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U.S. Dominates Slopestyle Junior World Champs

SNOW PARK, New Zealand (Aug. 23) - The USA's Bobby Brown (Englewood, CO) and Jamie Crane-Mauzy (Waterville Valley, NH) swept slopestyle gold at the 2010 Junior World Championships. Gus Kenworthy (Telluride, CO) and Devin Logan (West Dover, VT) grabbed second and third to total four podium finishes for the U.S. Monday's contest commenced the first freestyle event in the combined Junior World Championships.

"It was pretty much domination, America woo!" exclaimed Crane-Mauzy.

A little flat light and firm landings did not hinder the U.S. at the 2010 FIS Freestyle Junior World slopestyle Monday. It was total domination on both the men's and women's side with the guys scoring four top 10 finishes and the girls landing three in the top five.

In the men's contest it was all Brown throwing down the hammer to score a 45.60 on his second run to claim gold. His winning run was packed including a switch onto the top rail to 450 out followed by a cork 9 on the first jump to a switch right 9, then a double cork 10 on the final jump before sliding the bottom with a misty flip off.

"It was cool and we're having a good time," said Brown. "The attitude is chill and the weather is super good. People were just going at it and getting it done, so it was a really good day."

Kenworthy, who was a last minute substitute for the U.S., made the most of his late entry landing behind Brown in second on the podium. His stellar run consisted of a 270 onto the flat rail with a pretzel 270 out into a cork 9 nose on the first jump to a switch right cork 7 lead tail on the second to a switch 10 tail grab on the third, ending with a switch 270 on and 450 off the cannon box. Switzerland's Jonas Hunziker rounded out the top three in third.

"The whole atmosphere is pretty laid back and fun. They were running everyone really quickly, which was awesome and the judges were really on point with getting the scores up quickly," said Kenworthy. "It was pretty much perfect, couldn't really ask for more."

Crane-Mauzy redeemed herself, after falling on her first run by stomping it her second run to score a 35.00 and to win gold. The gold medal run was stacked consisting of a forward slide on and off the rail to a back X off the first jump to a tree-mute then a front truck on the third before sliding the cannon box, the final feature.

"Today was a really nice day at Snow Park and everybody was skiing well," said Crane-Mauzy. "In training I was landing all my tricks, so that was a big confidence booster. I won semis, putting myself in a good position for finals, but actually fell in my first final run on the first jump. They reshuffled the start order, so then I was dropping in first for my second run and I just landed everything."

Logan, who fought through the pain of an injured groin, grabbed the fourth podium for the U.S. in third, behind Canada's Keltie Hansen. Logan nailed her first run with a blind 270 off the top rail followed by a three blunt to a two sevens off the second and third jump ending with a clean slide on the bottom box.

"Yesterday in my last I hurt my groin so coming in to today I wasn't too super stoked," said Logan. I just endured the pain and did what I know how to do and put my final run together. It was just a really close competition. All the girls killed it and did awesome jobs. It was so close and fun."

Also busting into the top five were Utah natives Nick Keefer (Salt Lake City) and Blake Peterson (Park City, UT) in fourth and fifth. Cody Ling (Buffalo, MN) broke into the top 10 in tenth, making it a total of seven U.S. athletes in the top 10.

The conclusion Monday's event officially marked the combined 2010 Snowboard and Freestyle Junior World Championships, having completed events in both disciplines. The freestyle contests will pick back up on Saturday, August 28 at Cardrona.

"FIS is very excited by New Zealand's initiative to not only host the first World Championships in the Southern Hemisphere but also the first combined discipline World Championships," said Australian FIS Council member Dean Gosper. "The integration of the two sports provides a wonderful opportunity in competitive snow sports. They can sit comfortably side-by-side with a high cultural overlap and there is also a good level of respect between the disciplines."

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2010 FIS Freestyle Junior World Championships
Snow Park, New Zealand
August 23, 2010
Men's Slopestyle

1. Bobby Brown, Englewood, CO, 45.60
2. Gus Kenworthy, Telluride, CO, 42.10
3. Jonas Hunziker, Switzerland, 39.40
4. Nick Keefer, Salt Lake City, UT, 38.60
5. Bryon Wells, New Zealand, 37.90
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10. Cody Ling, Buffalo, MN, 26.10

Women's Slopestyle

1. Jamie Crane-Mauzy, Waterville Valley, NH, 35.00
2. Keltie Hansen, Canada, 34.60
3. Devin Logan, West Dover, VT, 26.30
4. Megan Gunning, Canada, 20.60
5. Blake Peterson, Park City, UT, 15.20

Olympic bronze medalist Bryon Wilson takes a surf break in Sydney. (USSA/Garth Hager)

PERISHER, Australia (Aug. 20) - After several years of going to Chile, the U.S. Moguls Ski Team switched it up this summer, heading down under for a three week camp at Perisher in Australia. Among the U.S. Ski Team campers were 2010 gold medalist Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT), 2010 bronze medalist Bryon Wilson (Butte, MT), Olympians Heather McPhie (Bozeman, MT) and Patrick Deneen (Cle Elum, WA).

