RUMFORD — Putting together consecutive solid runs proved difficult at times during Wednesday’s MVC Alpine ski championships at Black Mountain, but the skiers who bounced back the best found success.
Charlie Pye of Rangeley attacks a gate on his way to victory in Wednesday’s MVC boys slalom championship at Black Mountain in Rumford. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal Buy this Photo
Rangeley’s Charlie Pye was the poster child for that. He failed to finish his first run in the morning’s giant slalom, only to follow up that DNF with the fastest run of the day (57.18 seconds) on his second run. He then had the only two sub-49-second runs in the slalom portion of the conference championships to take home that event’s individual title.
Rangeley won the girls team competition, and Mt. Abram that was victorious on the boys side.
“The Mt. Abram boys did everything I asked for,” said Roadrunners coach Leah Danala, who also coaches Spruce Mountain. “Consistent, solid skiing all day. They really focused on the team aspect of today’s race and really wanted to be able to win. And in order to do that, they knew they needed good finishes. Sully Butler, coming back from injury — we weren’t even sure he would race today — and finishing second in slalom really sealed the deal for the day.”
Butler’s combined time of 1:42.45 in the slalom put him just ahead of Mountain Valley’s Nate Gallant, who earlier in the day won the giant slalom over teammate Joel Tardiff.
“Nate Gallant (said) before winning the GS, ‘Hey Coach, do I have to take my second Run?’ … He has a habit of crashing on the second run,” Mountain Valley coach Todd Papianou said. “Not today. He protected his first-run lead with solid, conservative skiing and a save on the gate other kids hipped out and slid. He bobbled but held his edge and form.”
The Mt. Abram boys easily won the boys competition with 1,551 points, and were the only team with four scoring finishers. Mountain Valley edged Rangeley for second, 1,179 to 1,170, as each team had three scorers. Jack Gilbert was the lone competitor for Spruce Mountain, and his blistering second run in the giant slalom bumped him up from ninth after his first run to a fourth-place finish.
Danala said that Gilbert and the Spruce girls’ lone competitor, Hannah Coates, had various great runs.
She said the Mt. Abram girls struggled at times throughout the day. Alice MacKay had single solid runs in both the GS and slalom, but failed to finish a run in each event.
Jaden Boulanger of Mountain Valley carves around a gate on her second run en route to victory in Wednesday’s MVC girls giant slalom championship at Black Mountain of Maine in Rumford. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal Buy this Photo
Mountain Valley’s Jaden Boulanger won the opening GS before a disqualification in her first slalom run soured what turned out to be the second-best second run of the day.
“Jaden Boulanger skied with great form in the GS,” Papianou said. “And after a simple error in her first Slalom run she came back with a little spit and vinegar.”
Breezy Quimby of Rangeley smashes through a gate on her way to a first-place finish in the 2021 MVC girls slalom championship at Black Mountain of Maine on Wednesday in Rumford. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal Buy this Photo
Rangeley’s Breezy Quimby had the best two runs in slalom, with a first-run time of 47.20 seconds and a 47.98 second run that equaled Boulanger. Amelia Stokes and Autumn Williams gave Rangeley a 1-2-3 finish in slalom. Stokes was also the runner-up in GS, finishing 0.20 seconds faster than Mountain Valley senior Gabbie Gallant.
“Yesterday Gabbie Gallant peaked. She put all the years on the hill into four solid runs,” Papianou said. “Made me proud and happy for her. And after seven years of the ups and downs, you bet I shed a tear.”
Rangeley was the only girls team with four finishers, easily giving the Lakers the title. Mountain Valley’s two scorers outdueled Mt. Abram’s for second.
“It was a hectic morning with lift malfunctions and cat rides to the start, but the courses were great and the weather turned out beautiful,” Danala said.
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