Sports Today: State skiing championships set

There's one more switch for the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association State Skiing Championships " this time to a two-day format.

The NIAA meet " which features the top racers from Nevada's two Alpine programs " the Tahoe Basin League and the Northern 4A " opens with the slalom today at Alpine Meadows and conclude with the giant slalom Saturday at Mt. Rose on the Slide Side at Sunrise Bowl. Racing is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. with the first runs for the girls and then the boys.

Originally scheduled as a two-day event, the format was switched earlier this week to be held entirely on Thursday " with the slalom and giant slalom races set up with one-run formats. The switch back to a two-day format now allows for two-run formats.

"In an effort to provide the most equitable conditions for the Nevada State Championships for this season, and in reaction to the current weather conditions, it has been decided to make adjustments to the Nevada State Championship race schedule," according to the meet's Web site at www.nvski.com.

Douglas freshman Hillary Sapp is slated to start 44th.

Truckee comes in as the Tahoe Basin League's regular season champion. From the Northern 4A, Galena reigned as unbeaten champion during the High Desert League dual meet season, while Reno was the unbeaten Sierra League girls champion and shared the boys title with Wooster (both at 5-0-1).

North Tahoe is the state meet's defending girls combined champion (points from the slalom and giant slalom) and Galena is the defending boys champion. Truckee won the giant slalom team title last year, but fell five points short of Galena in the combined points.