2025 Sugar Mountain Adult Race League (SMARL) Gets Rolling for Their 19th Season

The Monday night SMARL races are back. After a brutal start to the race season last Monday night where the weather was off the charts with wind, snow and low visibility that ultimately knock the timing system out, the racers were back on Sugar Mountain for a perfect weather night and the first week of timing scores.

This is the 19th season of Sugar Mountain Adult Race League (SMARL) that started back in 2006. The local ski shop Ski Country Sports teamed up with Sugar Mountain Resort to bring a racing opportunity to local adults on a Monday night. All levels of skiing and snowboarding abilities are welcome. At the conclusion of the races, attendees gather at the Sugar Mountain bar for refreshments and a chance to hang out with fellow racers.

The racing league is in the same format as it has been in years past. Each team consists of six to eight people, and the top four fastest times down the slopes qualify toward each team’s point total. Each skier and snowboarder get two runs down the slope, and their fastest time is the one that is counted. Points are added up after each night to determine a league champion at the conclusion of the racing season. Racers compete for six weeks for some great prizes and bragging rights at the end.

Matt Leonard of Ski Country Sports said of last night’s races, “Great night, good turnout and a bit of a challenging course that I think everyone enjoyed competing on. Conditions were great!” The Sugar Mountain race course crew had everything running smoothly with everything moving right along on time. Leonard added, “Sean McKee and his crew volunteer their time for our races and it’s just great how well they make the experience for us.” Following the race Leonard said there was a big crowd in the bar for food and drinks.

Racers will be back next Monday night for week three. High Country Press will be posting racing times on Tuesday throughout the season.

FIRST TRACKS: Elizabeth Strickla, Jordan Welchesky, Dylan Dicicco, Steven Kaiser and Mike Novachek
BANNER ELK CAFE: Les Broussard, Candy Broussard, Bobby Roland, Erik Sandstedy, Beth Goods and Brian Webb
THE LODGE: Alex Broussard, Matthew Herdklot, John Cogdill, Sean Pepin, Adam Thompson, Chance Markland and Erich Schmidinger
GOOD OLE BOYS: Mark Silcott, Steve Auffinger, Ralph Polattie, Jeremy Brown, Nolan Hancock, Daniel Yackley, Daniel Lozano and Gregory Gilger
SKI SUGAR: Gunther Jochl, Sean McKee, Wesly Aldridge, John Pennypacker, Ian Oliver, Erich Schmidinger and Andrew Jochl
SKI COUNTRY SPORTS: Carrie Smithey, Billy Leonard, Caila Leonard, Will Spradling, Chris Leonard, and Matt Leonard

TEAM STANDINGS AFTER JAN. 13 RACES

Ski Teams

Team Sugar 17

Ski Country 17

Banner Elk Café 14

Good Ole Boys 14

Snowboard Teams

Tavern 15

First Tracks 9

INDIVIDUAL RACE RESULTS FOR JAN. 13th