STEAMBOAT SPRINGS – Carter Niemkiewicz of Summit and Isla Elton of Vail Mountain earned individual state championships on Thursday in the 5-kilometer classic event at the CHSAA Nordic Skiing State Championships.
Niemkiewicz sailed to victory in an impressive 13 minutes, 38.31 seconds and led a 1-2 finish for Summit in the boys race, as James Sowers was second in 13:54.15. Sowers and Niemkiewicz are switching podium places, as Sowers was the winner and Niemkiewicz was second in 2024. Sowers was also second in 2023.
Eagle Valley competitors placed third and fourth in the boys race, as Jonah Barber completed the course in 14:34.27 and Tyler Blair in 14:35.62. Mattis Kemp of Poudre School District was fifth in 14:36.17. Rounding out the top 10 were Teddy Brunner of Vail Mountain (14:56.76), Charlie Wiedel of Steamboat Springs (14:58.02), John Ryan of Summit (14:59.13), Jack Sargent of Eagle Valley (15:11.55) and Callen Solley of Poudre School District (15:17.28).
In the girls race, Elton was 14 seconds better than Ellayna Potter of Poudre School District, finishing in 16:45.65 to Potter’s 16:59.72. Potter placed sixth in the event in 2024.
Finnley Stanek was third in 17:11.01 and was the first of four Lake County racers in the top nine: Aimee Lenhard was fifth in 17:46.42, Chloe King was eighth in 18:32.80, and Lyza Zoller was ninth in 18:46.92.
Also placing in the top 10 were Ella Hagen of Summit, fourth in 17:33.39 after finishing second in this race last year and fourth in both 2022 and 2023; Elsie Robinson of Summit, sixth in 18:09.94; Brooke Davis of Poudre School District, seventh in 18:30.27; and Anna Lantermans of Middle Park, 10
th in 18:50.02.
The State Championships conclude Friday with the boys skate race at 10 a.m., the girls skate race at 11 a.m., the boys 4 x 1.4K relay at 2 p.m., and the girls relay at 2:30 p.m.
All awards are scheduled to be distributed, and the inaugural Nordic state championship teams are to be recognized, at 3:30 p.m.
Prior to this year, a combined team skiing state championship that included Alpine races had been awarded.