Kinoka Minakata on the top tier of the podium for Under-12 girls at the Rumney Memorial in Marquette. (Photo courtesy of the Copper Country Snowsports Club)

The Copper Country Snowsports Club, presented by UPWard Coffee & Orthodontics of Houghton, had a great weekend of racing at the Rumney Memorial Race in Marquette and Keweenaw Cup at Mont Ripley on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. Racing on somewhat unusual back-to-back days of blue bird conditions in the U.P., the CCSC took the opportunity in stride and racked up 14 podium finishes over the weekend including impressive wins in both disciplines by Kinoka Minakata and Laura Lucak.

At the Rumney Memorial Race, CCSC athletes were led by two dominating first-place finishes by Minakata in both Slalom (SL) and Giant Slalom (GS) in the Under-12 girls age group. In the Under-8 boys, Asher Bradfish put in a consistent day and got third place in both SL and GS. Ian Klein also had a great day taking third place in SL, in a packed field of Under-14 boys.

At the Keweenaw Cup, Lucak dominated the Under-18 girls age group with first place finishes in both SL and GS. Also taking wins were Minakata in the GS Under-12 girls, Corinne Rubin in the GS Under-16 girls, and Bradfish in the GS Under-8 boys, along with a second place in SL.

Making the podium from the CCSC were Maggie Klein in third place in the SL Under-16 girls, Ezra Bradfish took third in the GS Under-10 boys, Ian Klein took third in the SL Under-14 boys, and Brady Rubin placed third in the GS Under-18 boys.

The Copper Country Snowsports Club is proudly sponsored by Down Wind Sports, The Compound, Superior Block, Warm Rain, Superior National Bank, American Forest Management, Industrial Graphics and UP Health.

Up next for the team is the King of The Mountain at Mount Zion in Ironwood on Feb. 28.

Copper Country Snowsports Club skier Brady Rubin lets it run on a fast change between gates at the Keweenaw Cup Mont Ripley in Ripley. (Photo courtesy of Studio 13)