FREERIDE U12 UPDATE

It’s been a busy month for the U12 team. Our athletes participated in 3 consecutive weekends of competition beginning with the Snowbird 2* on January 27th and 28th.  Snowbird was the first competition for many of our U12’s and all our athletes showed the judges their best skiing. Our team had great results over the weekend with Ayuna Devine placing 1st, and Sophia DeBirk placing 3rd in the Volume 1 girls competition. In a close volume 1 boys competition Tucker Williams took the win, and Will Fallis placed 2nd. In the Volume 2 girls competition, Sophia DeBirk took the top spot, and Ayuna Devine placed 2nd. Kekoa Ho improved on his 4th place Volume 1 result and earned a podium spot with a 3rd place finish in the volume 2 boys competition.

After Snowbird, the team headed to the Powder Mountain 2* on February 3rd and 4th. This was the first time a Freeride event had been held at Powder Mountain and the athletes were treated with a fun venue. We had 3 U12 athletes compete in the Volume 2 event. In the boy’s competition, Will Fallis placed 2nd, and in the girl’s competition, Maviny and Sabrina Houdeshel placed 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

We wrapped up 3 weekends of competition with blue skies and powder conditions for the Snowbasin 2* on February 10th and 11th.  We had 3 U12 athletes compete at Snowbasin with Linnea Schmid placing 2nd in the Volume 1 girls competition.

The U12 team will have a break from competition for the next few weeks and will be focusing on revisiting some of the fundamental skills and training for the Solitude and Park City events in March.

Thank you to all our U12 athletes for making this an incredible season so far.

~ Davin Grapentine
Freeride Development Director

FREERIDE U15 UPDATE

We can’t believe we are halfway through the season but what a great one it’s been so far.  The U15s have been skiing great and hopefully having a lot of fun.  The beginning of the season was full of training and working on our skiing. Starting at the end of January the Competition schedule has started and we have been busy!!

It started of with a bang on January 27th and 28th with a bunch of U15s competing in the Snowbird 2*s volume 1 and 2.  Everyone did great! In volume 1 the Altabird U15s swept the podium in both the girls and the boys.  With Izzy Utgaard taking the win and Dorothy and Priscilla Hastings placing 2nd and 3rd.  For the Boys Dylan Hersh took the win, Canyon Whiteside taking 2nd and Rex Rice taking 3rd.  For Volume 2 Dorothy Hastings took the win and Willow Arens placed 3rd. For the boys Rex Rice placed 2nd and Cortland Goldberg placed 3rd.

The team then made their way to Targhee (Feb 1st-3rd) and Red Mountain (Feb 2nd -4th). Targhee’s venue was tricky and steep. The kids were able to find a line and ski well! We had a hardship in Targhee with one of our teammates Aksel suffering an injury.  He received surgery and is now on the road to recovery. Make sure to check in on your friends throughout recovery!!  The U15s day 2 got canceled so Fisher Campagna was able to keep the 3rd place he received on day 1!!!

Red Mountain had some tricky conditions and the event ran 175 athletes in one day! Props to all the kids who skied in that event despite the hard snow conditions.

At the same time kids were traveling to 3* competitions 2*s events were happening a bit closer to home! Powder Mountain 2* Volumes 1 and 2 happened February 3rd and 2nd. Altabird was able to grab some results from both of them.  In Volume 1 Grace Poulsen placed 2nd and Dylan Hersh received 3rd! In Volume 2 Ruby Fallis took 3rd and Trey Sweeney received 2nd!!

The U15s traveled to Palisades Tahoe and Copper Mountain as well! They got to experience a new mountain and meet some new friends.

Finally, the U15s competed at the Snowbasin 2*s volume 1 and 2.  In Volume 1 Grace Poulsen took home the win and Madlen Schmid took 3rd. In Volume 2 Willow Arens took home the win and Sanders Vedejs received 2nd!! How cool!

Congratulations to everyone who has competed so far this year! Skiing a run in a competition alone is a huge accomplishment! Everyone should be very proud of themselves so far this year.  Also a big shout out to all the kids that have been holding down the fort at home and practicing hard!! Keep up the good work!

We still have lots of fun to be had with the Crested Butte 3*, the Crystal Mountain 3*, the Kirkwood 3*, the Snowbird 3*, the Big Sky 3*, The Solitude 2*s, and the Park City 2* still to come!!!

Thank you all for an amazing season so far! Go AltaBird!

~ Jacqueline Pollard
Freeride U15 Head Coach

FREERIDE U19 UPDATE

It has been an amazing season so far, with many great training days.  The entire team has participated in their training with positivity, a passion for winter sports, and the Mountains.

The start of the newly structured IFSA competition season has been diverse and full of gained experiences. Starting with five of our U19 boys competing, in the Jackson Hole 3* event.

Next, Mike Wheatley debuted in Kapple, Austria, bringing home 3rd place, at the Junior Freeride World Championships.

The team skied very well in Red Mountain, Canada, where we had spring-like conditions in the rain and freeze cycle, and enjoyed Canadian bowling. “Free ride, keep the vibe high”.

At home, we had the Snowbird 2* Volumes 1&2, where eight of the U19 girls, and nineteen of the U19 boys competed on Silverfox. Jack Reynolds took 1st place, Volume 2. Six U19 Girls and five U19 Boys competed in the Grand Targhee 3* event. Sasha Bills was just shy of the podium in fourth. We had two dual podiums at Powder Mountain 2*, with Kate Williams in 2nd place, Izzy Parker in 1st, Cash Moon in 3rd, and Nik Kath taking 1st.

Continuing now to Copper Mountain 3*, where Hannah  Baldwin lands in 1st place. At the Snowbasin 2* Nik Kath is on the podium again, this time in 2nd, and Gage Adrian in 1st place. At Palisades, Tahoe 3*. We had seventeen U19 athletes attend. In a battle to qualify for finals the event ends with Sasha Bills, currently ranked #3 overall, earning 2nd place, Olive Morris in 3rd, and Jack Reynolds in 2nd.

The show continues next week in Crystal Mountain, WA, and Crested Butte, CO, National events! Meanwhile, at Alta/Snowbird training continues, and progress is being made.

~ Griffin Rasmussen
Freeride U19 Head Coach
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