Locals make Regional U.S. Telemark team

The U.S. Telemark Ski Association

announced recently this winter’s Regional team, with three of the

10 members hailing from Whitefish. The local racers include Cole

Schneider, a returning racer, and newcomers Maggie Doherty and

Erica Ruta.

Established last year, the intent of

the Regional team is to recognize athletes that have demonstrated a

commitment to telemark racing and continue to improve their skills.

Some Regional team members are gunning to make the National team or

Development team.

The three local racers will train at

Whitefish Mountain Resort with Kelsey Schmid-Sommer, the five-time

National Champion. Schmid-Sommer retired from the U.S. Telemark

National Team at the end of last season.

Schneider and Doherty plan to attend

several World Cup events in Europe this winter and the U.S.

National Championships, which will be held in Steamboat Springs,

Colo.

“We are pleased to see the level of

skiing and commitment from these new Regional team members,” said

Russ Hobbs, president of USTS.

Doherty, 28, is originally from

Northern Michigan and moved to Montana in 2004. She learned to

telemark three winters ago after a lifetime of alpine racing. She

started telemark skiing during Whitefish Mountain Resort’s telemark

league and eventually progressed to compete in the U.S. Nationals

at Big Mountain last winter, taking fourth in the slalom. She’ll be

leaving in January to race on the World Cup circuit in Europe.

“I’m freaking out because it’s a dream

come true to both ski in Europe and race in the World Cups,”

Doherty said.

Doherty’s goal is to make the U.S.

National team and “to live up to the local legacy of telemark in

Whitefish.”

“I want to represent the community well

and maintain the tradition of tele skiing here,” she said.

She looks forward to learning from

Schmid-Sommer.

“I’m honored to have Kelsey as my

coach,” Doherty said. “It will be amazing, not only because of her

talent, but her experience, too. She’s been to the World Cup, and

to have that guidance is wonderful.”

New Hampshire native Ruta is

Schmid-Sommer’s younger sister, and has skied at Big Mountain for a

decade. She is the owner of Breathe yoga and fitness studio.

Schneider is originally from Nebraska,

where he first learned to ski, and was on the Regional team last

winter. He was 12th overall at the U.S. Nationals last year, taking

10th in the dual slalom and 12th in the giant slalom and Karbon

classic.

The local regional team members, along

with National team member Peter McMahon and a long list of local,

retired team members are looking forward to hosting a sprint

classic race at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Saturday, Feb. 26. For

more information about USTSA, visit www.ustsa.org.