Zoellner wins Old Joes at Nate Chute

by Matt Baldwin For Hungry Horse News
| March 25, 2015 6:38 AM

A pair of Whitefish snowboarders stood atop the podium after two days of racing at the 16th annual Nate Chute Classic on March 21-22.

Kaili Hagen won the women’s open division, and Hugh Black took the top spot in the men’s open.

Guy Zoellner, of Coram, took first in the Old Joes division for racers over 35 years old. He won both the slalom and boardercross.

Nearly 100 racers converged at Whitefish Mountain Resort to compete in the banked slalom through George’s Gorge on Saturday and rubbed elbows and aired over rollers on the hard and fast boardercross course down Goat Haunt on Sunday.

A final sharp turn at the bottom of the cross course dubbed “carnage corner” ate up racers all day as ruts formed in the soft snow of the lone south-facing gate.

Hagen and Black were dominate all weekend against the stacked field. Both placed first in the banked slalom and second in boardercross for the overall title.

Winners in each division split a $4,000 cash purse and took home a palm tree trophy crafted by welding students at Whitefish High School.

The race event is held in memory of local snowboarder Nate Chute, who tragically took his own life. Competitors raise money leading up to the event to support the Nate Chute Foundation, which funds the voluntary student assistance programs in the Columbia Falls and Whitefish school districts. The foundation also sponsors a youth suicide prevention program, which provides counseling services to suicidal youth.

This year’s fundraising efforts topped $13,000, far exceeding the goal of $10,000. To learn more about the Nate Chute Foundation, visit online at www.natechutefoundation.org.

Open women

1. Kaili Hagen, Whitefish

2. Maria DeBari, Glacier, Wash.

3. Anna Bengston, West Glacier

4. Katy Kelly, Whitefish

5. Michele Calabreta, Whitefish

6. Lisa Slagle, Whitefish

7. Kelly West, Foley, Ala.

8. Samantha Veysey, Bellingham, Wash.

9. Heidi Farmer, Fernie

10. Rebecca Baker, Grand Rapids, Mich.

11. Erin Belmont, Hamilton

Open men

1. Hugh Black, Whitefish

2. Baylon Connolly, Kalispell

3. Austin Smith, Golden Colo.

4. Matt Sadler, Whitefish

5. Brett Bacon, Kalispell

6. Tim Amish, Hamilton

7. Kyle Cremers, Bozeman

8. Kameron Barge, Whitefish

9. Ben Newsom, Whitefish

10. Chase Matteson, Kalispell

11. Scott Alsbury, Kalispell

12. Jeffrey Heinrichs, Whitefish

13. Earl Reynolds, Whitefish

14. Markus McCrorie, Kalispell

15. Terrance Wallace, Creston

16. Dillon Sleichter, Whitefish

17. Ben Rostocki, Billings

18. Bobby Syvertson, Boone, N.C.

19. Brent Day, Whitefish

20. Chad Cremers, Bozeman

21. Dylan Parr, Whitefish

22. Jacob Prestegaard, Whitefish

23. Jesse Horst, Whitefish

24. Joel Anderson, Whitefish

25. Jonathan Kiraly, Huntington, N.Y.

26. Kyle Daugherty, Polson

27. Kyle Duty, Whitefish

28. Mac Gordon, Polson

29. Mike Brodie, Whitefish

30. Riley Johnson, Lewiston

31. Sean Robinson, Whitefish

32. Tyrel Bacon, Kalispell

Amateur women over 15

1. Zoe Vernon, Bellingham, Wash.

2. Jacqui Shaffer, Bellingham, Wash.

3. Daisy Keller, Whitefish

4. Missy Simula, Vancouver

5. Gabby Beaudin, Bellingham, Wash.

6. Emily Lewis, Kalispell

7. Calli Toth, Kalispell

8. Kelly Medler, Hood River, Ore.

9. Maureen Miller, Whitefish

10. Emilie Scollan, Whitefish

11. Kristy Overman, Whitefish

12. Melany Rostocki, Bozeman

13. Jade Sherman, Kalispell

14. Carmel Johnston. Whitefish

Old Joes over 35

1. Guy Zoellner. Coram

2. Tyrel Johnson. Columbia Falls

3. Jason Forrest, Poquoson, Va.

4. Jay Moore. Bozeman

5. Jeremiah Martin, Columbia Falls

6. Todd Farmer, Fernie, B.C.

7. Billy Drye, North Carolina

8. Augie Conkle, Whitefish

9. Rocky Kramer, Kalispell

10. Seth Axelson, Kalispell

11. Ben Croft, Missoula

12. Matthew McQuilkin, Missoula

Amateur men over 21

1. AJ Torres, Billings

2. Nathan Vanderven, Port Townsend, Wash.

3. Matt Caudle, Columbia Falls

4. Eric Kanter, Camarill, Calif.

5. Zach Farbstein, Whitefish

6. Elliot Marcille, Wilmington, N.C.

7. Willie Parriman

8. Michael Kassner, Columbia Falls

9. Rob Jones, Washington D.C.

10. Adam Rivers, Tuskaloosa, Ala.

11. Cody Guy, Whitefish

12. Logan Gregory, Seattle

13. Derek Abbott, Sun Valley, Idaho

Amateur Women 8-14

1. Marin Farmer, Fernie, B.C.

2. Peyton Ortt, Calgary, Alberta

3. Eila Ortt, Calgary, Alberta

Amateur Men 8-14

1. Mark Anderson, Whitefish

2. Daylan Axelson, Kalispell

3. Talon McCarver. Kalispell

4. Casey Conkle. Whitefish

5. Kyle Strom, Whitefish

6. Andre Strom. Whitefish