"We've been going to Chile for the last 10 years," said Head Moguls Coach Scott Rawles. "It's been great training down there, but we just felt like Perisher was a good change of pace and this was a good year to do it. There will be some other international teams there, so it will be a completely different dynamic then we've normally done."

The athletes and coaches flew to the Southern Hemisphere on August 2. After a few days to adjust to the 18 hour time difference, the Team buckled their boots and clicked into their skis on August 5. During the 13 days of the on-snow section of the block, athletes focused on individual tasks including tricks and regaining feel for the snow and bumps.

"It was the first on-snow training camp since the competitive season ended, so I was working on getting reacquainted with the feel of my skis," said Kearney. "I also hiked the bottom jump of the course for three days to avoid the lift lines and work on the tricks and form I had been practicing on the water ramps this summer."

"My main focus at this camp was my jumping," said McPhie. "I have been throwing D-spins and back fulls, as I plan on competing at least one of them this season."

The days were regimented with athletes waking up at 6:15 a.m. for a 20 minutes warm-up jog. Following the jog, they returned to their condos made breakfast and packed a lunch for the hill, all by 8:00 a.m. The Team then had an hour to arrive at the lodge, warm-up and be ready to start on-snow training for two and half hours at 9:30 a.m. Without wasting time, athletes gathered their gear and headed back to town, eating lunch on the way down from the top of the mountain, completing the morning segment of training.

Athletes arrived home around 1:30 p.m., with a hour and half of free time before heading to the gym at 3:00 p.m. Upon arrival the crew stretched and warmed-up for their two hour workout ending at 5:30 p.m. The group would return home for dinner and a team stretch, ending the day with video analysis at 8:00 p.m., before hitting the pillow to wake-up and do it all over again.

With athletes giving it their all and training days jam packed, coaches and athletes went for a different direction on their days-off, occupying their time experiencing what Australia has to offer. For many of the athletes, this was their first trip to Australia.

"The days off have been pretty busy," said McPhie. "One day we went and fed kangaroos, which was absolutely incredible."

U.S. Ski Team Strength and Conditioning Coordinator and Australian native Alex Moore joined the gang for the camp. While with the Team, Moore led them through daily workouts and introduced the group to some Australian specialties. Moore will also head a four day conditioning block in Sydney, wrapping up the three weeklong camp.

"It was great to have our Australian strength and conditioning coach Alex with us to serve as our culture and activity guide," said Kearney. "He made sure we didn't miss out on the Australian specialties like Milo, meat pies and Tim Tams in the grocery store. He also introduced us to rugby and Australian football rules. We played touch rugby on a field strewn with kangaroo poop five different afternoons."

The Team will stay in the land-down-under's capital, Sydney, for conditioning as well as some fun and site seeing until August 22, when they return to the U.S. The next training session is scheduled for the beginning of September in Park City, UT.

"We are heading to Sydney and I am really looking forward to spend a few days there," said McPhie. "We are planning on going to the zoo and doing the bridge climb. Alex has it set up for us to learn some karate moves one morning and do some sprints on the beach. We also get to go to an Australian football game. It should be a lot of fun!"

WANAKA, NZ (Aug. 18) - The 2010 Snowboard and Freestyle Junior World Championships are only days away with opening ceremonies Friday, August 20. The event, scheduled for August 21-31, will be held in the Southern Hemisphere's New Zealand. The Junior Worlds is the first time that snowboarding and freestyle are performing on the same stage in a World Championship event. The Teams were named in the spring, giving nominated athletes plenty of time to prepare for their Junior Worlds debut.

"We are sending an incredibly talented group of athletes to Junior World Championships in New Zealand," said Snowboarding and Freeride Director Jeremy Forster."It's the first time Junior World Championships will be staged in New Zealand and the first time snowboarding & freestyle will share the same World Championship venues. I know Snow Sports New Zealand will host a world class event."

"Combining freestyle and snowboard for the first time in a FIS event is a great opportunity to showcase these two sports on one stage," said Snow Sports New Zealand CEO, Ross Palmer. "It makes sense from a logistics perspective, and with the popularity of the new disciplines, it also makes sense from a cultural perspective."

The 2010 Junior World Champs also marks the first time that New Zealand was selected to host a FIS World Championships, along with the first time snowboarding and freestyle will share the same venues in a World Championship. The Championships will also be the first time slopestyle will be included in a FIS Championship level event.

"We're looking forward to hosting some of the world's best at Snow Park and Cardrona Alpine Resort," said Palmer. "Both venues have created world-class facilities for this competition, so it should be a great show. We're thrilled that the U.S. is sending so many of its top, up-and-coming freestyle and snowboard athletes to compete in New Zealand in the FIS Junior Worlds."

