On Friday, March 9, Ski & Snowboard Club Vail’s Hunter Bailey worked his way through a very competitive field of some of the best mogul skiers in the country to reach the podium in second place for the J2 men, and 7th overall.

Bailey, last years J3 Junior National champion, reached the podium on Friday as a first year J2; he is just 15 years old.  This bodes very well for Bailey to have another year of competing in this age group for next season.

“I am very proud of Bailey for his performance,” said coach Mike Friedberg.  “This is the first time he has qualified for the finals at this level.  He showed a lot of composure throughout the competition, and it’s exciting that he did this well for his first season in this age group.”

With his podium finish, Bailey qualified for the U.S. Ski Team’s Young Guns program.  This program, for up and coming freestyle skiers, and a pipeline for athletes with potential to make the U.S. team, gives Bailey the opportunity to work with former members of the U.S. Freestyle Team for one week in June at the U.S. Ski Team’s center of excellence in Park City.

Also representing SSCV at the Freestyle Junior Nationals was Erin Coyne and Adam Jones.  Coyne missed the mogul finals on Friday by one spot.

“Coyne skied at a high level during this competition,” Friedberg said.  “And for Jones to make it to this national event is a very big accomplishment.”