Sports

Maddy Fortunato, a Chickaloon middle school student, sets to attempt the one-hand reach by touching a suspended ball while remaining balanced on the other hand during the Traditional Games on Sunday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Striving for the perfect balance of competition, camaraderie at seventh annual Traditional Games

More than 250 participants pursue personal goals while helping others during Indigenous events.

Maddy Fortunato, a Chickaloon middle school student, sets to attempt the one-hand reach by touching a suspended ball while remaining balanced on the other hand during the Traditional Games on Sunday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Donovan Jackson, 12, of Juneau competes in the one-foot high kick during the 2022 Traditional Games on April 2, 2022. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file photo)

Record number of participants expected for seventh annual Traditional Games

Teams from Alaska, Canada and Lower 48 to compete in 12 Indigenous skills events starting Friday.

Donovan Jackson, 12, of Juneau competes in the one-foot high kick during the 2022 Traditional Games on April 2, 2022. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file photo)
Juneau’s PJ Foy, shown winning the 2023 100 yard butterfly in 48.27 for Thunder Mountain High School during the ASAA state championships at the Dimond Park Aquatics Center on Nov. 4, 2023, qualified for the 2024 June Olympic Team Trials by swimming a 100 long course meters butterfly in a personal best 53.44 on March 16, 2024, at the Speedo Sectionals in Federal Way, Washington. (Klas Stolpe for the Juneau Empire)

Foy ‘flies’ through 100 meters to qualify for Olympic Swim Trials

“To do what nobody else can do, I need to do what nobody else will do”

Juneau’s PJ Foy, shown winning the 2023 100 yard butterfly in 48.27 for Thunder Mountain High School during the ASAA state championships at the Dimond Park Aquatics Center on Nov. 4, 2023, qualified for the 2024 June Olympic Team Trials by swimming a 100 long course meters butterfly in a personal best 53.44 on March 16, 2024, at the Speedo Sectionals in Federal Way, Washington. (Klas Stolpe for the Juneau Empire)
Angoon’s Levi Johnson Jr. takes a shot under the basket against Hydaburg during the B Bracket championship of the 75th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament on Saturday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Hoonah takes two titles, Angoon and POW one each in 75th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament

Longtime participants say little has changed over decades as huge crowds from communities show up.

Angoon’s Levi Johnson Jr. takes a shot under the basket against Hydaburg during the B Bracket championship of the 75th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament on Saturday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Metlakatla’s Drena Hayward (#15) passes the ball to a teammate in their opening game against Yakutat during the 75th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament on Sunday morning at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

75th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament opens with all harboring hopes for week ahead

Winners and losers not reading too much into opening games with some teammates still to arrive.

Metlakatla’s Drena Hayward (#15) passes the ball to a teammate in their opening game against Yakutat during the 75th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament on Sunday morning at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Hoonah’s Mark Prpich (22) drives the lane against Juneau’s Doug Draowski (5) on Saturday during last year’s Gold Medal championship game for M bracket at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé on March 25, 2023. Prpich finished the game with 10 points. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

75th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament tips off Sunday

25 regional teams to compete for titles in four brackets; no Juneau teams playing this year.

Hoonah’s Mark Prpich (22) drives the lane against Juneau’s Doug Draowski (5) on Saturday during last year’s Gold Medal championship game for M bracket at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé on March 25, 2023. Prpich finished the game with 10 points. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
The author and his wife ride a lift at Eaglecrest over the weekend. (Photo by Jeff Lund)

I Went to the Woods: All you can eat pizza

There are times you’re confronted with the culmination of your career as an active human and you end up wishing you’d have had a better… Continue reading

The author and his wife ride a lift at Eaglecrest over the weekend. (Photo by Jeff Lund)
Iditarod winner Brent Sass poses for photos with lead dogs Morello, left, and Slater after winning the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Nome, Alaska, March 15, 2022. A second musher has been disqualified from the world’s most famous sled dog race. The governing body of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race said in a one-sentence statement late Thursday night, Feb. 22, 2024, that it has withdrawn 2022 champion Brent Sass just days before the start of this year’s race. (Anne Raup/Anchorage Daily News via AP)

Assault claims roil Iditarod sled dog race as 2 top mushers are disqualified, then 1 reinstated

Claims of violence against women are roiling the world’s most famous sled dog race — Alaska’s Iditarod — with officials disqualifying two top mushers this… Continue reading

Iditarod winner Brent Sass poses for photos with lead dogs Morello, left, and Slater after winning the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Nome, Alaska, March 15, 2022. A second musher has been disqualified from the world’s most famous sled dog race. The governing body of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race said in a one-sentence statement late Thursday night, Feb. 22, 2024, that it has withdrawn 2022 champion Brent Sass just days before the start of this year’s race. (Anne Raup/Anchorage Daily News via AP)
A man walks a Fairbanks street during an ice-fog episode in January 2012. (Photo by Ned Rozell)

Alaska Science Forum: Ice fog not often a part of northern life

An old friend — a character not seen in these parts for a few years — showed up last week in Fairbanks. Ice fog. Ice… Continue reading

A man walks a Fairbanks street during an ice-fog episode in January 2012. (Photo by Ned Rozell)
Juneau Ski Club U16 racer Eva Meyer competes in a slalom run during the Coca-Cola Classic Sunday at Girdwood. (Photo courtesy Bob Eastaugh)

Meyer, Satre lead Juneau Ski Club down Girdwood course

First competition of the ski season gives JSC firm footing for national qualifications

Juneau Ski Club U16 racer Eva Meyer competes in a slalom run during the Coca-Cola Classic Sunday at Girdwood. (Photo courtesy Bob Eastaugh)
Juneau athletes compete in the state softball title (left), Gold Medal Basketball Tournament (center) and ASAA State Swim & Dive Championships during some of 2023’s local highlight sports moments. (Juneau Empire)

Juneau’s top 10 sports stories of 2023

State titles for many, a historic losing season and death of a coaching icon among headline moments.

