By Elizabeth Karam, USSA

WINTER PARK, Colo -– Zak Watkins (Telluride, CO) and Laurel Shanley (Squaw Valley, CA) were on top wrapping up U.S. Freestyle Selections’ last day of moguls competition on Friday. Watkins and Shanley showed impressive composure to win the competition.

Watkins, a young skier who likes to go fast and big, did just that in Friday’s competition besting teammates Jeremy Cota (Carabbassett Valley, ME) and Joseph Discoe (Telluride, CO) to take the top step on the podium.

“The competition was extremely tight today,” explained U.S. Freestyle Moguls Coach Todd Schirman. “Zak Watkins set the bar high early in the finals.”

Jimmy Discoe (Ridgway, CO) and David Digravio (Farmington, ME) put together solid runs to finish fourth and fifth.

Shanley added another victory, after winning Wednesday, ahead of teammate Heidi Kloser (Vail, CO) in second. Trailing Shanley and Kloser was Alison Digravio (Farmington, ME) rounding out the podium placing third.

“We are really excited and proud of Laurel,” said Schirman. “She has proven that she is a World Cup skier and dominated the women’s event.”

The U.S. Freestyle Selections awards the top finishers, based on their results Wednesday and Friday, World Cup starts. The starts will be allotted next month in Deer Valley and Lake Placid. The World Cup starts provides the athletes an opportunity to qualify for the Olympic team. The athletes receiving the World Cup starts are Joe Discoe, Jimmy Discoe, Laurel Shanley, and Heidi Kloser.

Moguls Men’s Results

1. Zak Watkins, Telluride, CO, 24.52

2. Jeremy Cota, Carabbassett Valley, ME, 24.42

3. Joseph Discoe, Telluride, CO, 24.41

4. Jimmy Discoe, Ridgway, CO24.19

5. David Digravio, Farmington, ME, 23.98

7. Bartley Damon, Sun Valley, ID, 23.45

8. Bryan Zemba, Killington, VT, 23.40

9. Holt Haga, Boise, ID, 23.14

12 Brandon Cronin, Winter Park, CO, 21.69

13. Michael Degrandis, 20.90

14. Bradley Wilson, Taylorsville, UT, 20.88

15. Ryan Reilly, Park City, UT, 20.60

Mogul Women’s Results

1. Laurel Shanley, Squaw Valley, CA, 24.11

2. Heidi Kloser, Vail, CO, 23.53

3. Alison Digravio, Farmington, ME, 22.37

4. Sylvia Kerfoot, Canada, 22.36

5. Jillian Vogtli, Ellicottville, NY, 21.91

8. Whitney Henceroth, Dillon, CO, 21.14

9. Alyssa Lawson, Boulder, CO, 21.02

10. Lindsey Cannon, Telluride, CO, 20.88

11. Larissa Burg, Winter Park, CO, 20.53

12. Brittany Loweree, Point Lookout, NY, 19.90

13. Lane Stoltzner, Telluride, CO,19.89

14. Rebecca Miller, Park City, UT, 19.86

15. Ali Kariotis, Winter Park, CO, 12.95

Tom Kelly, USSA

TELLURIDE — A dynamic, never let you rest snowboardcross course courtesy of Olympic course builder Jeff Ihaksi tested the world’s best SBX athletes Friday as men and women competed in qualifications for the Visa U.S. Snowboardcross World Cup at Telluride Resort in Colorado. The U.S. qualified nine men and two women into the competition, which is set for Saturday afternoon.

The U.S. men were led by none other than Olympic gold medalist Seth Wescott (Sugarloaf, ME) who was second. Three other U.S. men marked top 10 speeds with World Championship bronze medalist Nick Baumgartner (Iron River, MI) in third, 2002 Olympic halfpipe gold medalist Ross Powers (Okemo, VT) in sixth and five-time X Games gold medalist Nate Holland (Squaw Valley, CA) in ninth.

“It’s great. The speed is really good across the board and I’m pretty excited to see how the pack races go,” U.S. Snowboarding Head Coach Peter Foley said.