The U.S. will be represented by 44 junior athletes in the 10 day event. Cardrona and Snow Park will host nine events between the two resorts, showcasing the top junior athletes from around the world in snowboarding and freestyle.

In the snowboard division riders will take the stage in halfpipe, snowboardcross, parallel giant slalom and slalom, slopestyle and big air. Headlining the U.S. will be slopestyle extraordinaires Ryan Stassel (Anchorage) and Caty O'Connor (Auburn, CA), snowboardcross up-and-comer and 2010 Olympian Faye Gulini (Salt Lake City, UT) and halfpipe standout Maddy Schaffrick (Steamboat Springs, CO) joined with the rest of the impressive Junior World snowboarding crew.

"Being able to do the first Junior Worlds slopestyle is really exciting," said Stassel.

"Snow Park's park is sick and Cardrona's pipe is fun," said Mikaela Casey (Mound, MN). "New Zealand alltogether is exhilarating!"

On the freestyle side, the athletes will be competing in slopestyle, ski cross and halfpipe. Looking to make some noise down under are X Games gold medalist in slopestyle Bobby Brown (Englewood, CO), World Cup ski halfpipe regular Walter Wood (Snowmass Village, CO) and slopestyle Junior Olympian Jamie Crane-Mauzy (Waterville Valley, NH). Kyle Smaine (South Lake Tahoe, CA) is a double threat competing in both ski cross and halfpipe, as well as Devin Logan (West Dover, VT) and Blake Peterson (Park City, UT) competing in halfpipe and slopestyle.

"Bringing freestyle and snowboarding together at Junior Worlds will be a great opportunity to present the two sports at a world stage as well as show how similar they are," said Wood. "My goals are to enjoy the experience and to compete at my best level. I'm planning on sticking my run and having a great time doing so!"

The schedule is packed with competition kicking off on the 21st with the snowboard slopestlye and ending with the snowboard big air contest on the 31st. Cardona is set to host five events including snowboardcross, snowboard and freestyle halfpipe, ski cross and big air. Snow Park is scheduled to hold four events including snowboard and freestyle slopestyle and parallel giant slalom and slalom.


2010 U.S. SNOWBOARD AND FREESTYLE JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM

Snowboard Slopestyle
Dash Kamp, Sandpoint, ID
Ryan Stassel, Anchorage
Nick Sibayan, Wrightwood, CA
Mikaela Casey, Mound, MN
Caty O'Connor, Auburn, CA
Lauren Tamposi, Hollis, NH

Snowboard Halfpipe
Paul Brichta, Burnsville, MN
Benjamin Farrow, Mt. Holly, VT
Cody Weselis, Park City, UT
Jenna Dramise, Henderson, NV
Rainey Pogue, Jackson, WY
Maddy Schaffrick, Steamboat Springs, CO
Shelby Simpson, Bondville, VT

Snowboardcross
Roger Carver, Placerville, CA
Derek Dicastro, Rome, NY
Alex Tuttle, Stratton, ME
Chloe Banning, Steamboat Springs, CO
Jenna Feldman, Linwood, NJ
Faye Gulini, Salt Lake City
Jackie Hernandez, Londonderry, VT

Snowboard Alpine
Mack Joyce, Laconia, NH
Hunter Murphy, Deephaven, MN
Meghan Graham, Minnetonka, MN
Cassie Wagar, Steamboat Springs, CO

Ski Cross
Kyle Smaine, South Lake Tahoe, CA
Ethan Fortney, Tenino, WA
Penn Lukens, Steamboat Springs, CO
Morganne Murphy, Truckee, CA

Ski Halfpipe
Walter Wood, Snowmass Village, CO
Wing Tai Barrymore, Hailey, ID
Kyle Smaine, South Lake Tahoe, CA
Tyler Wellman, Boyne City, MI
Devin Logan, West Dover, VT
Brita Sigourney, Carmel, CA
Hannah Haupt, Sun Valley, ID
Blake Peterson, Park City, UT

Ski Slopestyle
Bobby Brown, Englewood, CO
Alex Dutcher, North Mankato, MN
Nick Keefer, Salt Lake City, UT
Cody Ling, Buffalo, MN
Devin Logan, West Dover, VT
Blake Peterson, Park City, UT
Jamie Crane-Mauzy, Waterville Valley, NH
Jessica Breda, Marshfield, MA

Coaches
Dylan Omlin, Snowboard slopestyle
Matt Gustafson, Snowboard halfpipe
Jon Casson, Snowboardcross
Neil Sunday, Snowboard PGS/PSL
Brett Buckles, Ski Cross
Elana Chase, Ski Halfpipe and slopestyle
Ben Verge, Ski Halfpipe and slopestyle
Jen Hudak, Ski Halfpipe and slopestyle

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HOME SKI AREA LINKS SKI CLUBS ADVERTISING EMPLOYMENT SKI AREA EVENTS SKI TIPS WANT ADS GREAT SKIERS ARCHIVED FEATURE ARTICLES LODGING