bocock won the prestigious Snowcup overall titles! Below are some standout finishes from this series.

Boys:

• Ian Hanrahan: Second in slalom; first and second in giant slalom; first overall

• Jack Abuhaidar: Second in slalom; first and second in giant slalom

• Ford Hodgkins: Third and third in slalom

• Preston Bolus: 10th in slalom; fourth and seventh in giant slalom

• Frank Stearns: Fifth and 11th in slalom

• Karsten Schillinger: Sixth in slalom; 14th in giant slalom

• Henry Cunningham: 10th in slalom; 13th in giant slalom


Girls:

• Elisabeth Bocock: First and first in giant slalom; first and second in slalom; first overall

• Madi Dean: First and fifth in slalom; fifth and sixth in giant slalom

• Mary Clancy: 12th in giant slalom; second and fifth in slalom

• Charlotte Morris: 15th in slalom


Western Region U16 Championships, California

Three Rowmark athletes—Elisabeth Bocock, Lili Honey, and Karsten Shillinger—qualified to compete in the exclusive Western Region U16 Championships in Mammoth, California, which consists of the best U16 athletes in the entire Western Region of the United States. Elisabeth Bocock finished first in super-G, first in giant slalom, and second in slalom, securing her the Western Region Overall Championship and a spot in the U16 Nationals, which, unfortunately, was cancelled due to COVID-19 protocols. Lili Honey and Karsten Shillinger both also had some strong top-25 finishes.

FIS Spring Series, California

Some of the FIS Rowmarkers managed to get a spot in the Squaw Spring Series races at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows. Post-graduate Madi Dean charged to a fifth and sixth in slalom, and junior Maddie Welling had some standout performances and secured 10th in giant slalom.

FIS Spring Series, Colorado

Mary Bocock won the giant slalom race in Breckenridge, Colorado. With this finish, Mary is now ranked second in the nation and sixth in the world in giant slalom for her age, as well as first and ninth in the world in super-G!

US National Championships, Colorado

Three of our FIS athletes had the outstanding achievement of qualifying to the prestigious US National Championships in Aspen from April 5–16. Harry Hoffman competed in the men’s US Nationals this past week with strong results, while Mary Bocock had an outstanding 12th in super-G and Maddie Welling had two top-30 finishes, with a 24th in the alpine combined and a 29th in super-G.

Western Region FIS Downhills, California

Finally, five Rowmarkers finished the season with downhill races at Mammoth Mountain, California. For the men, Ford Hodgkins led the way with a 13th and 26th, while, for the women, Dagny Brickson was 11th on the first downhill and an impressive eighth place in the final race.

Congratulations to our entire team for a great season despite all the craziness!

Alum News

Rowmark alum and US Ski Team star Breezy Johnson ’13 had a nearly unprecedented series of podium results on the World Cup, with four consecutive third place downhill podium finishes, followed by a fifth! With this streak, Breezy placed fourth in the Overall World Cup downhill standings for the 2021 season. Incredible!

Rowmark alum and emerging US Ski Team member Katie Hensien ’18 scored her first World Cup points, with an 18th in a World Cup slalom in Croatia in March. Katie also won the 2020 National Championship giant slalom and was third in the slalom back in November.

Congratulations to Rowmark alum Alice McKennis Duran ’08 on her retirement from ski racing after an impressive career of 13 years on the US Ski Team, including a World Cup victory, three podiums, 10 top-10 finishes, two Olympic Games (fifth in downhill in 2018), and two National Championships. Rowmark Ski Academy is very proud of your accomplishments, and even more proud of your incredible determination and resilience to return to the top of the sport after several serious injuries. (Read more in this US Ski Team post highlighting Alice's stellar career.)

BACK TO THE FINISH LINE

Rowmark

By Todd Brickson, Rowmark Program Director

As you can imagine, Rowmark’s activities this summer and fall have been heavily impacted by COVID-19 guidelines and mitigation efforts. It’s been a challenging and character-building several months, and we are very proud of the effort and seriousness of the Rowmarkers and staff in following strict protocols to keep each other safe.

To start, our annual June ski camp at Mammoth Mountain, CA, was cancelled outright as the ski area remained closed due to the pandemic. In its place, the Academy shifted gears to a weeklong intense and unique dryland conditioning camp, which culminated in a sunrise hike to the top of Jupiter Peak followed by a team-relay paddleboard, mountain bike, and trail run triathlon race at the Jordanelle Reservoir. The Rowmarkers exhibited strong teamwork, comradery, and effort throughout the week.  

