Klas Stolpe

2024 Olympic wrestling gold medalist Amit Elor, 21, right, demonstrates a counter tie on Wasilla High School junior Taryn Wright, 16, during the Juneau Girls Wrestling Clinic on Tuesday at the Juneau Wrestling Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Alaska wrestlers take on Olympic and world champion at Juneau camp

Gold medalist Amit Elor shows girls path to success

 

Juneau’s Auke Bay Post 25 third baseman Madden Mendoza tags out Palmer Post 15 base runner Reed Craner (2) during Juneau’s 7-6 win over Palmer in American Legion Baseball action Sunday at Adair Kennedy Memorial Park. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Juneau’s Legion baseball team sweeps Palmer

Ludeman hits walk-off, Auke Bay Post 25 defeats Palmer Post 15

 

Swimmers race in Saturday’s Open Water Swim Series on Auke Lake. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Open Water Swim gives swimmers strokes

Theme of no lines, no lanes, no limits inspires

 

Juneau’s John Bursell and Brandon Ivanowicz — team J & B — placed third and Whitehorse’s Nicolas Giangrande and Heron Land-Gillis — The Bonk Bros — first in the two-person male team race of last Saturday’s Kluane to Chilkat International Bike Relay. They also placed sixth and first overall, respectively. out of 284 teams. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Pure Sole: ‘Come and do the KCIBR’

It’s like the Klondike run, except with bikes

Juneau’s John Bursell and Brandon Ivanowicz — team J & B — placed third and Whitehorse’s Nicolas Giangrande and Heron Land-Gillis — The Bonk Bros — first in the two-person male team race of last Saturday’s Kluane to Chilkat International Bike Relay. They also placed sixth and first overall, respectively. out of 284 teams. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Juneau’s Auke Bay Post 25 batter Noah Lewis is hit by a pitch during American Legion action against South Post 4 earlier this season. Juneau will play a home series against Palmer Post 15 Saturday through Monday at Adair Kennedy Memorial Park. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Auke Bay Post 25 splits games in Anchorage

Juneau’s American Legion team will host Palmer this weekend

Juneau’s Auke Bay Post 25 batter Noah Lewis is hit by a pitch during American Legion action against South Post 4 earlier this season. Juneau will play a home series against Palmer Post 15 Saturday through Monday at Adair Kennedy Memorial Park. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Photo by Jeff Helminiak / Peninsula Clarion
Jacob Katasse of Auke Bay Post 25 ducks under a pitch in front of catcher Conner Mitchuson of Madisonville (Kentucky) Post 6 on Friday, June 20 in the Lance Coz Wood Bat Tournament at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai .

Juneau’s Alaska Legion baseball team hits the road

Auke Bay Post 25 travels to Kenai tournament, Anchorage next

Photo by Jeff Helminiak / Peninsula Clarion
Jacob Katasse of Auke Bay Post 25 ducks under a pitch in front of catcher Conner Mitchuson of Madisonville (Kentucky) Post 6 on Friday, June 20 in the Lance Coz Wood Bat Tournament at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai .
Juneau’s Auke Bay Post 25 players Hunter Carte, JJ McCormick, Micaw Nelson and Noah Lewis listen to manager Joe Tompkins during last weekend’s action against Anchorage’s South Post 4 at Adair Kennedy Memorial Park. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Juneau’s Alaska Legion baseball team hits the road

Auke Bay Post 25 travels to Kenai tournament

Juneau’s Auke Bay Post 25 players Hunter Carte, JJ McCormick, Micaw Nelson and Noah Lewis listen to manager Joe Tompkins during last weekend’s action against Anchorage’s South Post 4 at Adair Kennedy Memorial Park. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Runners move along the Juneau Ridge Race course during the outing in 2023. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Juneau Ridge Race offers something for all

Warm weather, soft snow conditions to be expected

Runners move along the Juneau Ridge Race course during the outing in 2023. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Juneau’s Auke Bay Post 25 shortstop Kasen Ludeman attempts to tag Anchorage’s South Post 4 runner Mark Warren at third base during Alaska American Legion baseball action Saturday at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Juneau’s Alaska Legion baseball team opens season

Auke Bay Post 25 fights through four-game series.

Juneau’s Auke Bay Post 25 shortstop Kasen Ludeman attempts to tag Anchorage’s South Post 4 runner Mark Warren at third base during Alaska American Legion baseball action Saturday at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Harold Axel Stolpe holding son Klas at their home in Petersburg circa 1960. (Photo courtesy of Klas Stolpe)

Pure Sole: My Father’s Hands

By Klas Stolpe

Harold Axel Stolpe holding son Klas at their home in Petersburg circa 1960. (Photo courtesy of Klas Stolpe)
Kai Ciambor, a 2025 graduate of Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé, in action against West Anchorage during the ASAA Division I Soccer State Championships at Colony High School on May 30. Ciambor was selected the Gatorade Alaska Boys Soccer Player of the Year on Thursday. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Kai Ciambor named Gatorade Alaska Boys Soccer Player of the Year

Crimson Bears 2025 graduate earns top honor in high school sports.

