Three Gould Academy Alpine Racers Qualify for U.S. Championships

Gould student-athletes to compete against best in country in Lake Placid next week

BETHEL, Maine (March 10, 2003) - Three alpine racers from Gould Academy have qualified to compete in the U.S. National Alpine Championships in Lake Placid, N.Y., on March 17-25.

Spencer Cowin, 17, of Newry, Maine; Zeke Davisson, 17, of Bethel, Maine; and Thomson Riley, 18, of Hampton, N.H., a 2002 Gould graduate who has continued his training at Gould, earned spots in the national competition based on their performances in the USSA Eastern Region Junior Olympics in Lake Placid last week or the North American Cup and other FIS races earlier in the season.

The Gould trio next week will compete with the top U.S. racers, including U.S. Ski Team members such as Bode Miller and Daron Rahlves.

The Junior Olympics qualifying event March 3-9 included a field of 111 male competitors, ages 15-19, from throughout the region. Four athletes, including Riley and Davisson, were chosen for the national competition based on their performance at that event. Cowin earned a spot based on qualifying times achieved in speed events earlier in the season.

At the Junior Olympic event, Riley placed fifth in the Downhill race, sixth in the Super G, ninth in the Slalom and 16th in the Giant Slalom. Also, he placed second in the Combined, a result scored by adding the times for his Downhill and Slalom races. Riley's performance earned him a third place overall for the entire series.

Davisson took a silver medal in the Slalom, placed third in the Combined, 12th in the Giant Slalom and 19th in the Downhill.

Cowin finished fourth in the Downhill at the Junior Olympics competition. Earlier this year, he placed 10th in a Nor Am Cup Race at Le Massif in Quebec, competing against some of the best junior and senior racers on the continent

Founded in 1836, Gould Academy provides a traditional and innovative college preparatory education to about 220 students in grades 9-post grad, plus a limited number of eighth graders in a winter term program. Nearly half the students are from Maine, another 15 percent from throughout New England, and the remaining from other parts of the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

Long known for its competitive skiing, outstanding college preparatory curriculum, and arts, computer technology and outdoor programs, Gould's mission is to inspire young men and women to achieve high standards in their academic, artistic, and athletic pursuits; to demonstrate responsibility to the community; and to explore the natural world. For more information on Gould, go to www.gouldacademy.org.

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