US Ski & Snowboard Association Freeski Comps at Golden Peak

 SSCV Athletes Dominate the Podium at Sunday’s USSA Skier Slopestyle Competition

It was difficult to predict what Golden Peak’s newly opened 22’ halfpipe would have in store for the United States Ski & Snowboard Association (USSA) Halfpipe Skier competitors this past Saturday after over a foot of fresh powder fell for the 36 hours preceding the event.  But the sun broke through, the temperatures rose to the high 20’s and a crew of relentless slippers made it all happen, providing a great venue for athletes ages 7 & up.  Sunday’s weather was not as cooperative for the slopestyle portion of this USSA event, allowing only one of the two slopestyle events to take place, as heavy snow and wind hampered the visibility and conditions for the second Sunday competition.

Notwithstanding Sunday’s weather, Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (SSCV) athletes dominated the podium in slopestyle with a first place finish from Kailyn Forsberg for the women and Duke Yarde for the men, with Aaron Milligan and Jake Wenn of SSCV taking 3^rd and 5^th, respectively.

Topping the podium in both skier halfpipe competitions on Saturday were Winter Park’s Hallee Ray  for the women and Steamboat Springs’ Lennon Vaughan for the men.

USSA Rocky Mountain Division freeski competitions are a great way for younger Colorado based athletes to compete against top athletes of all ages in the region under a single scoring criteria.  This competition series is a pathway for athletes ages 7 -18 to qualify for Junior Nationals where they will be competing against the best 18 and under freeskiers in the country.

Pete O’Brien, Ski & Snowboard Club Vail Freeski Coach shared, “It is great to see these young athletes like Aaron Milligan, Duke Yarde, Bobby Sonntag and Matt P’ng from our team place in the top 5 in a field that includes athletes a few years their senior.  It is quite a confidence builder to have our athletes compete at home in their first USSA pipe and slopestyle comp of the year with hopes of making it to Junior Nationals in Park City in March.”

The full podium line-up for both days is below:

Saturday Halfpipe Competitions

#1-Men’s Halfpipe

1^st-Lennon Vaughan

2^nd-Birk Irving

3^rd-Matthew P’ng

4^th-Cas Sheridan

5^th-Felix Coudouy

#2-Men’s Halfpipe

1^st-Lennon Vaughan

2^nd-Birk Irving

3^rd-Gage Carr

4^th-Bobby Sonntag

5ht-Cas Sheridan

#1-Women’s Halfpipe

1^st-Hallee Ray

2^nd-Svea Irving

3^rd-Carson Campisi

4^th-Ren Bittner

5^th-Keily Forsberg

#2-Women’s Halfpipe

1^st-Hallee Ray

2^nd-Svea Irving

3^rd-Ren Bittner

4^th-Carson Campisi

5^th-Kailyn Forsberg

Sunday Slopestyle Competition

Men’s Slopestyle

1^st-Duke Yarde

2^nd-Lennon Vaughan

3^rd-Aaron Milligan

4^th-Cody Ray

5^th-Jake Wenn

Women’s Slopestyle Competition

1^st-Kailyn Forsberg

2^nd-Hallee Ray