Team Summit women sweep podium at Wilder Dwight Memorial Speed Series

Team Summit’s FIS-level women swept the podium at Wednesday’s Wilder Dwight Memorial Speed Series downhill races at Aspen Highlands as Zoe Simpson finished in first followed by Kayo Denda and Zoe Spanos.

Team Summit also finished in the top two spots of the women’s under-16 category at the event, with Olivia Westall and Camille Thompson notching first- and second-place finishes, respectively. Both athletes also claimed the overall spots for the day’s U.S. Ski and Snowboard-sanctioned contest.

This past weekend, Team Summit Alpine Academy athletes Trent Pennington and Kayo Denda both reached speeds of over 60 miles per hour as they landed on the podium at the Rocky Mountain Elite FIS series event at Aspen Highlands. The event qualifies Rocky Mountain Division racers for their respective championship series that take place later in the season.

Team Breckenridge’s annual U14 Bolle Super G Race took place this past weekend at Breckenridge Ski Resort’s Peak 10, on Cimarron, as 217 athletes dropped 317 vertical feet, some reaching speeds over 55 miles per hour.

Team Summit had 18 athletes race against 14 other teams at the event. Two female athletes finished in the top 25, led by Maiwenn Marzin, a local French national who was 0.78 seconds out of a win, finishing in second place.

Team Summit first year U-14 athlete Ella Snyder finished in 25th overall. Team Summit men placed three in the top 25. led by Will Wasserman of Frisco, in 10th. Stanley Buzek and Taylor Dulaney also had impressive results, placing 22nd and 25th respectively.

The team was down two of its top athletes after training crashes on Thursday afternoon, as both Alexandra Westall and Cora Jackson suffered broken bones after impacting the barrier netting during their training session on Cimarron.

The race was in preparation for Team Summit’s RMD junior championship qualifier that was to be held on Sunday. Heavy snowfall Sunday morning resulted in the qualifier event being canceled after three and a half hours of attempted hill prep from athletes and coaches.

With the event canceled, the selection for championships reduces to a three out of five event result selection. The remaining qualifiers are to be held in Crested Butte in mid-February. Athletes will compete in a super G, two giant slalom and two slalom races.