In the women’s race the sun started to sink in the sky, throwing shadows across what most are calling an inventive and relentless course, and making the women’s race a challenge to make the top 16. The one and only Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton, VT) marked one of two U.S. women’s spots, finishing eighth.

“Last week she trained a lot faster, especially in comparison to the boys, than what she did today. It’s fine where she’s qualified, but it seemed like she wasn’t riding at her top speed,” Foley said.

Following Jacobellis was Salt Lake City’s Faye Gulini who rounded off the women’s field in 16th.

If the day left spectators with anything, it’s that Saturday’s World Cup, the second of five Olympic qualification events for the U.S., will be competed on a course that never gives the athletes a moment’s rest.

“It’s a super challenging course in a lot of ways. The features are sharp and kicky at first, then it goes into high speed sections. The jumps are varying in length, so you can’t just ride off of each one, you have to suck it up or pop it to get to the landing,” Foley said. “Then there are turns and you have to be a great turner in those. After that you have another set of big jumps. There’s really a wide variety of skills involved and all kinds of different challenges.”

Qualifications (Top 5 plus U.S. in top 32)

Men

1. David Bakes, Czech Republic

2. Seth Wescott, Sugarloaf, ME

3. Nick Baumgartner, Iron River, MI

4. Tom Velisek, Canada

5. Robert Fagan, Canada

6. Ross Powers, Londonderry, VT

9. Nate Holland, Squaw Valley, CA

12. Shaun Palmer, South Lake Tahoe, CA

13. Graham Watanabe, Sun Valley, ID

18. Alex Deibold, Manchester Center, VT

27. Jayson Hale, Sierraville, CA

31. Bobby Minghini, South Lake Tahoe, CA

Women

1. Maelle Ricker, Canada

2. Helene Olafsen, Norway

3. Simona Meiler, Switzerland

4. Dominique Maltais, Canada

5. Sandra Frei, Switzerland

8. Lindsey Jacobellis, Stratton, VT

16. Faye Gulini, Salt Lake City

Eriksson Education Center Open House on July 10 from 4-6pm in Tahoe City.

The Eriksson Education Center and Demonstration Garden will be unveiled following the Children’s Environmental Science Day. Visitors will be treated to tours, science activities and refreshments.

UC Davis researchers and staff will also be on hand to discuss the future of Lake Tahoe research.

As parking is limited, walking on the bike path or taking the Tahoe Trolley or TART bus is recommended.

Call (775) 881.7562 for more information.

At the Dec. 17 South Tahoe Public Utility District board meeting Dale Rise became president on a 3-2 vote. Mary Lou Mosbacher became vice president with the same vote tally.

Dale Rise

Board members Jim Jones and Eric Schafer voted against both appointments.

Rise had been vice president and Mosbacher president for the last year.

By Danielle Margosian

Tahoe locals Nicole Cartwright, Cindy Thaw, Brian Black, Travis Thaw, and Margie Maxhimer supported the teens in placement at Tahoe Turning Point’s four group homes by participating in the 2009 Peak Bagging fundraiser.

This was the second year of the fundraiser, which rewards participants for the peaks they hiked from April through November. After registering, each peak hiked was documented and a photo was taken on the summit. The peak records and photos were turned in to determine who won prizes for the following categories:

Rich Barna, left to right, Brian Black, Danielle Margosian, Russ Thaw, Margie Maxhimer, and two residents from the group home. Photo/Provided

➢ Most peaks overall

➢ Most peaks above 10,000 feet

➢ Highest peak

➢ Farthest peak from South Lake Tahoe

➢ Best summit photo

Nicole Cartwright hiked the most peaks overall, reaching 14 summits. She also claimed the prize for the farthest peak from South Lake Tahoe, for a summit in Mexico.

Cindy Thaw, a second-year participant, won a prize for bagging seven peaks over 10,000 feet. Her son, Travis Thaw, claimed the highest peak overall, Mount Williamson at 14,375 feet. He also won the prize for best summit photo, for his picture on top of Half Dome.

