Luke on the podium as the U16 Overall National Champion.
CARRABASSETT VALLEY — Carrabassett Valley Academy sophomore, Luke Kearing, is the 2018 U16 Overall National Champion in Alpine ski racing.
The towering 15-year-old, who hails from Carrabassett Valley, has had an impressive season – showcasing his dedication and passion for the sport by hitting the podium in nearly all of his races. Luke dominated at the Eastern Championships (held at Stowe Mountain, VT in mid-March), throwing down consistently fast runs and landing on the podium not once, but three times throughout the competition. But following that event is when things really started to heat up on the cold steeps of Sugarloaf Mountain.
“In the two-week period between Easterns and Nationals, he just kept getting better and better,” said Jeff Beauregard, CVA Head U16 Coach. “He was skiing so fast, just awesome, after seeing what he was doing in training, I knew he would perform (at Nationals).”
And perform he did. Beginning on March 31 at the U.S. Ski National Championships at Mission Ridge Ski Resort, WA, Luke took 2nd place in both Super G and Giant Slalom, also nabbing a 2nd in the Skills Quest event, which is an opportunity to showcase skill, strength and ability. A week-long effort culminating in the title as the Overall U16 National Champion.
“Luke is a great skier, at the end of the day that’s what makes a great ski racer – when everything clicks for him, it’s really his to lose,” said Beauregard.
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