From mid-June to mid-August the focus remained on a long conditioning block before we got the green light to get back on snow August 15–23 at Mt. Hood, OR. It was motivating to finally be back on snow since the mid-March shutdown. The Mt. Hood management enforced the COVID-19 protocols very seriously, and the outdoor setting proved to be a safe environment for all the teams training there. Our Mt. Hood camp included the Academy and Junior programs.

After the Mt. Hood camp, we rolled right into the beginning of school and scrambled to adjust to the hybrid learning program. Physical testing and then a second extended conditioning block ensued each day after school. We had to cancel the U19/FIS Team ski camp in Italy due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions, but we were able to replace that camp with a successful camp in Copper Mountain, CO, in late October.

As I write this in mid-November, our Academy team is all in Aspen Highlands, CO, for our final ski camp of the season before we return to Utah for local training and the fast-approaching competition season. The snow conditions in Aspen are great for race training and the Rowmarkers are working hard on their technique and tactics. They also carve out time in the afternoons and evenings to keep up with their schoolwork and Zoom with their teachers, in between conditioning workouts, ski tuning, and video review with their coaches. Busy and challenging days, for sure.

Meanwhile, our Junior program is gearing up to host their fall camp locally at the Utah Olympic Park (UOP). We are all grateful for the early snowfall and the commitment to snowmaking at the UOP. Our athletes will greatly benefit from this preparation period.

It has been a crazy several months as we adapt to social distancing, mask wearing, and disinfecting measures at every turn in our training and conditioning. Our race season is going to look very different also. Virus mitigation is requiring races with small fields, splitting genders, and much less time in lodges in addition to the normal protocols.

As “normal” team travel is not allowed, I want to give a big shout-out to the Rowmark parents who have stepped up to provide all the transportation, lodging, and meals, which are new requirements in this COVID-19 world. Another big shout-out to the tremendous effort and professionalism of the teachers and administration; we are very proud to be part of such a supportive school. The Rowmarkers and staff continue to meet the challenge. We are looking forward to the start of the competition season and any new curveballs we may encounter.

Banner photo: Rowmark Academy team 2019–2020

back to the finish line

Rowmark

By Troy Price, Rowmark Junior Program Director
 
The world of skiing racing came to a halt on March 15. Many Rowmarkers were either en route to their championship events or attending their final training sessions in preparation for champs. I will recognize these athletes later in the article, but first I want to discuss the remarkable community we have in the Rowmark Junior Program.

Our community of athletes, coaches, parents, teachers, and administrators created an incredible environment centered around our core values. The development of the whole athlete is paramount to me, and we were able to find the balance of academics and athletics. More so, we were able to identify the best opportunities for each athlete. The coaching staff and athletes created an environment of high expectations and inclusivity. They practiced the positive characters traits of trust and perseverance. Meanwhile, there was always a balance between team pride and sportsmanship. Our Rowmark parents were supportive of all competitors and thankful for the volunteers at each race. I’m very pleased with our team culture and look forward to building upon our successes moving forward.

I’m so very proud of the hard work that all our student-athletes have applied this season. They were ready to showcase their talents at their given championships across the Western US. Please join me in celebrating the following Rowmark athletes for reaching their championship events.

U14 Regionals | Mammoth Mountain, Mammoth, CA
Kaia Brickson, Morgan Jacquin, Henry Cunningham, Alan Dugan, and Jack Hoffman

U14 Tri-Divisionals | Big Sky Resort, Big Sky, Montana
Lucy Nolan, Joe Lennon, Declan Morasch, and Jack Zipp

U12 IMD Championships | Bogus Basin, Boise, Idaho
Brooke Copinga, Chase Dennis, Andrew Hanrahan, Sophia Hijjawi, Luke Kanarowski, Jameson Moore, Lukas Postnieks, Tallaulah Proulx, Abi Quinn, Eli Rankin, Teo Shamah, Wyatt Williams, and Jett Winkler

U12 IMD Finals | Sundance Resort, Sundance, Utah
Julian Bamberger, Dean Hijjawi, Drew Lipson, Kirsten Mannelin, Milan Mickelson, Kendra Larson, Darshan Pani, Addison August, Andrew Wentz, Asher Williams, Brynn Copinga, Callie Lipson, Dylan Galen, James Steele, Miles Bauer, Niklas Tognina, Paxton Cichos, and William Youngtok

Honorable Mention: Kendall Kanarowski
Kendall tore her ACL in December and has committed her season to her physical therapy. I know she will be ready for next season and I look forward to having her back full time.

2019–2020 will be a season we all remember for a long time. I’m thankful to everyone for making it a successful season.

Top photo: 2019–2020 Rowmark Academy Prep Team

Rowmark