Hinsdale Ski Team Coach Henry Woods states he is ecstatic as the result of youthful talent exhibited by upwards of 16 local downhill skiers who are now taking part in ski training at Lake City Ski Hill starting at 9 a.m. every Monday. Woods terms the skiers, pictured above in line up formation at the top of the ski hill, “a lot of little rippers” who are apparently fearless as they zoom down the ski hill. He predicts that each of the skiers “will go on to be great skiers.” While some of the new Ski Team members are as young as age four, Woods says “kids of all ages” are taking part in this year’s team, some ski team members being in their 50s and 60s and joining the team “just to show their support,” Woods says. At Monday’s practice session this week, team members showed both determination and precision as they skied through Giant Slalom gates set 18 meters apart starting at the top of the ski hill. Training session are in advance of a series of competitions in which Hinsdale Ski Team will compete this winter, the first of which is a ski competition at Wolf Creek Ski Area scheduled for January 25. Other upcoming events on the local ski calendar are a Super Bowl Dual Race here in Lake City on February 2, and a jaunt over to Silverton on February 8 to compete with their downhill counterparts in San Juan County. Hinsdale Ski Team hosts its annual Matt Milski Ski Race on Saturday, March 7, and the final ski competition of the year is planned April 4 as local team members journey over to Wolf Creek Ski Area for the Howling Wolf Super G.