Ski and Snowboard Club Vail’s Big Mountain Team was at Squaw Valley Resort this past weekend for the second stop on the Junior Freeskiing World Tour.

Facing lower than normal snow levels like much of the country, event organizers ran all competitors twice in the qualifiers on Friday, March 9, and Saturday, March 10, anticipating a possible cancellation on Sunday due to a severe weather forecast.

The competitors faced two days of icy, hard packed mornings and soft, slushy afternoons. Saturday night’s freezing temperatures followed by high wind, blowing snow, and fog combined for a decision to cancel Sunday’s finals. As a result, the previous days’ two runs determined the final scores for the competition.

SSCV’s fifteen year-old Erik Hilb took seventh for the 15-18 year old boys with two consistent, technical runs on Squaw’s Enchanted Forest venue. Hilb received high scores for the creative approach to his line.

“Erik really stepped it up on both of his runs,” said Hilb’s coach Garrett Scahill.  “He was competing head to head with some of the best junior freeskiers in the country.”

Overcoming a fall on her first run, Anna Suszynski laid down her most aggressive run of the season to finish in the top 10 for the 15-18 girls.

SSCV’s Big Mountain Team heads to Grand Targhee, Wyoming March 16-18.