Some really exciting shit happened today during Day 1 at the Canadian Freeskiing Championships in Revelstoke, BC. Since you were too busy doing whatever it is you do to be there, I am going to fill you in on the highlights. After several weather days the skies finally cleared and the event went off smoothly today. The temps were super frigid, something like zero degrees. Many spectators caught the frost nip and the athletes on the top of the venue said it was like Everest in the start area. And now the highlights:
The new judging format this year is setup to reward trickery a bit more, so we saw some good stuff. The biggest move of the day came from tour newbie and road trip partner of mine Collin Collins (yes that is his real name) in the form of a cork 7 off a 30 foot cliff. The rest of Collin’s run was a little sloppy so he ended up in 14th place. Alta boy Sam Cohen stomped a huge styled out 360 over some cliff in an otherwise soft line and ended up in 10th for the day.
Big clean non-trick skiing was also rewarded today when tour vets Drew Tabke and Lars Chickering-Ayers took first and second respectively by riding BIG lines with unreal speed and control. Drew is out front with a score of 38.53 with Lars, still representing Mad River Glen, close behind scoring 37.30. In third place is one of the stars of the GNAR movie, Mat Jackson. Mat ripped it super hard and has a current score of 36.43.
Other dope runs today included that of Spencer Brinson formerly of Kirkwood, CA currently residing in SLC and gong to the U of U. Spencer is super fired up to be sitting in fourth right now and I am fired up for him too. Some other Vermonters are still in the chase including Dylan Crossman (12th), Ryan Hawks (19th) and Dom Malaussena (20th). Dom is the only guy on the tour that still lives back east. This trip to Revelstoke is one of his first times out west. He is the winner of last year Ski the East Tour and was given a Wild Card entry to this event. After skiing with Dom for a day or two I can confirm that he belongs on the tour and should be a star int he future.
Snowbird local and one of the most exciting new faces on the Tour Johnny Collinson got knocked out of the comp today when a landing on a huge backflip did not go his way. Bummer Johnny, see you on the tram next week.
On the female side we saw strong runs from Canadians Leah Evans (1st) and Tatum Monod (3rd). This is also Tatum’s first big mountain event. She comes from a race background and is from Banff. I met her father Peter on the chair ride up the the event and he told me she digging freeskiing way more than racing. Good call Tatum.
Jacquie Edgerly from the Aspen Ripper Factory also killed it and is in second place, only .06 pts behind Ms. Evans.
The top 7 women and 20 men will be getting to ride in a helicopter today to the top of Mac Face. The boys and girls are super pumped, as many of them have never been in a bird before. The venue looks insane and is covered with 4-5 feet of untracked pow. The patrol bombed the hell out of it yesterday and not much moved, so it is game on.
Watch live today on www.freeskiingworldtour.com starting about 11:30am pacific time.