JAY – Maine Ski Challenge champions were crowned last weekend at Spruce Mountain.

Participating in the winter competition were Black Mountain, Lost Valley, Mt. Abram, Saddleback and Spruce Mountain. Weekly races were held at each site with 9 divisions competing for weekly prizes. Top 3 finishers in each division advanced to Sunday’s finals.

Sponsors for the Maine Ski Challenge are Seltzer & Rydholm, Sam’s Italians and Sun Journal.

“Best of the Best” finishers Sunday received the following prizes: First place, Mountain Dew Trophy and a season pass to all 5 ski areas, and an invitation to the regional finals to be held March 29 at Loon Mountain; second place, vest from Sun Journal and a berth in the regionals; third place, wind shirt from Sam’s and a trip to the regionals.

Following were the top 3 finishers in the finals:

Girls 6-Under: 1. Olivia Grimmer, LV; 2. Gabriel Chartier, BM; 3. Christine Miller, SB.

Boys 6-Under: 1. Brian Crane, LV; 2. Ben Bath, MTA; 3. Reilly John Bolduc, MTA.

Girls 7-9: 1. Erin Kany, MA; 2. Ali Hammond, SB; 3. Natalie Bolduc, BM.

Boys 7-9: 1. Alex Rose, SP; 2. Nate Pasadora, BM; 3. Mitchell Grimmer, LV.

Girls 10-12: 1. Jillian Bolduc, LV; 2. Hope Wilson, MTA; 3. T.J. Cowin, MTA.

Boys 10-12: 1. Nate Woods, BM; 2. Jon MacKenzie, BM; 3. Brian Arsenault, BM.

Girls 13-14: 1. Lindsey Dostie, LV; 2. Victoria Tanous, LV.

Boys 13-14: 1. Justin Jacques, SP; 2. Chris Carver, LV; 3. Joey Arsenault, BM.

Girls 15-17: 1. Emily Steele, LV; 2. Nicole Bussiere, LV; 3. Krista Allen, SP.

Boys 15-17: 1. Corey Moore, BM; 2. Chalres Lake, SP; 3. Josh Marceau, SP.

Women 18-49: 1. Bekah McIntire, LV; 2. Doreen Richard, SP; 3. Sue Dostie, LV.

Men 18-49: 1. Ron Jacques, SP; 2. John Bolduc, LV; 3. Tom Hamilton, LV.

Women 50+: 1. Jeanne Sylvester, LV.

Men 50+: 1. Wil Gagnon.

Snowboard: 12-Under: 1. Peter Rodway, MA; 2. Alex Rodway, SB; 3. Tyler Buck, SP.

Snowboard 13+: 1. Josh Greenleaf, LV; 2. Mike Pelletier, BM; 3. Chris Belisle, LV.

MHS wins title

LEWISTON – A Lewiston athlete helped Maine Handicapped Skiing’s Race Team earn top honors at the Diana Golden Level One Race Series held Sunday at Mount Sunapee, N.H.

Isaac Roy, 18, of Lewiston, along with teammate Matt Bell, 22, of Big Rock, tied for the individual title in the Men’s Division. Luba Lowry, 14, of Yarmouth, captured the Women’s Division crown as MHS won the overall team trophy.

A total of 15 members of MHS competed against racers from five other adaptive winter organizations in the Northeast, including Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire. The event was sponsored by Disabled Sports/USA.

MHS race team members trained Saturdays during the winter at Sunday River Ski Resort, with expert coaching by 15 MHS volunteer ski instructors. The team, consisting of 20 athletes, competed in three Disabled Sports/USA Level I races this winter at Sunday River, Attitash Bear Peak and Mount Sunapee.

The Diana Golden Level One Race Series is the legacy of Diana Golden, a well-respected disabled skier who passed away at the age of 38.

Other members of the MHS race team are as follows: Madeline Hamilton, Tammy Steeves, Melissa Mulvey, Denise Hodge, Suzanne Manly, Steven Burns, Luke Paliocha, Maggie Wauters, Mark Shapp, Shelby Stevens, Greg Dumont, Oge Emerson, Hillary Cantwell, Sarah Rosenblatt, Andy Barlow, Austin Payne and Ellen Atkinson.

All three MHS individual winners earned a trip to The Hartford Ski Spectacular in Breckenridge, Colorado, next December. They will receive round trip air tickets and training courtesy of Disabled Sports/USA and United Airlines.

MHS is Maine’s largest adaptive recreational program for adults and children with physical disabilities. More information can be obained by contacting MHS at 8 Sundance Lane, Newry, Me. 04261, or by calling 800-639-7770, or go online at www.skimhs.org.