Delay doesn’t slow down Finnigan Donley in alpine ski races at Alyeska

Interrupted earlier this month by poor weather, the Coca-Cola Classic alpine ski series wrapped up Wednesday amid nearly perfect conditions at Alyeska Resort in Girdwood.

The delay was no problem for Finnigan Donley, a U16 skier who won both giant slalom races Wednesday to finish the series with three victories in four races.

Donley and Georgia Lantz captured overall honors in the series, which began Jan. 17 with slalom races and was supposed to continue with giant slalom races the next day. Weather didn’t allow that, but cold, clear weather made for ideal conditions for the rescheduled races.

Donley won both of the men’s races by comfortable margins, adding two GS title to a slalom victory he collected earlier this month.

Lantz made the podium in all four women’s races, winning one gold, two silvers and one bronze. On Wednesday, she finished second in one race and third in the other.

Ava Liles beat Lantz by less than half a second to take the first women’s GS title, with Randi Von Wichman placing third. In the second race, Von Wichman beat Liles by four seconds, with Lantz finishing third.

Max Johnsen finished second to Donley in both men’s races. Third place went to Thomas Hartman in the first race and Connor Gries in the second.

The Coca-Cola Classic, sponsored by the Odom Corporation, was the first qualifying series of the season for the Western Region Championships. The next qualifier is the Feb. 9-15 Alyeska Cup.

Women’s GS #1 — 1) Ava Liles, ASC, 1:43.98 2) Georgia Lantz, ASC, 1:44.42 3) Randi Von Wichman, ASC, 1:45.03 4) Alyssa Gries, ASC, 1:49.56 5) Abigail Kragt, ASC, 1:50.77

Men’s GS #1 — 1) Finnigan Donley, ASC, 1:36.72 2) Max Johnsen, ASC, 1:38.59 3) Thomas Hartman, ASC, 1:40.59 4) Connor Gries, ASC, 1:43.06 5) James Reinbold, 1:43.61

Women’s GS #2 — 1) Randi Von Wichman, ASC, 1:37.73 2) Ava Liles, ASC, 1:41.76 3) Georgia Lantz, ASC, 1:42.95 4) Ava Schweiger, ASC, 1:43.96 5) Abigail Kragt, ASC, 1:45.87

Men’s GS #2 — 1) Finnigan Donley, ASC, 1:33.48 2) Max Johnsen, ASC, 1:35.43 3) Connor Gries, ASC, 1:42.42 4) James Reinbold 1:42.81 5) Ben Neuberger, ASC, 1:42.92

Women’s overall winner — Georgia Lantz. Men’s overall winner — Finnigan Donley.