Brian Black was runner-up in several categories, and enjoyed prizes for his efforts in bagging 10 peaks.

Margie Maxhimer, another second-year participant, was not able to do as much hiking as she would have liked this year, but she enjoyed supporting the fundraiser.

Tahoe Turning Point would like to thank all of our sponsors for donating the prizes that reward our participants for their peak-bagging efforts. We would also like to thank our participants who care about the teens in placement at our group homes. The money raised from their registration fees ($40 per person) goes toward gear and supplies for our residents to enjoy the outdoor activities Tahoe has to offer.

Participatns also enjoyed prizes for their efforts, which were generously donated by businesses within the community who sponsored the fundraiser. This year our sponsors were:

➢ Sierra-at-Tahoe and Northstar-at-Tahoe

➢ Tahoe Keys Resort

➢ Inn by the Lake

➢ Kahle Community Center

➢ Tahoe Bowl

➢ Sierra Cycle Works

➢ Alpen Sierra Coffee

➢ Grassroots

For more information on Tahoe Turning Point’s peak-bagging fundraiser, and how to get involved, please contact us at (530) 541.4594.

Danielle Margosian is a counselor at Tahoe Turning Point.

What’s going on with the lodging community on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe? Find out on KTHO FM-96.1/AM-590 (www.kthoradio.com) on Saturday at 10am or Monday at 6pm. Jerry Bindel, lodging guru of the area, talks about economy, lodging and tourism.

By Robert Perea, Reno Gazette-Journal

Last weekend’s snowstorm brought a marked increase in the snowpack for the Walker River Basin, according to the figures collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service SNOTEL monitoring sites..

Basin wide, the Walker River Basin SNOTEL sites jumped from 60-percent of yearly average on Dec. 11 to 100-percent of yearly average on Dec. 14, before falling back to 98 percent on Dec. 15.

Read the whole story

People say the worst thing anyone can go through is to bury their child.

Parents of a Zephyr Cove Elementary School 11-year-old must do that after their son took his life this week.

News publications have historically shied away from covering suicides. It’s personal. It’s not usually news. It hits the news meter when it occurs in a public place or the person is well known.

Lake Tahoe News first reported the tragedy by publishing a press release from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department about two deaths investigators were working. We did so because it is unusual for the small South Shore agency to work two unrelated deaths in one night and because of the age of the younger person. At that time it was not known this was a suicide.

We have chosen not to publish the boy’s name or do a full story on him out of journalistic integrity and respect for his family and friends.

The Tahoe Daily Tribune has criticized us for our original coverage. We stand by what we have done.

We don’t believe suicide is preventable. The Tribune in its editorial today said it is.

This is wrong. And it is so incredibly callous to chastise parents, friends and teachers – to imply they should have done something more to help this youngster. Their grief is enough to last a lifetime without any publication placing blame and suggesting more should have been done.

The boy was getting help. People knew he was not happy. In the most simplistic of terms, happy, well-adjusted people don’t take their own lives.

For a child to even know what suicide is and how to accomplish it is sad in itself. To see no reason to live, especially at 11, is nearly incomprehensible.

We must remember that as humans – even 11-year-olds – we are capable of hurting ourselves and others.

As a community we have a choice how we react to this loss, what we learn from it and how we grow.

A child’s death, no matter how or when it happens, is a tragic loss.

Lake Tahoe News offers its condolences to the family and friends of this boy whose life ended far too soon.

Kathryn Reed, publisher Lake Tahoe News

Another resort in the Lake Tahoe Basin is open — Homewood. The sun is out — so go ride. Here is today’s ski report brought to you by Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency will close from Dec. 24 to Jan. 3.

During the closure, TRPA representatives will be on-call in the event of an emergency.

The closure will help the Agency reduce operating expenses. Employees will use a combination of accrued paid time off and paid holidays during the closure.

For additional information, call Jeff Cowen at (775) 589.5278 or email jcowen@trpa.org.