Lake Placid’s Aidan Fay led the way with a sixth place finish in a field of 47 skiers. Fay completed the 7.5-kilometer course — three laps on the Mount Van Hoevenberg course — in a time of 20 minutes, 47 seconds. Fay said it felt weird to compete in the state championship on his home course.

“I’m used to a (bad) night of hotel sleep before a race like this,” he said. “But last night I got to sleep in my own bed, which was nice, and I think it definitely helped me with the race today.”

Racing in relatively warm conditions, Queensbury’s Ben Jenkins claimed the boys individual competition with a finish time of 18:53. Glens Falls’ Forrest Slingerland (19:00) was second overall and Guilderland’s Landon Kinal (20:25) was third.

“Today it got a lot a little choppier,” Fay said. “The big hill after the big U-turn in the woods was pretty chopped up. The third lap, I felt like I was going to die. The downhills weren’t as bad as I thought. I only dodged one crash against, like, five the last time I raced in a big race here.”

Lake Placid’s Aidan Fay competes in Monday’s NYSPHSAA Skiing championships 7.5K Nordic skate race at Mount Van Hoevenberg. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Saranac Lake’s Owen Keal and Lake Placid’s Colin Francis finished inside the top 10. Keal placed eighth in 20:52 while Francis was ninth in 21:02.

The Red Storm’s Mason Stoddard (21:55) was 17th. Stoddard was followed by his teammates Ebin Meissner (22:59) in 24th, Liam Stoddard (23:23) in 27th, Alex Evans (23:34) in 28th and Max Hall (24:17) in 34th.

On the girls side, Saranac Lake’s Tyler Burth was Section VII’s top skier, placing 10th overall in 24:17.

“I think (the race) went well,” Burth said. “It was hard, but it was a good hard. I pushed through and go it done.”

Adirondack’s Cora Hinsdill was the girls overall winner, finishing the course in 21:36. Sutherland’s Gabrielle Spyra (22:49) was second and Honeoye Falls-Lima’s Jenna Lawrence (23:20) was third.

Saranac Lake’s Tyler Burth skis in Monday’s NYSPHSAA Skiing championships 7.5K Nordic skate race at Mount Van Hoevenberg. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Lake Placid’s Maya Garrison had a solid race, placing 11th in 24:30. The Blue Bombers’ Holly Erenstone followed behind in 14th place at 25:36.

The Red Storm was rounded out by Cadence Kennedy (25:41) in 15th, Kaylee Holmes (26:27) in 20th and Pepper Laxon (27:28) in 30th.

The third of Lake Placid’s trio, Harley Cohen, finished 35th with a time of 28:04. Keene’s Pia Morrelli (28:50) and Zarela Gulli (28:52) placed 37th and 38th, respectively.

The NYSPHSAA Nordic championships continue today with the 3×3 team relay starting at 10 a.m. at Mount Van Hoevenberg.

“(Today) is all about the team and we’re so close,” Burth said. “We are in contetion to do really well. It’s going to be quick and it’s going to be all of us together as Section VII — Lake Placid, Keene and Saranac Lake — it’s going to be really fun and I think the energy is going to be electric.”

Lake Placid’s Harley Cohen skis in Monday’s NYSPHSAA Skiing championships 7.5K Nordic skate race at Mount Van Hoevenberg. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Burth, Kennedy and Holmes will represent Saranac Lake in the team relay. Garrison, Cohen and Erenstone will compete for the Section VII-A team, while the Section VII-B team will consist of Morrelli, Gulli and Laxson. There will be 16 girls teams competing today.

On the boys side, Mason Stoddard, Keal and Kollmer will compete for the Red Storm. Section VII-A will consist of Fay, Meissner and Francis, and Liam Stoddard, Hall and Evans will compete for Section VII-B.

“It’s only 2.5K — one lap instead of three — so I’m just going to give it everything,” Fay said. “Obviously save for that hill and play it smart. Pretty much whatever I have left from today — I don’t have much — but whatever it is, I’m going to put it out there and give it my best shot.”

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Alpine

Keene’s Zarela Gulli nears the finish line of Monday’s NYSPHSAA Skiing championships 7.5K Nordic skate race at Mount Van Hoevenberg. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

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Alpine skiers from Saranac Lake and Lake Placid competed at Whiteface Mountain on Monday in the two run Giant slalom event on the first day of the state Alpine championships.

Saranac Lake’s Lukas Miemis was the top local skier, placing 21st in the boys race with a two-run time of 1:59.07. The Red Storm’s Ian Munson placed 44th in 2:24.21.

Queensbury’s Hudson Montgomery was the overall win of the boys race with a two-run time of 1:46.44. Broadalbin-Perth’s Colin Cotter placed second in 1:46:54 and Webster Schroeder’s Blake Preston was third in 1:48.24.

On the girls side, Saranac Lake’s Zoe Carpenter had the top time among local skiers with a 23rd place finish in 2:04.64. The Red Storm’s Lauryn Caldwell (2:19.54) was 44th, Jovie Schenk (3:13.90) earned 52nd and Kasey Clark (3:37.24) placed 53rd. Lake Placid’s lone skier, Isabella Morganson, finished in 51st with a two-run time of 2:34.74

Shaker’s Ava Bachta won the girls race in 1:52.31. South Glens Falls’ Shayla Byrne (1:53.24) was seccond and Saratoga’s Klaudie Berry (1:54.54) was third.

The NYSPHSAA Alpine championships will also continue today with the slalom race starting at 9:30 a.m. at Whiteface Mountain.