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The Beaver Creek Babes of Prey synchronized skiing team used four solid runs at the Aspen World Synchro Championships Thursday to take second place overall.
ASPEN - They may have been skiing in Aspen, but the Beaver Creek men's demo team and the Beaver Creek Babes of Prey looked right at home.
The men's demo team won the World Synchro Championships Thursday in Apsen, while the Babes of Prey team took second overall and first among women's teams.
"It was unreal," said A.J. Jones of the men's team. "Pretty much everyone there said (our two teams) were setting the tone for the day."
After two out of four runs, the men's team sat in first and the women's team sat in second.
"We aimed to be in the top three," said Babes of Prey captain Ginny Creek. "We were doing so much more than we had in the past. It would have been nice to be first, but that's the best team to place second against."
Last year, the Babes of Prey took fifth while the men's team took third. The men's team won the event for the third time in four years, but this was the first win for the Babes of Prey.
The men's demo team won the World Synchro Championships Thursday in Apsen, while the Babes of Prey team took second overall and first among women's teams.
"It was unreal," said A.J. Jones of the men's team. "Pretty much everyone there said (our two teams) were setting the tone for the day."
After two out of four runs, the men's team sat in first and the women's team sat in second.
"We aimed to be in the top three," said Babes of Prey captain Ginny Creek. "We were doing so much more than we had in the past. It would have been nice to be first, but that's the best team to place second against."
Last year, the Babes of Prey took fifth while the men's team took third. The men's team won the event for the third time in four years, but this was the first win for the Babes of Prey.
"They've been working really hard, and they've really changed their style of skiing from when they started," Jones said.
Both teams have logged hours on the hill when they can squeeze them in before or after work.
"They are on the hill at 7 a.m. three days a week, do a few all-day training sessions throughout the winter and a few nights at Keystone," said Babes of Prey coach Chris Doyle.
Synchronized skiing with eight people requires coordination, so the teams didn't just jump into their routines at the start of the season.
"We do walk-throughs to realize where we are going to be so we don't crash into each other," Jones said.
A fine art
Being able to ski at a high technical level is only one part of the skill set needed to be on a championship team.
"A lot is skiing together and being aware of how the other girls ski so it's predictable, and they know what they are going to do and how they are going to move," Doyle said.
Jones thinks staying mentally prepared is more difficult than the actual physical movements.
Both teams have logged hours on the hill when they can squeeze them in before or after work.
"They are on the hill at 7 a.m. three days a week, do a few all-day training sessions throughout the winter and a few nights at Keystone," said Babes of Prey coach Chris Doyle.
Synchronized skiing with eight people requires coordination, so the teams didn't just jump into their routines at the start of the season.
"We do walk-throughs to realize where we are going to be so we don't crash into each other," Jones said.
A fine art
Being able to ski at a high technical level is only one part of the skill set needed to be on a championship team.
"A lot is skiing together and being aware of how the other girls ski so it's predictable, and they know what they are going to do and how they are going to move," Doyle said.
Jones thinks staying mentally prepared is more difficult than the actual physical movements.
"The hardest thing is to ski your count in your head. You are counting and trying to visually look down the hill to stay in synch with who your leader is. You are using visual skills and thinking," Jones said.
And with some of their routines, it's no wonder mental sharpness is key.
In a typical formation, two lines of four skiers separate into two boxes or diamonds, then return back into lines. There are multiple variations of lines and formations the skiers can use to thread together a program during a 20 to 25-second run.
"Synchronized skiing is exciting to watch. You're watching people close together moving really quickly," Creek said.
Doyle said the skiers can reach speeds of 40-45 mph while making medium-size turns.
All together
Each team in Aspen had to do four passes of different routines, with one compulsory routine of ski school figures.
Six judges rate the passes based on synchronicity, ski technique, degree of difficulty and overall appearance.
And with some of their routines, it's no wonder mental sharpness is key.
In a typical formation, two lines of four skiers separate into two boxes or diamonds, then return back into lines. There are multiple variations of lines and formations the skiers can use to thread together a program during a 20 to 25-second run.
"Synchronized skiing is exciting to watch. You're watching people close together moving really quickly," Creek said.
Doyle said the skiers can reach speeds of 40-45 mph while making medium-size turns.
All together
Each team in Aspen had to do four passes of different routines, with one compulsory routine of ski school figures.
Six judges rate the passes based on synchronicity, ski technique, degree of difficulty and overall appearance.
"It goes on their first impression of what they see," Creek said. "There are certain deductions. When you stop, you want to be in a perfect line. If you aren't, (the deductions) add up."
On its final pass, the men's team tried a new, gutsy routine, for which it was justly rewarded.
"We started off all eight together, did some medium turns, then four went over to a jump," Jones said.
The four headed to the jump staggered, with one skier hitting the 20-foot tabletop, then two at once, then the fourth skier, all of them doing mute grabs. Meanwhile, the other four skied in a rotating box, which Jones said was the more technically difficult routine.
"It's really hard because you are constantly adjusting your speed while maintaining synchronicity," Jones said. "It looked really cool."
Both teams hope to head to Europe next year to compete in a larger field with more international teams. Last year the men's team placed seventh out of 53 teams at the St. Moritz, Switzerland, Synchronized Championships, while the Babes of Prey placed 13th.
Sports Writer Ian Cropp can be reached at 949-0555, ext. 14631, or icropp@vaildaily.com.
Vail, Colorado
On its final pass, the men's team tried a new, gutsy routine, for which it was justly rewarded.
"We started off all eight together, did some medium turns, then four went over to a jump," Jones said.
The four headed to the jump staggered, with one skier hitting the 20-foot tabletop, then two at once, then the fourth skier, all of them doing mute grabs. Meanwhile, the other four skied in a rotating box, which Jones said was the more technically difficult routine.
"It's really hard because you are constantly adjusting your speed while maintaining synchronicity," Jones said. "It looked really cool."
Both teams hope to head to Europe next year to compete in a larger field with more international teams. Last year the men's team placed seventh out of 53 teams at the St. Moritz, Switzerland, Synchronized Championships, while the Babes of Prey placed 13th.
Sports Writer Ian Cropp can be reached at 949-0555, ext. 14631, or icropp@vaildaily.com.
Vail, Colorado
