Five Telluride Ski and Snowboard Club alpine team members traveled to Winter Park’s J3 Qualifier race last weekend to take a shot at winning coveted starts at next month’s J3 (ages 13-14) Junior Olympic event. A whopping four of the five returned home having qualified for the end-of-season championship event.

TSSC athletes Victor Major, Morgan Pihl, Josephine Bush, and Mitch Irwin all secured invitations to the Junior Olympic race, which will be held in Aspen, March 11-17.

“It was an outstanding effort by these kids,” praised head TSSC alpine coach Mike Bowman. “They have really helped to raise the bar of our program at the younger level.”

Finishes hovering near the top of the field helped the Telluride racers secure spots on the start list at the J3 Junior Olympics, regarded as the apex of the winter race season. 

Major nipped at the top five with two sixth place finishes, while teammate Irwin placed consistently in the top ten. Pihl landed near the top of the pack in 14th and 15th, while Bush nailed back-to-back finishes in the top twenty.

“Four of five racers qualifying for JOs from our team is exceptional,” Bowman said.

The racers will travel to Aspen next month for the weeklong Junior Olympic showdown, which includes six days of Downhill, Super G, Giant Slalom, and Slalom competition.