Juneau athletes compete in the state softball title (left), Gold Medal Basketball Tournament (center) and ASAA State Swim & Dive Championships during some of 2023’s local highlight sports moments. (Juneau Empire)
Colony High School senior Jasmine Anderson, Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Emma Fellman, Service High School senior Preston Kwon and Thunder Mountain High School senior PJ Foy at the USA Swimming 2023 Speedo Winter Junior Championships in Westmont, Illinois. (Courtesy photo)

Foy chasing FMC Natatorium pool record

Glacier Swim Club stars competing at USA junior championships

Colony High School senior Jasmine Anderson, Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Emma Fellman, Service High School senior Preston Kwon and Thunder Mountain High School senior PJ Foy at the USA Swimming 2023 Speedo Winter Junior Championships in Westmont, Illinois. (Courtesy photo)
A light dusting of snow covers the ground at Eaglecrest Ski Area on Wednesday morning. The planned opening for the ski area has been delayed a week until Saturday, Dec. 9, according to General Manager Dave Scanlan. (Photo courtesy of Eaglecrest Ski Area)

Eaglecrest delays scheduled opening by one week until next Saturday, Dec. 9

Warm temperatures and rain dissolved much of ski area’s snowpack, but cold and snow in forecast.

A light dusting of snow covers the ground at Eaglecrest Ski Area on Wednesday morning. The planned opening for the ski area has been delayed a week until Saturday, Dec. 9, according to General Manager Dave Scanlan. (Photo courtesy of Eaglecrest Ski Area)
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire
Casey Blackwell, 10, crosses the finish line after running 27 laps around the indoor track at Dimond Park Field House to complete the 5K Pajama Jog on Sunday.

Juneau Girls on the Run go the distance during 5K Pajama Jog

Participants finish looking like stars — 27 of them — after completing that many laps around track.

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire
Casey Blackwell, 10, crosses the finish line after running 27 laps around the indoor track at Dimond Park Field House to complete the 5K Pajama Jog on Sunday.
Juneau’s Zack Bursell, 30, wins the Run The Rock 50-mile ultra race at Smith Rock State Park, Saturday, in Terrebonne, Oregon. (Photo courtesy Jamie/John Bursell)

Bursell wins Oregon 50 miler

New ultra runner hits new personal best.

Juneau’s Zack Bursell, 30, wins the Run The Rock 50-mile ultra race at Smith Rock State Park, Saturday, in Terrebonne, Oregon. (Photo courtesy Jamie/John Bursell)
Suzanne Morris, left, and Melissa Anderson finish the Halloween Half Marathon on Saturday. (Klas Stolpe for the Juneau Empire)

Miller, Kruger win scary Halloween Half

Gentemann, Tracy top costumes; Janes 5K winner

Suzanne Morris, left, and Melissa Anderson finish the Halloween Half Marathon on Saturday. (Klas Stolpe for the Juneau Empire)
Carlos Boozer, a former Juneau high school basketball player and retired NBA all-star, talks with a student at his basketball camp in Juneau in 2017. (Nolin Ainsworth/Juneau Empire File)

Carlos Boozer memoir includes full life story, Juneau years

NBA star and hometown hero pens “Every Shot Counts”

Carlos Boozer, a former Juneau high school basketball player and retired NBA all-star, talks with a student at his basketball camp in Juneau in 2017. (Nolin Ainsworth/Juneau Empire File)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Ida Meyer, right, wins the Sitka Invitational by a fraction of a second in front of Sitka junior Clare Mullin on Saturday. (James Poulson / Sitka Sentinel)

JDHS girls, boys crush Sitka course

Largest field in Southeast history sees Crimson Bears on top

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Ida Meyer, right, wins the Sitka Invitational by a fraction of a second in front of Sitka junior Clare Mullin on Saturday. (James Poulson / Sitka Sentinel)
Zack Bursell, left, stands with father John, right, after winning the Equinox Marathon in Fairbanks, Saturday, Sept. 16. (Photo courtesy Jamie Bursell)
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Juneau’s Zack Bursell wins Equinox Marathon

Local runner finishes more than seven minutes ahead of runner-up at Fairbanks race

Zack Bursell, left, stands with father John, right, after winning the Equinox Marathon in Fairbanks, Saturday, Sept. 16. (Photo courtesy Jamie Bursell)
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Tom Thompson and Klas Stolpe at the start of the 44-mile solo ultra during the 40th Annual Klondike Road Relay, Saturday, Sept. 9. Stolpe was running as team No One Fights Alone in support of his brother James who is fighting cancer. (Photo by Tom Thompson)

No one fights alone on the Klondike Road Relay

A victorious 44-mile solo quest among 1,800 participants at 40th annual Skagway-to-Whitehorse race

Tom Thompson and Klas Stolpe at the start of the 44-mile solo ultra during the 40th Annual Klondike Road Relay, Saturday, Sept. 9. Stolpe was running as team No One Fights Alone in support of his brother James who is fighting cancer. (Photo by Tom Thompson)