EMERSON ACTION RACES AT THE USSA SERIES THE FIRST WEEKEND IN MARCH. SHE PLACED 10TH IN HER DIVISION. The Yosemite Ski Team entered 17 racers ages 7 to 14 who competed on Saturday and Sunday, March 6 and 7 in the USSA/Far West Central Series.

The Sierra Summit 2010 SG/GS race was held at Sierra Summit Mountain Resort near Huntington Lake. Over 100 young racers participated. Their ski teams are based at Dodge Ridge, Bear Valley, Badger Pass and Sierra Summit ski areas in California. The Yosemite Ski Team, based at Badger Pass in Yosemite National Park, has racers from Yosemite Valley, El Portal, Ahwahnee, San Jose, and surrounding areas.

Yosemite Ski Team members who competed were Emerson Action, Blake Action, Eliza Amstutz, Natalie Armon, Ryan Armon, Charles Bales, Cameron Moore, Jack Kari, Leo Kari, Liam McMichael, David Medema, Emma Shields, Meghan Shields, Jacob Young, Caleb Young, Brittany Young, and Jackson Wright. The team won 11 top ten awards.

EL PORTAL’S LEO KARI TOOK FIRST PLACE AT THE USSA/FAR WEST CENTRAL SERIES SKI RACE. Caleb Young of San Jose and Blake Action of Ahwahnee took it to the limit of the cutting edge, ending their races with spectacular crashes (with no serious injuries) on Sunday.

The racing categories are grouped by age: J6 includes 6, 7 and 8-year-olds, J5 includes 9 and 10-year-olds, J4 includes 11 and 12-year-olds, J3 includes 13 and 14-year-olds.

The team is coached by Tom Medema, Rick Young, Lee Tarnay and Kelly Martin.

Race results are as follows:

March 6: 10th place, Emerson Action; ninth place, Meghan Shields; first place Leo Kari; seventh place, Jack Kari; fourth place, Jacob Young; fifth place Caleb Young; second place, David Medema.

March 7: ninth place Meghan Shields; second place, Leo Kari; second place, Jacob Young; second place, David Medema.

The team is gearing up for the big local race with over 100 young ski racers from around the central Sierra on Saturday, March 20 and Sunday, March 21 as they compete in the historic Silver Ski Slalom Race at Badger Pass.