Sunlight’s Buddy Werner race team takes second at Western Colorado finale

Staff Report
Glenwood Springs, CO Colorado
March 12, 2008

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STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — The Sunlight Mountain Resort Ski Team’s Buddy Werner racers traveled to Steamboat Springs on Sunday to compete in the Western Colorado finale and came away with a second-place team finish. More than 130 racers took part in the Buddy Werner finale, with teams in attendance from Beaver Creek, Powderhorn, Steamboat Springs and Crested Butte. Racers competed in two runs on a giant slalom course which took place at Steamboat Spring’s historic Howelsen Hill. Sunlight’s Buddy Werner team was made up of 26 racers from Glenwood Springs.

Twenty-two Sunlight racers had at least one top-10 finish on the day, with Carol Stepniewski (girls 9- to 10-year-old skiing division), Breanne Gabossi (girls snowboarding), Luke Prosence (boys 9-10 skiing) and Brandon Martinez (boys snowboarding) all completing two first-place runs for titles.

“This was a fantastic season, and we have a great group of racers at Sunlight. We are proud of the team and all their hard work this season to earn this second-place honor almost beating Vail Beaver Creek,” Coaches Bob and Tish Lockard said. “Our team is a great group of kids and parents. We are lucky to be part of such a great race program in our community.”

Highlighting results for Sunlight Ski Team were the following (place for first run, then second): Girls 5-6: Ally Cornelius, second, fourth; Michal Hale, third, third. Girls 7-8: Devan McSwain, first, second; Lauren Fetzko, eighth, seventh; Alexis Naylor , first run eighth. Girls 9-10: Carol Stepniewski, first, first; Jamie Welch, sixth, second; Quincy Dollahan, first run, 10th. Girls 11-12: Grace McSwain, first, second; Lindsay Hoffman, seventh, seventh; Danielle Benzel, second run ninth. Girls snowboard division: Breanne Gabossi, first, first.

Boys 7-8: Brandon Benzel, second, fourth; Tyler Dollahan, third, fifth; Boys 9-10: Luke Prosence, first, first; Hunter Hale, fourth, fifth. Boys 11–12: Alex Stepniewski, second, second; Liam Mulhall, fifth, sixth; Alphonse Fischer, first run, 10th. Boys snowboard division: Brandon Martinez, first, first; Kody Gabossi, second, second; Matts Rosen, third, third.

Up next for the Sunlight Buddy Werner squad will be the J5 finale Saturday at Sunday on the Joslin run at Sunlight. More than 200 9- to 10-year-old racers from Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Michigan and Utah are expected to attend.