While many high school athletes were gearing up for their first Colorado Ski League race of the season, Breckenridge’s Will Bentley was at the U.S. Cross-Country Ski Championships in Anchorage, Alaska.

The Ski and Snowboard Club Vail skier and University of Colorado commit, skied well at the six-day meet, taking third overall in the U20 men’s 10-kilometer classic mass start race on Jan. 5.

Beyond his standout performance in the classic race, Bentley took fifth in the freestyle 10-kilometer race on Jan. 2 and seventh in the classic sprint race on Jan. 4.Bentley came close to qualifying for the Junior World Ski Championships in Bergamo-Schilpario, Italy, but missed the six and final spot by five points.

Bentley will serve as the first alternate for Junior Worlds and has now pre-qualified for Junior Nationals.

Although Bentley barely missed out on being one of the six athletes to compete at Junior Worlds, the skier was selected to compete at the U18 Nordic Nations Championships from Feb. 20-23 in Gjoevik, Norway.

Nina Schamberger qualifies for Junior World Ski Championships

Leadville’s Nina Schamberger is bound for Italy.

The 2023 Peak School graduate and current University of Utah skier strung together three solid races at the 2025 U.S. Cross-Country Ski Championships. Schamberger took second behind Sammy Smith in the freestyle 10-kilometer race on Jan. 2 before taking third in the classic sprint race on Jan. 4.

With a total of 140 points, Schamberger will occupy the third Junior Worlds spot for the U.S. Schamberger, alongside a team of five other female athletes, will now prepare to compete at Junior Worlds in Bergamo-Schilpario, Italy, from Feb. 3-9.