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Crabtree on Podium at Snowbird Freeskiing Competition

J Dogg — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:55:53 -0400

Rating

Whistler shredder and Doglotion favourite Brett Crabtree has earned another podium for the season. Not on top like Crested Butte, but hey, he had to give someone else a chance. Here's what went down at Snowbird...

After an extraordinarily exciting day of skiing, Jaclyn Passo of Squaw Valley, CA, wins the women’s title and Dylan Crossman takes first in the stacked international men’s division, as the 11th Annual Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Nationals concluded today on North Baldy at Snowbird Ski Resort, Utah.

The women’s field represented one of the deepest talent pools in Subaru U.S. Freeskiing National’s 11-year history. Sitting in seventh place going into the super final rounds this afternoon, Jaclyn Passo of Squaw Valley, California, had nearly four points to make up in order to reach the podium. Judges rewarded Passo for sending it off the same big double-stager that many of the men looked to as an exit out of the amphitheatre, catapulting her into first place with a total score of 104.44. Crystal Wright of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, moved from fifth to finish second overall with 103.13 points, and last year’s winner Jess McMillan of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, rounded out the podium with 115.13 points.

“I got so close to a win at Squaw after leading the first day, but I went for too big off a jump on day two,” said women’s winner Jaclyn Passo. “At Crested Butte, the same scenario unfolded, so it’s pretty sweet to finally see this come together. I wasn’t planning on going to Alyeska, Alaska, for the tour finals, but now I may have to.” said Passo.

The men’s super final rounds were simply incredible today as less than 12 points separated all 18 competitors who advanced. Current Freeskiing World Tour points leader Brett Crabtree of Whistler, B.C., tightened the grip on his points lead, pioneering a new line and dropping a cliff which no other competitor attempted, placing third overall with 115.13 points. With less than a point separating Kevin O’Meara of Squaw Valley, California, from first position, the title seemed like it could be his for the taking. O’Meara’s smooth spread eagle off Blonde Rock and technical double drop near the finish appeared to be enough to take the lead, but there was still one man left at the start line. Although he was on alpine gear, the five-time telemark champion of the Crested Butte Extremes, Dylan Crossman, had an incredible and hesitation-free super final run, which earned him the second highest scoring run of the competition. Combined with the highest scoring run of the day, which also went to Crossman earlier today, Crossman solidified his victory with123.28 total points. Kevin O’Meara finished second with119.50 points.

“I knew I had to pull out all the stops, there was nothing to lose in the super finals, so I just went for it,” said the 2008 Subaru US Freeskiing Nationals men’s champion Dylan Crossman.

As always, spectators enjoyed watching freeskiing’s elite battle it out for the Tobias Lee Memorial Sickbird buckle award. The Sickbird award is presented to the competitor with the most spirited competition run, often involving super-human talent and agility. This week’s Sickbird buckle was awarded to Jaclyn Passo, whose aggressive super final run earned this huge honor, which has rarely been won by a female competitor.

The North Face Young Gun Award returns in 2008, honoring outstanding new talent in competitive freeskiing. Points accumulated throughout the season will crown one deserving under-21-year-old a full sponsorship from The North Face and the honor of becoming the next Young Gun winner. This stop’s winner was 18-year-old Brayden Brassey of Park City, Utah, who finished 5th overall.

The Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Series and Freeskiing World Tour wraps up at The Subaru Freeskiing World Championships at Alyeska, AK, April 9-13, 2008. Past tour stops include the Subaru Telluride Freeskiing Open, the Subaru Squaw Valley U.S.A Freeskiing Open, the Jackson Hole Freeskiing Open, the Subaru US Extreme Freeskiing Championships at Crested Butte, CO.

MSI presented a live webcast of the Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Nationals from Snowbird, both Friday and Saturday. Be sure to visit the newly redesigned and recently launched www.usfreeskiing.com, which features state of the art video and photo player technology. The daily uploads of video, photos, news and results of each day’s competition action will be available after each day concludes.

