Hmmmmm.....

Last week I went down to Crested Butte to compete in the US Extreme Freeskiing Telemark Championships for the third year in the row. When I first started doing this comp, it had just ended its afiliation with USTSA and was being run by the good crew at Tough Guy Productions. Regardless many of the same rulings for judging applied. If you fell in a no fall zone you were severely penalized; your score would reflect the loss of control; and it encouraged people to challenge themselves, yet ski within their limits. (See my abra cadabra post from November) As the past couple of years have progressed the judging on the competition has deteriorated to the point where people know they can crash and still advance to finals, or even podium. This year was no different. People were falling in no fall zones (upside down and backwards over rocks) and because "they skied their runs fast" as one judge was reported as saying, they were rewarded with high scores... higher even then others who might have skied the same line and not fall (it is faster to fall down a venue than it is to ski it... I did that last year). To my complete surprize, the one IFSA judge on the panel, who wanted to give lower scores for those who fell, was told by the other local judges to throw those cards out and start a new one that would not "discourage the athletes." Well... Let me now get into this. By creating a system where over half of the athletes do not understand the scoring, where they ski fabulous runs and see now reward for it in their scoring, where it is in a word, unfair... that discourages athletes. They do not understand why they are in the place they are in and do not understand how they can improve or learn from the experience. Furthermore, it seriously incourages people to take risks that they may or may not be able to ski or land saftely. And with a large junior field present, it only shows them how when they enter the adult categories, if they want to win they will have to huck their bones... and it doesn't matter if they can't land it, because they can still place on the podium with falls... even in no fall zones. This sport cannot afford to have a junior suffer from a serious injury like EJ did last year... or possibly worse. After talking with several of the athletes, many of us will not return to the event next year because of this and from what I will expand upon next.

Thus, not only was the judging misconstrued, but the organization seriously left much more to be desired. For example, EVERY althete was told at the athlete meeting that they would ALL receive two runs on qualifications. Then, when it came down to it, the staff made a large cut in the mens field after their first runs to "save time." Where this is a problem, is that if you think you have two runs, you make a strategy off that idea, perhaps taking a safe first run and then bump it up for the second. Unfortunately many of these athletes were deceived and ended up being cut after only one run of competition. (This is "discouraging" right? Something they were trying to avoid) But the bigger problem in all of this was this... People were showing up late for their runs, and once they did show up, they were being allowed to run still. If people miss their runs, they should be cut, just like they used to be in IFSA competitions. Sure this might be "discouraging" but if is the rules. People aren't discouraged if they understand the rules. Furthermore... There were 4 masters men, 1 masters women, and 4 junior women who all got to advance into the super finals even though their placements were already clearly determined. This created a furvor among the adult women and junior men who were only allowed to have 4 advance from each to the super final. The competition is significantly larger in these fields and those athletes need that chance to compete. Masters and juniors who have a field so small, are taking away opportunities from people who have a lot more at stake... Any one of those spots could have also accomodated another adult man too. Overall, the poor organization of the event left many more frustrated competitors and spectators in addition to the faulty judging. You're truely placed 7th.

So, combine poor organization to unfair judging and you already have a difficult comp to ski at. But then... Add terrible snow conditions and you've probably have the worst comp to ski at. Due to lack of snow, athletes skied HeadWall both for qualifiers and for finals. The snow was so thin down most of the higher line score areas that you were skiing over rocks almost as much as you were skiing over snow. Then, on the second day, a small layer of snow/sleetish suff covered up just a little bit of the rocks... only to give you false sense of securtiy. Those rocks were still there and still caught your skis. But this is skiing and although the condidions left much more to be desired for, it was the only consistant thing an athlete could expect at the CB nationals this year.

BUT>>> LATER>>>

Since Crested Butte home sweet home, Summit County, has been receiving tons of late afternoon and evenings snow showers, thickening our bases and even providing a few powder days every once in a while. The East Wall at A Basin was parcially open to boot back and, despite a small asthma attack, some of the freshest powder turns I've had all March. Then there was the backcountry day, where our new freeze and snow cycle has made for a very sturdy base. This photo is from that day. (taken by Scott Winn)

Then there was gaper day. My glamorous ski family and I dressed in our best gaper out fits... purple one pieces, googles AND sunglasses, knee pads on the outside, jeans... you name it, we did it. My father even brought out the old Marrell Super Comps (I believe those might be antiques). The funniest part is... I think people actually thought we were being serious. :)

Next up... Cat Skiing at Monarch as a birthday present to ME!!

IT"S SO WARM!!!

So after returning home from Taos it's been pretty insanly warm in Colorado. The snow already feels like April's and stores are starting to switch from selling skis to bikes. I'm certainly not ready for this global warming BS.

