9th ANNUAL PETER WESTRA SPRINTS

SPA hosted the 9th annual Peter Westra Sprints at Trollhaugen Friday evening. The annual event in the memory of Peter Westra, SPA Class of ‘95, was a huge success with a record 198 skiers from Anoka, Henry Sibley, St. Paul Central, Mahtomedi, Forest Lake, Minnehaha Academy, White Bear Lake, Mounds Park Academy and St. Paul Academy competing in both girls and boys divisions. The starter was Rachel Daw Elvester, 4-time Minnesota State Nordic Ski Racing champion! It was a magical setting under the lights with a light snow fall.

This popular season opener included a great 1.1 K sprint course with three hairpin turns that was very spectator friendly, bonfires, warm drinks, granola bars, trail mix, race rolls and giant cookie prizes from Bonnie Alton’s Great Harvest Bakery in St. Paul for the top 8 boys, top 8 girls and gold heat winners, and a prize table for winners and coaches! Many thanks to Peter's family and friends, Trollhaugen, GU Energy and SPA for sponsoring and producing this great event! Peter started Kindergarten in WBL, moved to Dellwood and attended Mahtomedi 2nd through 5th grades; attended MPA 6th - 8th grades; and then graduated from SPA in 1995! Peter attended four of the nine schools represented in the Sprints. Cool!

Girls Sprints Winners:

1st Rocci Wohlk – Forest Lake

2nd Kristen Bourne – Mounds Park Academy

3rd Kayla Billott - Anoka

4th Alison Terness – White Bear Lake

5th Ellie Hands - Mounds Park Academy

6th Ellen McCarthy – St. Paul Academy

7th Kate Schaaf – Forest Lake

8th Annie Asp – Anoka

Boys Sprints Winners:                                        

1st Luke Brown – Minnehaha Academy

2nd Chris Holken - Anoka

3rd Nick Gardner - Mounds Park Academy

4th Davis Long – Forest Lake

5th Jake Jankowski – Forest Lake

6th Drew Campbell - Mahtomedi

7th Logan Brueck – Central

8th Tommy Babcock – Forest Lake