Hokie Feature: Alpine Ski Club

On Saturday, February 6, our Alpine Skiing Club Team competed in their first race of the season at Bryce Resort. 

Competing for the first time since last February, the team brought the heat as if no time had been lost; the men’s and women’s teams placed first and second overall, respectively.

Speaking to their accomplishments, Vice President Trace Beyer said, “Placing in the top five is always exciting because ski racing is such a tedious sport since it comes down to hundredths of a second between competitors. This last race was awesome because we got a lot of good results despite the struggles we faced like missing the first race, and most of our athletes have not been on snow since last year, let alone a race course. To be able to push out of the start gate without any race training beforehand and still get consistent results shows the strength our team has.” 

Even after months away from the competition scene, the team was still able to perform exceptionally well and have fun while doing so. “My favorite part about the competition is the 60 seconds during both runs because that's where all the fun is had. It may seem odd to some that we drive 3 hours away for each athlete to compete for a total of 2 minutes per race, but we all enjoy it and the combined team time creates a lot of camaraderie within the team and makes an individual sport into a team sport,” said Beyer. President Adam Dericks also speaks on his love for the sport. “There are not many sports where you move as quickly under your own power as you do when you are skiing. It is a really cool feeling with all the chaos of gates and snow passing through your field of vision, but remaining calm and focused on the turns in front of you.”

Fourth-place-finisher Ryan Gruenstrass takes this victory as a good sign for the rest of the season.

“It felt great to still be able to place in the top five and see our team perform so well. These results will definitely boost our confidence going forward with the season. Ski racing is such a fun sport and it always comes with incredible views from the top of the mountain.”