While our Juniors are preparing for the post-season events like JNs, U16s, and EHS, it’s time to recognize our latest class of BKL graduates who are now officially Juniors themselves!
The snow was slushy and the skies were (mostly) grey at Rikert over the weekend, but the energy was still amazing at the BKL Festival. With over 700 young skiers it was the biggest festival ever! MNC had the most skiers of any club in the 7th/8th grade group, and everyone skied great.
Many of these skiers participated in Mini Mtn Camp over the summer. From that experience, as well as the great overlap and organization with Coach Kristen taking on this Devo group alongside the Juniors, it feels like I know this group and better each year.
James giving a good display of the “East Coast” conditions
The classic relays on Saturday were won in strong fashion by MNC teams on both the girls and boys side! Mia started
Mia in the classic relay
gaining a lead about 100m into the start of the girls race and never looked back extending it by a wide margin and tagging off to Astrid who only increased the margin. In the boys race, Matthew Northcott (Southern VT) double poled on skate skis, meaning a fast downhill start and flatter section. But when the trail went uphill, James closed the gap significantly. Henry then made the charge past the second skier from that team and came in for the win!
The skate individual day belonged to Mia and Astrid, with Mia a scant 1 second ahead. It was strong skiing through some of the slushiest snow I’ve seen, with standing water in places. Isaiah had a standout race and finished fifth, and it was a grouping of MNC all near each other with James, Oakley, Liam and Ansel all pushing hard through deteriorating snow.
Isaiah climbing into the finish in his trademark orange hat
While some of these skiers are 8th grade U16s (Brooke, Astrid, Henry, James) and many of the 2nd-year U14 skiers got to try out their first Eastern Cup race this winter, the fact that they are in middle school and get to participate in a final BKL Festival, complete with a graduation ski and send-off, is really nice.
These skiers have officially capped-off their BKL careers, but I’m sure they’ll take lots of great memories with them!
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