Locals shining during freestyle Nor-Am tour
Since mid-February, many Ski & Snowboard Club Vail freestyle athletes have been traveling throughout North America earning top podium spots in the Nor-Am circuit. The last two weekends, Ski & Snowboard Club Vail freestyle skiers performed with high caliber finishes in both mogul and dual moguls first at the Calgary (Alberta) Olympic Park and then in Park City, Utah.
Ski & Snowboard Club Vail’s Tess Johnson and Ski & Snowboard Club Vail alumna Heidi Kloser placed first and second, respectively, in women’s moguls in Park City. The club’s men also topped the podium with Emerson Smith in first and Casey Andringa second in men’s moguls on Saturday. In the next day’s dual event, Kaitlyn Harrell earned a second-place finish while Casey Andringa placed second and Emerson Smith fourth.
One week earlier, at Calgary Olympic Park, Johnson took third and Andringa second in moguls. Hunter Bailey was fourth in the men’s moguls event. In dual moguls, Smith and Bailey again dominated the competition with a first- and third-place finish respectively, while Johnson won the women’s event.
With such strong finishes in both competitions, it comes as no surprise that Ski & Snowboard Club Vail athletes are leading the Nor-Am circuit’s overall point standings. Smith currently sits in first place for the men with Andringa in second and Bailey in fifth, while Johnson leads the women’s rankings with Kloser in sixth and Harrell in eighth.
“We could not have asked for a better February performance from our skiers,” freestyle program director John Dowling said. “It’s been great to see our skiers on the top of the podium and leading the ranking. It bodes well for the season’s grand prix.”
The freestyle Nor-Am circuit continues this weekend in Val Saint Come, Quebec. The championships for qualifying athletes are March 4-6 in Killington, Vermont. The Nor-Am tour winners are named to the U.S. Freestyle Team and the top juniors on the Nor-Am tour will be named to the U.S. Junior World Team to compete in Are, Sweden, in April.