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April 23, 2019

CBMST Takes Tops Spots at Freeride NORAMs – Finals Video

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The competitive junior freeride season wrapped up in Kicking Horse, British Columbia last week at the IFSA North American Junior Freeride Championships. Ten percent of the overall field is invited to crown the finals’ winners and overall champions. After a hard-fought season earning points to get invited, the CBMST sent 11 athletes up to champs, represented by: Jon Clay Patterson, Austin Obourn, Avery Bernholtz, Kye Matlock, Marko Alling, Owen Berv, Holden Bradford, Dagan Schwartz, Gus Bullock, Ella Haverkampf, and Rowan Featherman. Coaches Will Dujardin, Grant Spear, Matt Evans, and Josh Gallen, joined the athletes and a whole troop of parents on the journey north to the Canadian Rockies.

Above Photo: Kye Matlock on top of the 15-18 Ski Male Podium with Jon Clay Patterson in 3rd.
All Photos: IFSA/Chris Saito
Finals Video at Bottom of Page

Dagan Schwartz airing it out on Day 1.

Dagan Schwartz airing it out on Day 1.

Kicking Horse has become a hotbed for freeride in recent years with the Freeride World Tour stop and the famous Wrangle the Chute 4-star FWQ event. While there were certainly spring conditions around the mountain and some greybird weather coming in and out, the north facing venues held snow really well throughout the comp. Rowan Featherman opened up the CBMST action with a fast run on day 1, but the light might have been the flattest all week when he was going and he washed out on his landing, not making the finals but finishing 43rd overall on the season.

 

Ella Haverkampf on her bottom air Day 1.

Ella Haverkampf on her bottom air Day 1.

In the older athletes divisions the next day, Austin Obourn kicked things off with a fast and fluid run down the venue despite a nagging ankle injury. The ankle kept her off some features and she was unable to make the cut amongst the top 25 in the USA and Canada, but finished 14th overall on the season in 15-18 ski female. Ella Haverkampf and Avery Bernholtz were hungry and stomped big lines to put themselves in 4th and 2nd, respectively, going into finals.

 

Jon Clay Patterson spotting the 3 on Day 1.

Jon Clay Patterson spotting the 3 on Day 1.

Over on the male side, Jon Clay Patterson absolutely lit up the venue with one of the biggest airs mid-venue and a sweet 3 up top to finish in 1st on the day out of the 53 best junior male skiers in North America. Kye Matlock put down a solid run with a 3 for 12th, 2.5 points behind JC. Marko Alling laced a fast run to finish in 20th on the day and Owen Berv linked together some good features to sneak into the finals in 26th. Gus Bullock put down a strong run with a 3 but just missed the cut amidst the stiff competition, finishing in 32nd at the event and 40th overall on the year. Unfortunately, Holden Bradford crashed on his top air but brought the spirit up amongst the whole event doing almost 50 jump turns, a couple worm turns, and a twister-twister-spread at the bottom.

 

Marko Alling going big in Finals.

Marko Alling going big in Finals.

Dagan Schwartz put down a creative run down the looker’s left of the venue that put him into 2nd going into the finals out of 10 15-18 snowboard male athletes. He took that momentum into the finals on Whitewall, putting down the highest-scoring line but having his control and technique docked a little on his run out, finishing in 3rd place at the event and therefore 3rd overall on an impressive season.

 

The Whitewall venue hadn’t been used in competition before due to weather and light, but played host to an awesome final for these ripping junior athletes. Ella Haverkampf was in the midst of a great run but missed a transition on her 2nd to last air, splatting for 11th, but taking 10th overall on her first season in 15-18 female ski. Avery Bernholtz put down the fastest run of the day straightlining a chute; she scored the 2nd highest on the day, but in cumulative scoring sometimes 2+2=1, and Avery took home 1st place at the event, CBMST’s first NORAMs title in 15-18 female ski, catapulting her to 2nd place overall on the year.

 

Kye Matlock 3ing high on the venue on his way to victory in finals.

Kye Matlock 3ing high on the venue on his way to victory in finals.

Not to be left out of taking a title home, the boys opened up some sweet lines down Whitewall. Owen Berv went large on the skier’s left of the venue but was a little too forward, punchfronting his landing, finishing in 23rd at the event and 31st on the season. Marko Alling put together a good run, taking a little less juice into the same air as Owen and landing it, finishing in 16th at the event and 21st on the season. Jon Clay Patterson was sitting in 1st going into finals, put down a really smooth run with a huge 3 at the bottom, finishing in 3rd at the event and 7th on the season, capping off a junior career consisting of 1 NORAMs title and overall championship two years ago and countless podiums and victories. But the day belonged to Kye Matlock; he was sitting in 12th going into the finals and absolutely greased the most creative line of the day with two big 3s. Kye finished in 1st for the event, CBMST’s 2nd NORAMs title in 15-18 ski male in 3 years, and moved up to 2nd overall for the season.

 

However, the most prestigious award at the event may be the Flyin’ Ryan Hawks award. It is given to the athlete that best represents what freeride is all about, being able to shred, support their teammates and fellow competitors, and carry the spirit of Ryan Hawks, an athlete that unfortunately passed at a Freeride World Tour event in Kirkwood in 2011. Holden Bradford had been lighting up the season with multiple podiums and the victory at Grand Targhee; after his crash at the top of the venue on Day 1, he showed he is here for fun with his aforementioned hop turns and such. Despite crashing and being bumped down in the overall rankings to 15th after the event, the judges and event organizers decided to give Holden the Flyin’ Ryan Hawks Award for his infectious attitude and passion for the sport.

FINALS VIDEO:

Dagan Schwartz: 3:00:08, Ella Haverkampf: 3:34:45, Avery Bernholtz: 3:41:33, Owen Berv: 3:55:12, Marko Alling: 4:09:12, Kye Matlock: 4:31:42, Jon Clay Patterson: 5:01:30



About the Author

2. Will Dujardin
Will Dujardin is our content editor at West Elk Project. He competes in big mountain competitions and coaches the Crested Butte Mountain Sports Team. Skiing is his life and he likes to mix it with other fun things like DH mountain biking and traveling.




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