Dezzani and Dye headed to junior nationals
Kendall Dye, coach Olivia Skilings and Findley Dezzani in Sun Valley last weekend. (Photo by Kurt Schram)
Glacier Nordic Club athletes, 13-year-old Kendall Dye from Whitefish and 17-year-old Findley Dezzani from Columbia Falls, qualified for the 2025 Junior Nationals after racing last week in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Dezzani and Dye will head to Soldier Hollow near Park City, Utah, on March 7 with coach Olivia Skillings for 10 days of training and racing with the top juniors in the country.
“Both of these athletes have worked hard all season and consistently raced well,” wrote Skillings in a race report. “Everyone on this team has put in an incredible amount of effort and is so talented. There were so many other amazing moments of camaraderie, friendship, hard work and dedication.”
Dye and Dezzani need to raise $6,500, combined, to pay for their travel and lodging to Junior Nationals. They are fundraising for their trip together and with the community’s help they can focus on their races and not the expense.
People can support at https://gofund.me/9c85502d
“Qualifying for Junior Nationals is a major achievement,” Skillings said. “Kendall and Fin will represent the Inter Mountain Division in Park City — let’s all be sure to cheer them on. Thanks to all the awesome coaches, parents and friends for cheering on the team all season long.”
Sun Valley delivered blue skies and sunshine for Saturday’s classic sprint. On the girls’ side, Dezzani had a strong showing, finishing 12th after racing through three heat rounds. Dye came in 11th, despite a bit of a tussle in the start during her third heat. Sylvia Blair returned from being sick, raced a solid qualifier and ended the day in 37th.
Sunday brought an exciting mass start skate race.
Dezzani raced smart and finished sixth after making a decisive move on the uphill. Dye and Blair, U16, stayed strong through their longest race of the season to finish in seventh and 30th, respectively.
Other GNC athletes performed well in Sun Valley, their fourth and final Junior National Qualifier event.
GNC U14 girls also raced hard, with Marin Gignoux finishing sixth, Addie Nerdig eighth and Noelle Svennungsen 19th. The U16 boys, looking fast, finished close together, with Euell Browne in 40th, Peter Schram 44th, and Boden Dezzani 48th.
The U14 girls were fast and furious race, with Gignoux finishing seventh, Nerdig eighth and Svennungsen having her best race of the season in 17th.
The U16 boys gave it their all, with Euell finishing 39th, Schram 47th, and Boden Dezzani 51st, capped off by a sprint battle at the end.