Los Alamos High School ski racers dominate the podium! Logan Swickely (freshman, TAF, left) celebrates his 1st place victory, while Jack Harris (sophomore, LASRC) claims 2nd place in a thrilling race. Photo by Stephani Swickley

Focused and ready! Los Alamos Ski Racing Club racers inspect the course alongside Coach Alex Ames, left, strategizing for the race ahead, from left, Mathilda Long, Katherine Achuleta, Francis Archuleta, Madelinn Honig, Bridger Dickman, Max Hanson and Tallie Dickman. Photo by Stephanie Archuleta

By KEVIN MERTES
Los Alamos Ski Racing Club

Speed, skill, and sheer determination were on full display as young ski racers from Los Alamos carved their way to victory at Angel Fire Resort on March 1st! The annual Team Angel Fire (TAF) Fun Race saw an electrifying performance from Los Alamos High School athletes, who swept the top three fastest times of the day.

Leading the charge was Logan Swickley (freshman, TAF), who claimed the top spot out of 136 racers, followed closely by Jack Harris (sophomore, LASRC) in second and Hirotaka Mertes (sophomore, LASRC) rounding out the podium in third.

Young Racers Shine Across Age Groups

Beyond the high school dominance, Los Alamos Ski Racing Club (LASRC) and Team Angel Fire showcased a wave of rising stars across multiple age divisions. Under the expert coaching of Lisa Kimura and Alex Ames (LASRC) and Jin Yoshida (TAF), these young athletes raced their hearts out:

• U8 Girls: Tallie Dickman (1st grade, Aspen Elementary School) and Madelinn Honig (1st grade, Mountain Elementary School) battled the slopes, finishing 8th and 9th.
• U8 Boys: Bridger Dickman (2nd grade, Aspen Elementary School) skied into an impressive 3rd place.
• U10 Girls: Mathilda Long (3rd grade, Barranca Elementary School) carved her way to 8th place.
• U10 Boys: Max Hanson (4th grade, Mountain Elementary School) finished 6th, with Francis Archuleta (3rd grade, Alice King Community School, Albuquerque) securing 19th.
• U12 Girls: Katherine Archuleta (5th grade, Alice King Community School, Albuquerque) raced into 9th place.
• U12 Boys: Adrian Garcia-Balkey (4th grade, Albuquerque) fought hard to place 9th.
• U14 Girls: Takara Mertes (6th grade, Mountain Elementary) dominated the competition, claiming 1st place, with Izel Garcia-Balkey (7th grade, Albuquerque) right behind in 2nd.
• U14 Boys: Micah Brown (6th grade, St. Pius X School) captured gold with a 1st-place finish.
• U16 Boys: Logan Swickley once again took 1st, proving his speed on the slopes, while Gabriel Mamula (8th grade, Los Alamos Middle School) fought for 4th.
• U18 Boys: It was a Los Alamos sweep, as Jack Harris took gold, Hirotaka Mertes earned silver, and Elliot Gaunt (Los Alamos High School sophomore) finished just outside the podium in 4th.

Swickley Conquers Breckenridge!

Logan Swickley took his talent to the legendary slopes of Breckenridge, Colo., where he competed Feb. 23 in the highly competitive Giant Slalom races of the USSA HEADS Rebels YSL Series.

Facing off against 143 of the best young racers, Swickley delivered a powerhouse performance, securing bronze for U16 in the first race. But he wasn’t done yet—in the second race, he stunned the competition, blazing past the field to claim an overall 1st-place victory, earning gold for U16!

The Road to Taos: The Final Showdown

The season isn’t over yet! The ultimate test awaits at the USSA Rocky Mountain Southern Series Championship, hosted by the Taos Winter Sports Team at Taos Ski Valley on March 22-23. With both LASRC and TAF racers eyeing the podium, the competition promises to be fierce.

About LASRC & TAF

Los Alamos Ski Racing Club (LASRC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to training young athletes in ski racing, offering high-level coaching at Pajarito Mountain in a fun, supportive, and affordable environment. Learn more at www.losalamosskiteam.com.

Team Angel Fire (TAF) offers a developmental ski and snowboard program along with an advanced-level training program in alpine ski racing (Slalom and Giant Slalom) led by a USSA-licensed professional. TAF athletes train at Angel Fire Resort. Find out more at Team Angel Fire.

Carving up the course! Los Alamos Ski Racing Club U8 racer Madelinn Honig executes a racing turn, showcasing skill and determination on the slopes. Photo by Jennie Honig

Fueling up for the next run! Los Alamos Ski Racing Club racers Tallie Dickman, Maren Hanson and Madelinn Honig, front from left, and Max Hanson and Bridger Dickman, back from left, take a well-earned snack break as they prepare to tackle their second run. Photo by Jennie Honig

Eyes on the prize! Logan Swickely (Los Alamos High School freshman, TAF) studies the racecourse at Breckenridge, preparing for a gold-medal-winning performance. Photo by Stephani Swickley

Coach and champion! Logan Swickely (Los Alamos High School freshman, TAF) with Coach Jin Yoshida after an incredible 1st place finish at Breckenridge. Photo by Stephani Swickley