2023 state skiing: Aspen girls, Battle Mountain boys, lead team race after day one

The 2023 Colorado state skiing championships got underway Thursday with the Alpine giant slalom and Nordic skate events.

After the first two events, Aspen leads the team race for the girls with a team score of 311, just one point ahead of Battle Mountain. On the boys side, The BM Huskies lead the way with 312, while Summit is right on their heels with 308.

In the girls giant slalom, Aspen senior Stella Sherlock took the top spot with a total time of 1:47.00 after her two runs. She finished just ahead of her teammate, senior Cate Simpson, who clocked in with a 1:48.01. Rounding out the top-five were Middle Park’s Olivia Niedzwiecki and Emma Bellatty, who took third and fourth, followed by Durango’s Gracey Henning in fifth.

In the boys competition, Steamboat Springs senior Colin Kagan turned in the best run time with a 1:38.01. His teammate, senior Brooks Overstake followed him up with a 1:40.51. Summit senior Michael Cheek took bronze, followed by Middle Park’s Garrett Gillest and Battle Mountain’s Henry Regrut.

Meanwhile on the Nordic track, the girls skate winner was Lake County’s Ella Bullock, who finished with a 17:53.47, more than 30 second ahead of second place. Bullock finished runner-up in the event last season.

Battle Mountain’s Lindsey Whitton took runner-up with a time of 18:24.51, while rounding out the top-five were Summit’s Ella Hagen, Middle Park’s Sylvia Brower, and Battle Mountain’s Addison Beuche.

For the boys, James Sowers of Summit took gold with a final time of 15:02.45, 18 second ahead of second place. Sowers improved vastly on his 19th place finish from a season ago.

Runner-up honors went to Steamboat Springs’ Griffiin Rillos, clocking in with a 15:20.51. Rounding out the top-five were Jace Peters of Lake County, Gray Barker of Middle Park, and Will Brunner of Vail Mountain.

The 2023 skiing championships conclude tomorrow with the Alpine slalom and Nordic classic events.