Soldotna’s Sonja Saleva climbs a hill at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Nordic ski championships Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020 at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna’s Sonja Saleva climbs a hill at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Nordic ski championships Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020 at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi relay ski squad takes borough title

The Soldotna relay team of Quinn Cox, Cameron Blackwell, Erika Arthur and Bradley Walters won the Kenai Peninsula Borough Nordic ski championships at Tsalteshi Trails on Saturday.

On a sunny day with snow hanging in the trees, two boys and two girls made up each relay team. The relay was two 2.5-kilometer classic legs, followed by two 2.5-kilometer skate legs.

The teams travel to the state meet Thursday through Saturday at Kincaid Park in Anchorage.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

“It was a quick, intense hit,” said Kenai’s Tyler Hippchen, who was on the relay team that finished third. “It was really fun. It was a chance to rev your motor and get everyone fired up before going to state.”

The top relay team finished in 27 minutes, 29 seconds, while the SoHi team of Jordan Ruffner, Jack Harris, Katie Delker and Ryder Geisler was next at 28:23 and Kenai’s Josh Foster, Jayna Boonstra, Julia Anderson and Hippchen were third at 28:43.

The relay legs were used to figure out a number of other borough awards. The Soldotna boys took the team award, while the Kenai boys were second. For the girls, Soldotna was first and Homer was second.

The top boys skate leg was turned in by Walters at 5:41, while Hippchen was next at 6:04. Homer’s Autumn Daigle had the top girls skate leg at 7:01, while SoHi’s Katie Delker was next at 7:06.

The top boys classic leg went to SoHi’s Quinn Cox at 6:32, while SoHi’s Jack Harris was next at 6:41. Homer’s Brita Restad had the top girls classic leg at 7:45, while Kenai’s Jayna Boonstra was next at 7:50.

Cox led off the winning relay and tagged Blackwell in the lead. Blackwell knew Boonstra was coming for her.

“I felt like this was one of my better races,” Blackwell said. “I’m better at short distances.

“I definitely expected to get passed, but I was happy to keep the lead for my team.”

Blackwell also likes the added pressure of skiing for a relay team.

“That’s one of the reasons I like doing this,” she said. “It’s fun to incorporate the team aspect of things.”

Arthur skied the third leg. She was worried about Delker catching her. While the classic leg had just one major hill, the skate leg had three major hills.

“I do well at hills, I just don’t like them,” Arthur said.

Arthur gave Walters a big cushion to work with, but he still pushed hard enough for the skate win.

“I just wanted to have fun and not take it too seriously,” Walters said. “I still wanted to do good enough that I felt I raced well.”

Like many seniors, Walters was racing at Tsalteshi for the last time.

“It’s been a fun four years,” he said.

Hippchen also gave credit to the groomers for packing down the recent snow.

“It was a lot faster than it’s been,” he said.

Kenai Peninsula Borough Ski Meet

Saturday at Tsalteshi Trails

Top 10 relay teams

1. Soldotna (Cox, Blackwell, Arthur, Walters), 27 minutes, 29 seconds; 2. Soldotna (Ruffner, Harris, Delker, Geisler), 28:23; 3. Kenai (Foster, Boonstra, Anderson, Hippchen), 28:43; 4. Soldotna (Grinestaff, Strausbaugh, Dement, Boze), 30:18; 5. Kenai (Sorensen, Foster, Danielson, Haakenson), 30:35; 6. Kenai (Caranza, Hall, Tews, Grzybowski), 30:39; 7. Homer (McDounough, Stonorov, Briscoe, Daigle), 30:51; 8. Soldotna (Strom, Reese, Boots, Saleva), 32:23; 9. Mixed (Restad, Mueller, Cline, Brennan), 33:01; 10. Seward (Peterson, Walker, Bryden, Hankins), 33:44.

Soldotna’s Erika Arthur cruises down a hill at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Nordic ski championships Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna’s Erika Arthur cruises down a hill at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Nordic ski championships Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Homer’s Autumn Daigle climbs a hill at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Nordic ski championships Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Homer’s Autumn Daigle climbs a hill at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Nordic ski championships Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna’s David Grinestaff tags Jordan Strausbaugh in the relay zone at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Nordic Ski championships Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna’s David Grinestaff tags Jordan Strausbaugh in the relay zone at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Nordic Ski championships Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai’s Mathew Grybowski and Nathan Haakenson climb a hill at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Nordic ski championships Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai’s Mathew Grybowski and Nathan Haakenson climb a hill at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Nordic ski championships Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

More in Sports

Nick Varney
Reeling ‘Em In: Hard luck at the fishing hole

The action wasn’t as hot as in the past, but neither was the run.

Seward's Fred Moore stands at the base of Mount Marathon in Seward, Alaska, on Monday, June 24, 2019. Moore will run in his 50th consecutive Mount Marathon race on July 4. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
‘It’s been a good run’

Seward’s Moore explains his decision to end his Mount Marathon streak at 54

Matthew Schilling of the American Legion Post 20 Twins slides safely past Eagle River catcher Jack Mullen on Monday, July 7, 2025, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Monday: Twins keep rolling with sweep of Eagle River

The American Legion Post 20 Twins swept Eagle River on Monday at… Continue reading

Sharon Tyone, Dan Aaronson and Jessica Small make the "real life slot machine" work at the Oilers All-Star Family Field Day on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Oilers return to field for All-Star Family Field Day

It was only for a day, but the Peninsula Oilers were able… Continue reading

David Norris, 34, of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, wins the men's race at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Norris goes 6 for 6 in Mount Marathon men’s race; Moore’s streak ends at 54 races

One streak lived while another streak ended during a brilliantly sunny men’s… Continue reading

Anchorage's Klaire Rhodes, 27, wins the women's race at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Anchorage’s Rhodes defends women’s Mount Marathon crown

With Seward stuffed with people for 97th running of the Mount Marathon… Continue reading

The juniors start at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Anchorage’s Zuber, Flagstad capture junior Mount Marathon races

Kenai’s Boonstra takes 2nd in junior girls race

tease
Thursday: Twins finish strong road trip by sweeping South

The visiting American Legion Post 20 Twins picked up 10-0 and 18-5… Continue reading

Nick Varney
Reeling ‘Em In: Fair weather expected for 4th of July weekend

Keep a heads-up approach when in traffic during the holiday — you don’t know who you’ll run into.

tease
Post 20 Twins enact mercy rule on Eagle River

The visiting American Legion Post 20 Twins defeated Eagle River 11-0 in… Continue reading

tease
Tri Nikiski draws 79 participants

The ninth annual Tri Nikiski was held Saturday starting from the Nikiski… Continue reading

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in