AltaBird Freeride Dominates Again, Competitors Ski Powder in the last IFSA National Series Event of the Season before Revelstoke
Photos: Will Dujardin
It doesn’t always happen that you get to ski powder in your comp run, but it seems to happen more often then not at Grand Targhee. The Crested Butte Mountain Sports Team headed up to Wydaho last Wednesday with powder and national series points on the mind. Matt Evans, Josie Byron, and Brittany Barefield went up with CBMST Freeride Coach Will Dujardin and found 9″ Thursday morning and 12″ on Friday. This made for great freeskiing and a soft venue for the weekend where some competitors excelled and others were attacked by snow snakes and powder.
Seth Klein on his way to victory with athletes awaiting at the bottom.
Two years ago, Matt Evans won the Grand Targhee junior event in his first year in the Mens 15-18 division. This year, another 15 year-old took the crown. Seth Klein of AltaBird Freeride, sitting in 1st after Day 1, padded his lead by sending the entire bottom portion of the venue and throwing a huge back flip off of the Rock Chuck variant through the trees. Matt Evans was 7th after Day 1, he was able to move up to 2nd skiing his winning line from 2 years ago. Matt stomped a flat 3 off of Rock Chuck, that helped him earn the junior version of the Sickbird award, which incorporates spirit and sportsmanship with the wow-factor of big mountain skiing. After awards, Matt Evans looked over at Grant Howard of AltaBird, “How did you not win this, dude?” They all laughed. In the finals, Grant spun a 3 off the second part of a double with a perfect landing straight into a Lincoln loop off of Rock Chuck, so we all couldn’t help but agree with Matt. But that showcases the camaraderie shared by these young athletes and that friendship is what this sport is really all about. Grant Howard finished in 3rd, and it’s all smiles on the podium.
Women 15-18 Podium: 1. Jess Sterrett 2. Tasha Heilweil 3. Annika Winans
AltaBird carried their domination into the Women’s 15-18 field with Jess Sterrett and Tasha Heilweil taking 1st and 2nd, respectively. These girls ripped lines with big airs throughout the competition. Jess Sterrett was nominated for the Sickbird award and Tasha Heilweil impressed everyone with her high-speed runout of the finals venue. Annika Winans of Truckee, CA held on to 3rd place after super strong skiing put her 2nd on Day 1. The CBMST women had a rough Day 1, Brittany Barefield crashed after catching a rock in powder and Josie Byron couldn’t stick her last air after a very fluid run.
Boys 12-14 Podium: 1. Ross Tester 2. Kevin Nichols 3. Nigel Zeigler (not pictured)
Ross Tester of the Squaw Valley Big Mountain Team beat out Kevin Nichols of Ski Club Vail for 1st place in the Boys 12-14 division while Olivia Askew of AltaBird topped the podium on the girls side. Jane Nall of the Squaw Valley Big Mountain Team took 2nd moving up from 6th with an awesome air at the bottom of the venue that would have held it’s own against the older girls and boys.
Girls 12-14 Podium: 1. Olivia Askew 2. Jane Nall 3. Annika Heilweil
Overall, this was one of the better Junior events in recent memory, there was serious fun had by all competitors with good judging, a great venue, and awesome snow. Many thanks to Andy Williams and Grand Targhee for putting on such fantastic event. The CBMST will be back next year!
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