Gardnerville's Nick Cohee, one of the top-ranked skiers in the nation, has decided to postpone his NCAA ski racing career another year as he will continue his quest to earn a spot on the United States Ski Team in 2008.
"After talking with my coach, we feel I can perform at an even higher level than I did this season," Cohee, who has skied for the Kirkwood Ski Education Foundation for the past 10 years, said. "I don't think I did absolutely everything I could have, so I guess you would call it a case of unfinished business."
The six-month campaign ended on April 25 after six challenging races in Norway.
Cohee skied well at both of this region's season finales, winning the Far West slalom and giant slalom titles and earning four top 10 results at the biggest spring event in the Western Region, the Mammoth Elite FIS Spring Series.
Cohee said he was most happy with his results in the super giant slalom, where he finished fifth and sixth place.
He will start the 2007-08 racing season as the No. 3-ranked American junior in the Super G.
Cohee has been in close contact with three of the nation's top NCAA Division I ski programs, including the University of Denver, the University of Colorado and the University of Nevada.
All three programs will have scholarships available in the Fall of 2008 and have said he will be among their top selections.
"Denver, Colorado and Nevada have all been very supportive of my decision to postpone my NCAA racing career one more year to see if I can earn a spot on the U.S. ski team in my last year as a junior," Cohee said.
After taking most of May off to give his body a chance to rest, Cohee will begin a strict dry land training program for June and July. He'll then head to Treble Cone Resort in New Zealand for summer ski training.
