It was a family affair at this year’s New Jersey Interscholastic Ski Racing Association Race of Champions, as Delbarton’s Curt Friedrich won the boys division with a combined time of 3:07.47 to unseat last year’s champion and older brother Louis Friedrich at Blue Mountain Resort in Palmerton, Pa.
Curt Friedrich came into the race as the 17 seed but closed as number one in the slalom with a time of 1:04.48. He also tallied a second-place finish in the giant slalom with a 2:02.99.
Despite being unable to mark back-to-back championships, Louis Friedrich came in third place by just four-thousandths of a second as he finished with a time of 3:09.44. The elder Friedrich also recorded a second-place finish in the slalom with a time of 1:05.26.
Ridgewood’s Jacob Marcovici closed in second place with a time of 3:09.40 while also tallying a first-place finish in the giant slalom with a 2:01.33.
On the girls’ side, Vernon’s Gabi Tavares lived up to her billing as the top seed as she captured first prize with a time of 3:16.06. She also recorded a first-place finish in the giant slalom in 2:06.87, along with second place in the slalom with a 1:09.19.
Pingry’s Helen Pols came in first place in the slalom in 1:08.23.
RESULTS
BOYS
Curt Friedrich (center), Jacob Marcovici (right), and Louis Friedrich (left) celebrate their titles.Kay Lister
Overall
1-Curt Friedrich, Delbarton, 3:07.47
2-Jacob Marcovici, Ridgewood, 3:09.40
3-Louis Friedrich, Delbarton, 3:09.44
Giant Slalom
1-Jacob Marcovici, Ridgewood, 2:01.33
2-Curt Friedrich, Delbarton, 2:02.99
3-Dylan Jay, Pingry, 2:03.65
Men’s Slalom
1-Curt Friedrich, Delbarton, 1:04.48
2-Louis Friedrich, Delbarton, 1:05.26
3-Parker Junger, Pingry, 1:05.34
GIRLS
Gabi Tavares (center), Kelsey Callahan (left), and Samantha Cho (right) celebrate their titles.Kay Lister
Overall
1-Gabi Tavares, Vernon, 3:16.06
2-Kelsey Callahan, Vernon, 3:21.73
3-Samantha Cho, Tenafly, 3:22.96
Giant Slalom
1-Gabi Tavares, Vernon, 2:06.87
2-Sydney Josif, Tenafly, 2:08.88
3-Kelsey Callahan, Vernon, 2:11.26
Slalom
1-Helen Pols, Pingry, 1:08.23
2-Gabi Tavares, Vernon, 1:09.19
3-Samantha Cho, Tenafly, 1:09.62
The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook |Instagram | X (formerly Twitter)
Craig Epstein may be reached at cepstein@njadvancemedia.com.