SKI BENEFIT -- Mother Nature was no match against the skill and determination of participants at the third-annual “24 Hours of Schweitzer” ski relay, which featured stellar performances, new records and even a marriage proposal.

Details just released indicate 120 skiers and snowboarders raised $90,000 for cystinosis research inspired by 4-year-old Hank Sturgis of Sandpoint. That's just one of the records set at the annual downhill marathon event.

Read on for details about some heroic performances on the snow.

Skiers, telemarkers and snowboarders ranging in age from four to 69 raised pledges before hitting the slopes to see how many runs they could ski or board in 24 hours straight,.

Participants rallied all day and through the night to log 9,561 runs, or nearly 10,247,310 vertical feet, with help from Schweitzer crews and event volunteers who worked around the clock. 

Two-time defending champion Matt Gillis of Sandpoint set another record, skiing 202 runs or 201,582 vertical feet in 24 hours straight and beating last year’s performance by six runs.  He also individually raised more than $16,000 in pledges, earning honors as the event’s top fundraiser.

In a close match-up for second and third place were Eric Jensen of Sandpoint, who completed 195 runs as a solo participant, and Koy Hoover of Big Sky, Montana, who set an event record for telemark skiing with 194 runs.

“24 Hours of Schweitzer” benefits 24 Hours for Hank, a local nonprofit foundation established to help find a cure for this extremely rare, genetic diseasethat eventually destroys the organs in the body including the kidneys, liver, eyes, muscles and brain.  To date, the foundation has raised more than $300,000 toward cystinosis research in just two-and-a-half years.

Highlights and Award Winners from this year’s event include:

Number of skiers/boarders who participated: 120, ages 4 to 69

Number of teams: 30

Number of solo participants: 18

Total number of runs completed: 9,561

Total vertical feet covered: 10,247,310

Total dollars raised (through skiathon and auction): $90,000and counting

Category winners:

·         Solo: 

o        First Place: Matt Gillis, of Sandpoint, who completed 202 runs, or 201,582 vertical feet (new record)

o        Second Place: Eric Jensenof Sandpoint, who completed 195 runs, or 194,395 vertical feet

o        Third Place: Koy Hooverof Big Sky, Montana, who completed 194 runs, or 194,274 vertical feet (record for telemark skier)

 

·         Three-person team:

o        First Place:  Team Blue Eyed Bombers, which completed 541 runs.  Team members included Korah Quinn, Angie Quinn and Suzanne Pattinson of Sandpoint.

o        Second Place:  Team Fill the Bank for Hank, which completed 475 runs.  Team members included Jen Forsyth, Kim Loosemore and Parker Nathane of Sandpoint.

o        Third Place:  Team Velocity, which completed 419 runs.  Team members included Cody Flavel, Richard Deblaquiere and Davon Sjostrom of Sandpoint.

·         Four-person team:

o        First Place: Team The Wolf Pack, which completed 441 runs.  Team members included Jeremy Deming, Mary Dickson, Christine Greene and Hannah Palmer of Coeur d’ Alene.

o        Second Place: Team Lund-Ski, which completed 435 runs. Team members included Paula Lund, Peik Lund, Finan Lund and Kjetil Lund of Sandpoint.

o        Third Place: Team Fiji, which completed 353 runs.  Team members included Max Reinhardt, Taylor Konewko, Mikey Ruane and Chris Coupe from Moscow.

Top fundraiser: Matt Gillis of Sandpoint, who raised more than $16,000 in pledges

Youngest male participant:  Crosby Schmidt, age 4, of Sandpoint, who completed 34 runs, and raised more than $750

Youngest female participant:  Laura Boge, age 6, of Sandpoint, who completed 37 runs, and donated her piggy-bank worth $100 plus pledges raising over $300.

Oldest participant: Phil Currie, age 69, of La Jolla, California, who completed 13 runs and raised more than $1,000 in pledges

Number of volunteers: 75

Sponsors: Schweitzer, Subaru, Litehouse, EzyDog, Fischer Skis, First Ascent, SimulStat, Odom Distribution, Vehrs, Fortrust and Selkirk Press

Participant Zack Nees of Sandpoint combined fun and fundraising, proposing to his girlfriend and event volunteer Kate Sirany of Sandpoint at midnight during the ski event. She said yes!

 Donations are still being accepted and can be made online. 

Info: (208) 610-2131. 

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