A male transgender skier got three third-place finishes at a state championship meet in Maine this week.
Maine Coast Waldorf School sophomore Soren Stark-Chessa had those three third-place finishes in the Maine Principals Association Class C girls’ Nordic skiing state championship meet on Monday, February 19, and Tuesday, February 20.
Stark-Chessa finished third in the five-kilometer girls’ classical (19:17.1) and freestyle (15:41.3). Combined, this gave Stark-Chessa a pursuit time of 34:58.3 — good for yet another third-place finish.
In classical Nordic skiing, skiers move in parallel tracks with narrow skis and use a striding motion, while in freestyle skiing, they use wider skis and a skating-like motion on ungroomed surfaces. And, in this instance, pursuit refers to a race that features both a classical and a freestyle race.
The Class C state championship meet was held at Titcomb Mountain in Farmington, Maine; Farmington is a town in west central Maine with about 8,200 residents.
Waldorf School athletic director Susan Sonntag defended Stark-Chessa’s participation on girls’ teams in an email message to NewBostonPost earlier this school year.
“We support all our students at Maine Coast Waldorf School, and are proud that our students are given the opportunity to participate in all of our school programs,” Sonntag told NewBostonPost by email on October 25, 2023. “Additionally, MCWS adheres to the Maine Statute, Title 5, §4602 ‘Unlawful educational discrimination’ which is further supported by Maine Principals’ Association (MPA) policy.”
That inquiry was about Stark-Chessa competing in girls’ cross country this past fall.
Stark-Chessa also excelled in cross country this past fall, as NewBostonPost previously reported. The runner finished third at the Class C state championship meet on November 4, 2023. Stark-Chessa ran the five-kilometer course in 18:23.6, according to Athletic.net.
The Maine Principals’ Association allows student-athletes to participate on teams based on their self-selected gender identity, according to the Gender Equity and Inclusion Policy in its 2022-23 handbook.
“The MPA is committed to maximizing the opportunities for all students to participate in interscholastic activities and athletics, regardless of their gender identity or expression,” the policy says.
“At the same time, the MPA is committed to ensuring fair competition and adequate protection of student athletes,” the police continues. “Consistent with its principles, the MPA believes that all students should have the opportunity to participate in MPA activities in a manner that is consistent with their gender identity, unless such participation would result in an unfair athletic advantage or would present an unacceptable risk of injury to other student athletes.”
Maine conservative activist Shawn McBreairty was the person first to report on Stark-Chessa’s transgender status.
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