Who are the two local alpine ski racers competing in a state championship this weekend?

CHAMPION ― Aspen Smith, of Confluence, and Olivia Nichols, of Rockwood, are both 12 years old and have been downhill skiing on Somerset County’s snow-covered slopes since they were just toddlers.

This weekend, these two local athletes are among 85 youth from across the state, in ages 12 and 13, who will compete at the Pennsylvania Alpine Racing Association’s (PARA) U14 State Championships at Seven Springs Mountain Resort.

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The Western Pennsylvania Race Club (WPRC), based at Seven Springs, is hosting the state championships on Saturday and Sunday.

Smith and Nichols belong to the WPRC Ski Team, and both are competing in the slalom and giant slalom events at the state championships. Both girls are aiming for a high finish in their races and for the opportunity to move on to the regional competition at Lake Placid, New York.

“These athletes have grown up in the program and are starting to shine as a ski racer,” said Ben Roth, one of the WPRC's U14 coaches, in an email to the Daily American. “Both of them are hard workers and are always willing to put in the effort during practice. They have that desire to learn and improve their skills on the slopes.”

Nicole Stockey, another WPRC U14 coach, said that the coaches are looking forward to seeing the girls’ hard work this season pay off at the state championships.

“Both young ladies qualified for the state team in the past and have only been getting faster,” she wrote in an email. “Both Aspen and Olivia are committed to improving their technique, and as a result, continue to get better with every training session. It's really rewarding to see how their dedication has paid off this year.”

Aspen Smith

Smith said she’s “really excited” to compete at this year’s state championships on her home course at Seven Springs. She competed in states the last two years in the U12 division and finished in the top 10 last year.

This year, Smith hopes to make the top 10 again and even reach the top 5, then go on to compete at regionals.

She said she likes the technical part of alpine skiing the most, and while giant slalom has been her favorite event in the past, she’s grown to appreciate the technical aspects of the slalom this year.

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“I like carving turns and using the energy through the turns, and studying the course,” Smith said.

“Slalom is more technical and it’s a faster course, with more gates and technical features. I’ve been liking slalom a lot this year. I’ve been more technically minded, and I like the giant slalom with carving turns,” she said.

Smith is the daughter of Andy and Erica Smith, of Confluence. Her father works on the ski patrol at Seven Springs, where Aspen started to ski at just 2 years old.

The Smiths have visited several well-known alpine courses across the country over the years, but Aspen said her favorite is still the Avalanche at Seven Springs.

“You get to generate a lot of speed, and it’s a pretty cool hill,” she said.

Smith is also a competitive mountain biker and enjoys kayaking when she’s not on the ski slopes.

Olivia Nichols

Nichols was born into a skiing family, so it’s not surprising to learn she started on the slopes when she was 1-1/2 years old. Her parents, John Nichols and Michele Meucci, of Rockwood, are skiers, as are their extended families. Meucci is also a ski coach.

“Both of us come from a skiing family,” Meucci said about her and her husband’s history with the sport.

“We took her ... and she ended up loving it. I don’t know what we would’ve done if she didn’t like it,” she said with a laugh.

Olivia Nichols said she enjoys skiing because “I like being able to go ski with my friends, go fast downhill, and it’s fun.”

She has also competed at states twice before in the U12 division, but this is her first year in U14. Nichols said her goal for the state championships is to finish in the top 3, or at least the top 10 overall.

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This season, Nichols said she’s been working on gate training and keeping a good mindset before a race.

“I’m working on getting a high line to the gate and a tight line (close to the gate),” she said. As for the good mindset, she tells herself, “Don’t worry about the results, just go fast and don’t miss a gate.”

Nichols likes the slalom event the most, but it’s also the most challenging, she said.

“I like to hit the gates,” Nichols said about the slalom. “It’s harder because you have to go on and off the ski edge quickly, and there’s a lot more turns. The slalom turns are a lot closer than (on) the giant slalom.”

Nichols and her parents have also skied at several resorts around the country, but her favorite place to ski is still the one she knows the best.

“Seven Springs, it’s where I ski the most and I’m the most familiar with the terrain there,” she said.

Nichols also enjoys playing golf and softball when she’s not skiing.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Two area youths competing in Pennsylvania Alpine Racing Association state championships