Junior Nationals: Findley's Fairbanks Funding

Hello, my name is Findley Dezzani and I am a freshman from Columbia Falls, MT. I am a Nordic skier for the Glacier Nordic Ski Team, and this year, I have qualified to race at Junior Nationals in Fairbanks, Alaska.

I have been dreaming of this opportunity for two years. Last winter, I gained racing experience by competing at local races and placed first in the Montana Cup for U16 women. After a summer and fall of hard training, I traveled out of state to three Junior National Qualifier (JNQ) races, where I raced against girls my age from UT, ID, WY, NV, CA, CO, WA, and MT. At these JNQ races, I had six chances to accumulate enough points to qualify for Junior Nationals (JN's). Only eleven girls in my age group qualify for the JN team, and this year I was one of them. I will be representing MT, UT, ID, and WY as a part of the Intermountain Division Team.

The JNQ races this year have been far away and costly, but none as much so as Fairbanks. This trip will cost $3,200, plus $500 to fly to Seattle (where I will meet the rest of the team), and another $400 for my new team race suit. I am humbled and honored to have this opportunity to represent my team in Alaska. Any help would be greatly appreciated!