Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club cross country athletes wrapped up a successful weekend at the final Rocky Mountain Nordic Division races in Crested Butte on February 15-16, earning 11 podium finishes in U16/U18/U20 men’s and women’s races. The event included a classic sprint race on Saturday and an interval start skate race on Sunday, both of which served as qualifiers for the 2025 U.S. Cross Country Junior National Championships. Sixteen SSWSC cross country ski athletes qualified for Junior Nationals based on the four best performances from the season’s eight races. SSWSC Cross Country Team also took top honors in the Colorado Cup seasonal points competition. This honor goes to the Rocky Mountain Division’s top-scoring Club/Team.

U16 athlete Georgia Bishop led the weekend’s performances, winning both the women’s classic sprint and the 5K skate race. Twins Maia and Sophia McGinnis-Smith also posted strong results for the U16 women, with Maia finishing second in the classic sprint by half a boot length and fifth in the skate race, and Sophia placing fourth in the classic sprint and third in the skate race. Bode Rhodes earned two third-place finishes, securing spots on the U16 men’s podium in both the classic sprint and the 5K skate race.

In the U18 category, Campbell McLaren nearly matched Bishop’s double win and took first in the men’s classic sprint and second in the 10K skate race despite breaking two poles during the skate race. Teammate Tig Loomis won the U18 women’s classic sprint in a close finish and placed fifth in the 10K skate race. Anna Rhodes finished second in the women’s 10K skate race and fifth in the classic sprint. Tristan Thrasher also earned a podium spot, placing second in the U18 men’s classic sprint and sixth in the 10K skate race.

Beatrice Bishop captured two third-place finishes in the U14 female races. Forrest Bishop had two strong race efforts and finished third and fifth, respectively in the U12 male division. Up-and-comer Simi Smullin won the U8 races on both days and Nico Romero-Heaney was third!

SSWSC Top Finishers in Crested Butte Rocky Mountain Nordic JNQ -  FULL RESULTS

SPRINT Finals SSWSC Podiums - Saturday, February 15
U18/U20 Men’s - Classic Sprint Finals
1st Cambell McLaren
2nd Tristan Thrasher

U18/U20 Women’s - Classic Sprint Finals
1st Antigone Loomis

U16 Men’s - Classic Sprint Finals
3rd Bode Rhodes

U16 Women’s - Classic Sprint Finals
1st Georgia Bishop
2nd Maia McGinnis-Smith

TOP 10 SSWSC Skate Race - Sunday, February 16
U18/U20 Men’s - Skate 10K
2nd Campbell McLaren
6th Tristan Thrasher

U18/U20 Women’s - Skate 10K
2nd Anna Rhodes
5th Antigone Loomis

U16 Men’s - Skate 5K
3rd Bode Rhodes
4th Sawyer Landers
6th Conor Devin
9th Henry Patten
10th Jackson McLaren

U16 Women’s - Skate 5K
1st Georgia Bishop
3rd Sophia McGinnis Smith
5th Maia McGinnis Smith

The 2025 U.S. Cross Country Junior National Championships will be held at the 2002 Olympic Venue at Soldier Hollow in Midway, UT March 10-15, 2025. Four events will decide the nation’s best junior cross country ski athletes.

2025 U.S. Cross Country Ski Junior National Qualifiers from SSWSC:
Campbell McLaren (U18M)
Tristan Thrasher (U18M)
Tig Loomis (U18F)
Anna Rhodes (U18F)
Eva Minotto (U18F)
Grace Olexa (U20F)
Davis Brosterhous (U18F)
Georgia Bishop (U16F)
Maia McGinnis-Smith (U16F)
Sophia McGinnis-Smith (U16F)
Maren Sachs (U16F)
Bode Rhodes (U16M)
Sawyer Landers (U16M)
Henry Patten (U16M)
Conor Devin (U16M)
Jackson McLaren (U16M)

Photos
U16 Women’s Sprint, Anya McGinnis-Smith
U16 Men’s Sprint, Anya McGinnis-Smith
U18/U20 Women’s Sprint, Artemis Hamrick
U18/U20 Men’s Sprint, Artemis Hamrick
Leah Miller at the start.
Snowy race
Campbell McLaren