Kai Ciambor, a 2025 graduate of Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé, in action against West Anchorage during the ASAA Division I Soccer State Championships at Colony High School on May 30. Ciambor was selected the Gatorade Alaska Boys Soccer Player of the Year on Thursday. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé track and field coach Jesse Stringer, 2025 JDHS graduate Nick Iverson, JDHS sophomore to be Bella Connally, and JDHS assistant track and field coaches Jennifer Strumfeld and Tina Martin pose for a photo on Wednesday at the JDHS auxiliary gym after Iverson and Connally had school records noted. (Photo courtesy Chris Connally)

Crimson Bears Iverson, Connally place names on record wall

JDHS track and field stars new school records registered on high.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé track and field coach Jesse Stringer, 2025 JDHS graduate Nick Iverson, JDHS sophomore to be Bella Connally, and JDHS assistant track and field coaches Jennifer Strumfeld and Tina Martin pose for a photo on Wednesday at the JDHS auxiliary gym after Iverson and Connally had school records noted. (Photo courtesy Chris Connally)
Grace Dumas approaches the finish of the East Glacier Trail Tangle on Tuesday. The 4.9-mile race follows part of Under Thunder Trail around East Glacier Trail and back. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Morely, Tanel top East Glacier Trail Tangle

Sprints, climbs, descents and bears overcome.

Grace Dumas approaches the finish of the East Glacier Trail Tangle on Tuesday. The 4.9-mile race follows part of Under Thunder Trail around East Glacier Trail and back. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Stinky Rats’ Jason Norat is congratulated by teammates as he finishes the Seacoast Relay at the Eagle Beach State Park outer beach picnic shelter on Sunday, June 8, 2025. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Stinky Rats find burritos at Seacoast Relay

13 teams share in the spoils of winners’ bounty.

Stinky Rats’ Jason Norat is congratulated by teammates as he finishes the Seacoast Relay at the Eagle Beach State Park outer beach picnic shelter on Sunday, June 8, 2025. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior pitcher Hunter Carte (7) and freshman pitcher Micah Nelson (3) pose for a photo at the 2025 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska DI Baseball State Tournament at Anchorage’s Mulchay Stadium. (Photo courtesy JDHS baseball)

Crimson Bears finish sixth at state baseball tournament

JDHS falls to Dimond Lynx 10-7 in season’s final game

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior pitcher Hunter Carte (7) and freshman pitcher Micah Nelson (3) pose for a photo at the 2025 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska DI Baseball State Tournament at Anchorage’s Mulchay Stadium. (Photo courtesy JDHS baseball)
The Sitka Wolves baseball team celebrate their 7-0 win over the Service Cougars in the championship game Saturday of the 2025 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska DI Baseball State Tournament at Anchorage’s Mulchay Stadium. (Photo courtesy Heather Gluth)

Sitka Wolves are state baseball champions

Bryce Calhoun pitches one-hit title clincher.

The Sitka Wolves baseball team celebrate their 7-0 win over the Service Cougars in the championship game Saturday of the 2025 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska DI Baseball State Tournament at Anchorage’s Mulchay Stadium. (Photo courtesy Heather Gluth)
The Sitka Wolves softball team pose for a championship photo after defeating Soldotna 16-13 in the championship game Saturday of the 2025 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska DII Softball State Tournament at Anchorage’s Cartee Fields. (Photo courtesy Sitka Softball)

Sitka Wolves softball repeat as Alaska state champions

Walk-off home run by junior Alina Lebahn clinches title.

The Sitka Wolves softball team pose for a championship photo after defeating Soldotna 16-13 in the championship game Saturday of the 2025 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska DII Softball State Tournament at Anchorage’s Cartee Fields. (Photo courtesy Sitka Softball)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Gwen Nizich readies for action during Friday’s 9-8 loss to Dimond in the 2025 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska DI Softball State Tournament at Anchorage’s Cartee Fields. (Photo courtesy JDHS softball)

Crimson Bears softball season ends in 9-8 loss to Lynx in state tournament

JDHS Nizich earns all-state honor as Crimson Bears win 1, lose 2 on final day.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Gwen Nizich readies for action during Friday’s 9-8 loss to Dimond in the 2025 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska DI Softball State Tournament at Anchorage’s Cartee Fields. (Photo courtesy JDHS softball)
In this file photo Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Brandon Casperson hits during a home game. The Crimson Bears will play in the fourth/sixth-place game Saturday in the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska DI Baseball State Championships at Anchorage’s Mulchay Stadium. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

JDHS eliminates Wasilla from state baseball play

Crimson Bears earn Saturday’s fourth/sixth-place game.

In this file photo Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Brandon Casperson hits during a home game. The Crimson Bears will play in the fourth/sixth-place game Saturday in the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska DI Baseball State Championships at Anchorage’s Mulchay Stadium. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
In this file photo Sitka junior Allyson Mayville sets for a pitch against JDHS. On Thursday Sitka defeated Soldotna and Kenai to open the 2025 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska DII Softball State Championships on Anchorage’s Cartee Fields. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sitka opens softball state tournament with two wins Thursday

Brenton, Mayville bats lead Wolves’ routs of Soldotna 16-4, Kenai 20-6.

In this file photo Sitka junior Allyson Mayville sets for a pitch against JDHS. On Thursday Sitka defeated Soldotna and Kenai to open the 2025 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska DII Softball State Championships on Anchorage’s Cartee Fields. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)