View FINAL RESULTS>>>

For more information log onto www.usfreeskiing.com

Crabtree and Ashton Win Crested Butte Competition

J Dogg — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 21:16:26 -0500

Rating

Whistler ruled it in Crested Butte this week. Whistler shredders and Doglotion friends Brett Crabtree and Jen Ashton both won the competition! Yeeeeeehooooo. Nicely done guys, way to send it. Here is the update from MSI...

For only the fourth time in the 17-year history of the Subaru U.S. Extreme Freeskiing Championships (USEFC), Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) allowed competitors to take full advantage of the record-breaking snowfall. CBMR Pro Patrollers dropped the ropes on the (usually off limits) vertical, cliff-strewn ‘Big Hourglass’ venue to today’s finalists and super finalists.

Jen Ashton of Whistler, BC, showcased her classic powerhouse form through the finals and super finals to dominate the women’s field. This approach kept her on the top of the women’s podium with a final score of 93.00. Colby Adams of Breckenridge, CO, finished second with 89.00 points, and Hannah Whitney of Alta, UT rounded out the podium with 79.25 points.

“I was really nervous this morning,” Ashton reflected. “I tried to keep my focus on how fun this was going to be, not how daunting the course was…there are so many exposures on this venue, from huge rocks to tree roots, not to mention how outright steep it is. I just tried to put the demons out of my mind and focus on keeping it fun.”

With CBMR’s natural amphitheater at the base of the venue packed with roaring spectators, the men’s field got underway with finals action that included 30 of the best in the world putting it all on the line.

Coming into today’s finals in the hot seat, Dane Tudor of Red Mountain, BC, gave no slack on his lead, flawlessly skiing through a chain of waterfall leaps, before blowing the crowd away with a massive launch across ‘Gary’s Gap’, a terrain feature never before successfully landed in competition. Hot on his heels, the world class field of athletes pushed each other to the limit, skiing seemingly impossible lines with aggressiveness and style.

“This is just simply unbelievable skiing, there is no other way to put it,” exclaimed Eric “H” Baumm, USEFC Event Director. “The bar just keeps getting raised higher with these guys, and to have this much snow to work with just means they keep going bigger and better every run.”

The super finals kept everyone’s eyes glued skyward as the exclusive group of 10 final men’s competitors took center stage. Today’s undisputed Sick Bird Award winner, Kiffor Berg (Aspen, CO) sent a shockwave through the crowd in his Super Finals run, after lining up to an 80+ foot drop, smirking at his skis, and dropping in for the long flight, skiing away to the delight of every witness.

Ultimately, it was Brett Crabtree of Whistler, BC’s clean skiing and perfect landings which earned him one of the most coveted titles in freeskiing, taking the title with 112 points. Cliff Bennett of Snowbird, UT, claimed second place with 110.99 points, and Dane Tudor of Whistler, BC, finished third with 110.75 points

“I just kept it straight-up,” said Crabtree. “I wanted to stick my landings with no room for second-guessing. I felt so solid all day, just on it.”

The North Face Young Gun award, which rewards a single under 21-year-old competitor who shined throughout the competition, was awarded twice at the 2008 USEFC. The first went to Dane Tudor with the second going to Colby Adams, both only 18 years old, and both taking second place respectively.

Nancy Elrod of Squaw Valley, CA, took top honors in the women’s Masters category with 66.58 points, followed by Michelle Keener of Big Sky, MT, in second with 62.15, and Teri Siebert of Vail, CO, in third with 44.48 points. The men’s Masters was led by Scott Kennett of Telluride, CO, with 83.83 points, Marc Schllhorn of Crested Butte, CO, in second with 77.5, and Tim Naylor of Taos, NM, in third with 70.33 total points.

MSI will broadcast same-day video webcast starting at 7pm MST tonight on the newly redesigned and recently launched www.usfreeskiing.com which features state of the art video and photo player technology. The daily uploads of video, photos, news and results of each day’s competition action will be available after each day concludes.

Final results>>>

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CB Final Results.pdf	55.62 KB