But it has been a fun couple of weeks... if you remove work.

Last Saturday was the Roxy Metal to Medal rail jam at Copper. I always love coming to little events like these where there are some people who are experienced and others who are not because it creates such a wonderful atmosphere of people simply out there to support each other. Despite the fact that it is a competition, there is no sense of needing to "beat" anyone. You're there to have fun. Add to pro Roxy snowboarders and Jess Cummings as the judges... Followed by a "spring (includes swimsuits) fashion show" in a wet blizzard and free wings and beer and you had a great afternoon. Let me just take this second as well just to tell you all how wonderful of a person Jess Cummings is. Sure she's got all star pro status in the alpine skiing world, but she's totally chill just to talk, chat, and be a normal person and a great roll model for all these younger women getting into freeskiing. I am constantly surprized just how amazing some of the people in the "pro" alpine skiing community can be. (oh, i got second)

I also had a Smith photo shoot. Hot weather, hot dogs, and free PBR's and Mtn. Dew... = FUN AFTERNOON... except I sprained my back a bit. booo!

So in my own attempt to give back to this wonderful skiing community of ours I went out with a young tele chica the other day for her first excursion into park skiing. Her mother had seen me at the Roxy jam and had commented on how she wanted to see her young daughter develop a passion for skiing beyond the "ya sure... i ski... blahh." I cannot begin to describe how GREAT of an experience it was for me. She learned SO quickly and had so much determination the whole afternoon. Now she wants to go out every day and try new things... even get a pair of park skis (ooh yes, i did it... i made another lady park skiing punk... and they told me there was no market... ppsshhh).

I still find it so strange that people actually want to ski with ME... because I'm somehow something "special." That's ludacris! I think at the end of the day after teaching Nadia, I had on a bigger smile than she did. And it lasted the whole afternoon. I will be going out again with Nadia before the end of the season and I cannot wait. I only hope that I get the opportunity even more to share this amazing experience called skiing with other youth, women, or EVERYONE out there.

Taos Salomon Extreme Freeskiing Championships

This weekend I competed in the Taos Salomon Extreme Freeskiing Championships on my telemark skis… And I couldn’t begin to tell you all the things I have learned and am taking with me from this trip.

I started this trip not knowing what to expect. I’ve done three telemark big mountain competitions, but never alpine ones. Judging from my experience in other telemark competitions and against other telemark women, I chose a line that would be conservative, but still a top five run in the telemark world. I went near the beginning of the women’s field which, although an advantage for snow conditions, a disadvantage to an inexperienced competitor. Watching the other women come down after me, I saw the error of my conservative run. These alpine ladies charged hard, screw the idea of being conservative on qualifiers; they were out for it all. Although I had skied their runs that the took the day before and know that I can do it, the aggressiveness and strength in which they skied their runs was of such a higher caliber than I was used to in telemark competitions.

I come away from this knowing that I CAN compete against these girls. As the youngest women in the ladies competition, I understand that I have time to hone and enhance my skills. Sure I was disappointed with my performance this weekend, but I am extremely motivated and wanting. I want to go back up there today and show these alpine fellows that I can ski those line and I will ski even harder and better lines in the future.

I also leave with the knowledge that what I am doing IS harder and unique. But not only is it physically harder, but professionally harder. I am facing a wonderful opportunity to push the preconceived notions of women’s telemark skiing and reinvent the sport for younger generations. Although I am and will continue to face resistance from telemark companies and the community for not being “traditionally telemark” and from alpine companies for simply being a telemark skier, I am also perhaps one of the most stubborn people I know. When I am told something I dream of cannot be done, I will persevere until it is. When I fail, fall, or place at the bottom of a competition, I only want it more. I want to go out there and ski; to become better and stronger; to show that anything can be done.

But the most important thing I have learned how to do is lose. To give what you consider to be a good performance and still realize that you have so much farther to go. In the telemark world I had almost begun to reach a plateau. Doing these alpine competitions this year like the US Freeskiing Open and this competition in Taos, I am humbled. But not only am I humbled by my abilities; my competitors humble me. Unlike the telemark community, where those who are at the top typically have always been there and will stay there, those in alpine community know what it is like not to be the best. They know what it is like to place at the bottom of a competition. And most importantly they offer their compassion and understanding to others who experience it.

Although I do not have the funding to attend competitions every weekend to continue to push myself like this, I can hope that I can rely on my own perseverance to remember these lessons and progress my own abilities and influence over the industry.

Happy Fake Love Day

So for about a week I've been in hell after having my wisdom teeth pulled (all four) and being on medicine that we didn't realize I was allergic to until after 6 days. Nausia, no eating, a chickmonk face, ect.... I couldn't wait to ski.

