Posted: 03/28/07

Killington’s Bear Mountain kicks off the U.S. Freestyle Skiing Championships
Aerials, halfpipes and moguls galore

Erin Blair | contributing writer
eblair@smcvt.edu

As winter comes to a close and the snow begins to melt, Vermont ski resorts are still operating. Last weekend, the U.S Freestyle Skiing Championships were held in Killington, Vt.

Still going strong in spring

Jeret "Speedy" Peterson performs a trick called "the hurricane" during the 2007 Sprint U.S. Freestyle Skiing Championships. (photo montage courtesy of Tom Horrocks)

According to the Killington Web site, the 2007 Sprint U.S. Freestyle Skiing Championships have been chosen as one of the “top 10 winter events” by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. The competition began on Thursday, March 22. The opening day was dedicated to half-pipe competitions, whereas Friday’s events took place on moguls, and Saturday hosted aerial competitions.

The championships held a number of different events and entertainment for the crowds that were in attendance. Live music, a product exposition, and an on-snow festival were held around the Bear Mountain lodge.

This is the first time the event was able to have aerials, halfpipes, and moguls, according to Tom Horrocks, the communication manager at Killington.

“People are able to walk right up into the action, and families really look forward to seeing the competitors up close,” Horrocks says. He also says spectators were able to sit on a deck and watch the events from above.

“It’s just a great place to sit and watch and really get the whole vibe of the event,” he says.

“A lot of people were expected to show up,” Horrocks says. “The attraction to Bear Mountain is high because people are looking forward to being able to watch world class athletes compete.”

Among those competing were Jeret “Speedy” Peterson, a 2002 Olympian from Boise, Idaho.

And the Winner is…

Friday, March 23, after the men’s moguls competitions, a short ceremony awarded prizes to first place winner Holt Haga, Nate Roberts who came in second, and David Babic who came in third. The Rip-it Trick-it Award was also handed over to Brian Wilson who was awarded with a check of $2,500.

“This is my first National Championship win so it’s super exciting,” Haga says. “The conditions have been changing all day, so that was a bit of a curve ball for the finals. It was a lot of fun though. This is definitely my favorite run.”

Skiers love Vermont

Professional skier Jonny Moseley was one of more than 200 athletes who came to Killington, Vt. for the four day championships. (photo courtesy of Tom Horrocks)

According to a Killington press release, Killington reported 34 inches of snow during a storm the previous weekend, increasing snow base for all of the events. Snow depths ended up ranging from eight to 15 feet.

Jeff Wintersteen, head coach of the U.S. National Ski team, says he was pleased with the conditions.

“We had outstanding events a year ago and Killington has done another great job getting the venues ready for some intense competition,” Wintersteen says. “This is a big deal, especially for athletes looking to make their way onto the National Team. It’s also a big deal for our coaches, who will get to see some development-level skiers they don't normally get to watch during the winter. This is a showcase for those kids.”

The location of the championships is close to home for members of the St. Michael’s ski team, but Mike Hayes, president of the ski and snowboard club says no St. Michael’s skiers competed in the freestyle championships. Instead, St. Michael's sent skiers to the Vermont Open, which took place the same weekend.

Overall, fans and athletes seemed to be impressed with Killington. Peterson’s aunt Cynthia Malley says she thought Bear Mountain was a great venue for the championships.

“I’ve never been to an event in Vermont before,” Malley says. “It’s very nice to be able to walk right up the mountain and see everything so close. It’s a long way to travel, but very worth it. The weather here is beautiful and so is the mountain.”