Coming off of a year of absence from high school competition and less training than normal heading into his senior season, Amherst Regional’s Nico Christakos wasn’t in an enviable position as he began his final downhill ski campaign.
Yet, it was those exact circumstances that led him to shine on the slopes during the PVIAC season.
“I entered the season under a lot less training than usual due to some conflicts in December,” Christakos said. “So I came in a little unprepared, and just had to go full-gas from the beginning. And I think that mindset — that underdog mindset — definitely propelled me to do better in those first seven races.”
Christakos took top honors in five out of seven races in the North Division, with his top six finishes equating to 59 points and a division title. Though strong competition from top skiers such as Northampton’s Nate Jones, Gateway Regional’s Zach Ames and Hampshire Regional’s Edward Przybyla emerged, Christakos’ resilience kept him on top and earned him honors as the Gazette Boys Downhill Skiing Player of the Year.
In the overall PVIAC standings, Christakos (185 points) finished second to St. Mary’s Jack Masciadrelli (190). Christakos’ victories in the first two races of the season marked a great threat, though Masciadrelli prevailed in later races.
Christakos took a small step back at the individual meet at Berkshire East, finishing fifth in the combined. While it wasn’t a result he was thrilled about, he knew he could regain his confidence at the MIAA state meet.
And he did. At the giant slalom, Christakos notched a 16th-place finish in 45.99 seconds, right behind Jones (45.94) for the best result from the PVIAC.
“Coming into that race, I knew it was the last race of my high school career, so I put it all down on the giant slalom and I think I came out with a great result,” Christakos said.
In the slalom, Christakos employed the same all-out strategy, though he ended up blowing out about halfway through the course, ending his career on both a high and a low.
It wasn’t necessarily the final result he wanted, but looking back on the season with the perspective of a few months’ time, Christakos appreciates the fact that he was even able to compete.
“I’m incredibly grateful to have that senior season at all,” Christakos said. “Because I have a lot of friends who play spring sports — I play a spring sport too — and that all just kind of disappeared. Just having the opportunity to win the North Division title and to finish well in the giant slalom (at the state meet), I’m super grateful — even if it all didn’t go according to plan.”
Looking back at his high school career as a whole, Christakos has his coach to thank for his accomplishments.
“I’ve been working with Peter Vamosy since my freshman year and I can’t say enough — he’s been so supportive,” Christakos said. “A lot of my success is pinned on his shoulders, which is how it should be.”
Christakos plans to attend Vermont in the fall, where he’ll race on their club skiing team.
Ryan Ames, senior, Gateway Regional
Zach Ames, sophomore, Gateway Regional
Nico Christakos, senior, Amherst Regional
Benjamin DeLaCour, senior, Northampton
Sebastian English, sophomore, Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School
Nate Jones, junior, Northampton
Dawson Kelly, freshman, Gateway Regional
Ben Makosiej, freshman, Frontier Regional
Ben Martino, junior, Frontier Regional
Thomas Michaelson, freshman, Northampton
Edward Przybyla, freshman, Hampshire Regional
James Scott, seventh grade, Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School
Teddy Scott, seventh grade, Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School
Jake Thayer, senior, Gateway Regional
Burke Warren, freshman, Northampton