But finally some snow in Colorado! After a seriously dry month in January, Colorado finally has a fat storm sitting over the Rocky Mountains. To celebrate, on Valantines Day I brought out my big boards and headed over to Bever Creek with a crew to hit up tons of fresh, light, fluffy powder. I was santa clause! I needed a snorkle! I'd come out for breath after a run and everything was white... and I didn't even fall. Now, I've avoided Bever Creek successfully my whole life that I've lived in Colorado and boy, what a mistake. Sure the main mountain is boring and full of too many people in tight black stretch pants and huge Gucci glasses, but outside of the backcountry gates and up for abour 30 minutes one can find some seriously great terrain... A pillow line here, a steep peppery drop there... Sometimes some stuff that you actually have to back out of. I went back again for another day on the 15th to find that the snow had compacted a bit from some wind defection. Nevertheless, fun was had my legs are now beat. I think all the lodges at the Creek must now hate us all since... we brought our own lunch! (No one should bay $11 for a 1/2 pound hamburger... unless it's got the elixer of life. Well... we also made a huge mess of our appitizer of saltines, mayonase, and relish.

Now the storm is still sitting here, but CDOT has decided to close the highways, and even A-Basin has resorted to only having one little lift open. How silly.

Next I'm on my way to New Mexico to try my luck against the alpine big mountain girls at the Taos Salomon Extreme Freeskiing Championships.

I've been dead!

So, since the open I've done no skiing except for the past two days... I was in bed sick, puking, and all other fun things that come with having the real flu. sucks being sick... you miss work and thus make no money! But now i'm alive and ready to go back to work for my four jobs. yeah!

US OPEN

So what a week this has been. The US Open slopestyle is now officially over and let me tell ya how relieved I am. Jon Olson finally won slopestyle! and my friend Anna Siegl won women's slope! ya'll will soon be hearing amazing things about this girl she's wicked good and SOO chill.

I've had an east coast friend staying with me this week and what a trip it's been comparing east v. west. He unfortunately did not advance to semi-finals, but just to come out here is a feat in itself.

As for me... I did a safe run. Didn't throw my harder tricks. Figured it'd be best to throw a smooth run and save my bigger tricks for when I have them more consistent. With that said, I'm still so stoked on 14th place in the women's semi-final (out of 32 alpine women). It's always a pleasure to beat out girls with big Oakley and K2 sponsorships. But really, I'm just happy with my run and happy with how I did. That's all I really wanted from this comp.

But what a head trip leading up to this whole ordeal. Training in the park everyday you can, worrying about what tricks you might have down by then, if you're going to be healthy or not... To say the least, one can suffer a major case of nerves when leading up to their first US Freeskiing Open competition. I am so thankful to have had my rock and confidant with me every step of the way to make sure I keep my cool... Something I did not do at the NZ Open where I fell in each of my runs... twice. It was also amazing to have my family SO supportive of EVERYTHING. Everyone should be so lucky to have a family like this one.... I'm releaved for this competition to be over, but also cannot wait for next year to come so that I can throw down an even better run than this year.

In other events this week... wow! major publicity! First was an interview with NPR (National Public Radio) which aired this week. Then was a live television broadcast with NBC morning news. I cannot believe how great Copper has been to me to not only set that up but also get me a hotel room!! Then yesterday there was an interview with the Rocky Mountain News! again... a major thanks to Copper. It amazes me so much that people are so interested to hear that things I do for my life are anything special. What an honor all of this is... I cherish moments like this week for the rest of my life. Especially this week...

My thoughts and wishes go out to Asher Crank's family and friends. He will be missed greatly, from everyone he knew, and everyone who wished to know him. It is only a reminder of just how quickly all of this can be taken away from us... and so quickly. It is such an unfortunate event and I am incredibly humbled by it.

May we all take this moment to think of a quote by a young child and world hero, Nkosi Johnson... "Do all you can with what you have in the time you have in the place you are."

photo shoots and cold boots

well since graduation i've done what i expect will be the pattern for the rest of the winter. I've worked my butt off at 3 different jobs and i've been on the hill everyother day that i'm not working. actually this week, i got to go out with cody smith w/ lipstick films to work on some stuff and then had a photo shoot for copper mountain for the opening day of tucker mountain.

the front range lately has also been getting DUMPED on... but has left Summit County pretty dry and in need of some serious storms. with that said, we have been low on gas at the gas stations and the shelves at the grocery stores have been nearly empty since christmas. fortunately loveland got a little of the big storms and we were able to enjoy those, and the tourists are slowly starting to leave town.

so aside from the occational party and entertaining family that comes to town, my life has found a pattern for at least the past few weeks.