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AVSC athletes excel on home course

Aspen Times writer

Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club’s top older racers hosted more than 200 competitors March 16-19 for the Rocky/Central Regional Championships. The home team’s senior, J1 and J2 racers did not disappoint.The team posted multiple top-10 finishes during the four-day event, which featured super G, giant slalom and slalom on Racer’s Edge on the Tiehack side of Buttermilk.In Thursday’s super G, senior skier Jason Christopher posted AVSC’s top result with a seventh-place finish; J1 racer Jericho Hajduk also was seventh, in Friday’s super G. J1 skier Paul Britvar posted two 11th-place finishes.J2 Skier Sam Coffey, like Britvar, showcased his consistency with two 16th-places. His results were good for second in his age class.”He’s putting a lot of things together at the right time,” AVSC alpine coach Jessica Smith said in a club news release. “His approach is getting much better, and he’s bringing it to race day.” AVSC’s female racers struggled on the first day of super G competition, but rebounded in convincing fashion on Friday with the Hearn sisters leading the way. Gillian Hearn finished fifth, while younger sister Jenny finished 17th.Their success continued in Saturday’s giant slalom. Gillian Hearn finished sevent, and Jenny took 12th. Teammate Mandi Loucks made the team’s biggest move of the day – she was the 61st skier out of the gate but wound up 30th. Sunday’s slalom was less kind to both teams. Jenny Hearn posted the top finish in 19th. Loucks was 30th out of 53 skiers.”The women’s course was very challenging with a lot of side-hill tactics that tripped up a lot of the racers,” Smith said. “Both Jenny and Mandi made the necessary adjustments to stay on their feet and ski well.”J2 skier Wiley Maple was the lone male standout in slalom. He finished 12th, the best among all the J2 skiers in the field.”Wiley definitely skis on the edge, and when he pulls it out like he did today, he’s really fast,” Smith said.