World Tour Stop # 3 Kirkwood, CA

Kirkwood was interesting to say the least. The conditions were not the most ideal for a big mountain competition but everyone skied really well and safe. Day One was 50 degrees and sunny and the venue got better as the day went on. I chose to run 18, which I thought was a good call so the conditions had a chance to soften a little. I picked a strait fall line run with four features, I was pretty happy with my run and ended the day tied for first with Karine. Being in first after the first day was great except I had to run last the next day and the weather was supposed to deteriorate as the day went on.
I inspected the next morning with my good friend and competitor Crystal-Rose Lee. We were both shocked with how bad the conditions were, I forgot to mention that we were skiing a permenately closed area called the Cirque. This is one of the most amazing venues on the tour if it had fresh snow and one of the worst without. I picked out a line that was steep and exposed and had very few airs, I was not really in to jumping onto hard pack. Two hours after waiting at the top it was finally my turn to go and they had moved the start down to a place I had not inspected. I was not sure where I was going but hoped I could find my way, just before I skied the weather came in and they sent me anyway. I could not see two feet in front of me but I just went for it and it seemed to work out okay. I am not sure how I was judged on the top half of my run but oh well I was ready to ski and be done with my run. Overall I had a solid run, nothing fancy, but was able to end up in second, which was still very exciting. My good friend Sonja Lercher won, which was awesome because she has worked so hard and had a great run. My second place helps me out for the overall and hopefully I can hold onto it if I ski solid in AK. I can't wait to go back to Alaska!

"7th TIME IS A CHARM" SNOWBIRD NATIONALS!

Finally I was able to put three runs together and it happened in one of the most amazing venues on the world tour in Snowbird, Ut. I went down to Snowbird for the the second stop on the world tour trying not to have any expectations, but really wanting to ski well. To make a long story short I won my first stop on the tour since I started two years ago! Words can not describe how excited I am to have finally finished in the top spot. I have been in first six times and have never been able to hold on to my position. I skied the first day on Silver Fox fluid and fast. I started out tied for second with Emily Teague and behind Leah Evans. We were only a one tenth of a point behind her and then it was completely stacked behind us. I knew I had to ski well on North Baldy to move up. I had an air at the bottom that made me so nervous I had not been that nervous in a long time. I was just nervous because the snow was very hard and fast. The first run I hooked a rock on my takeoff, but was able to hold onto it and land comfortably, but fast. I had moved into the lead by 4 points I could not believe it, I decided to ski the same line on my second run and try and point it a little higher so that I would flow over the rocks and not clip a rock. I definitely had more speed, but I can not describe how fun it was to be solid in the air and have a good run. I was flooded by all of my girlfriends congratulating me which made my win that much more special. I also ended up winning by ten points which was that much more amazing. I am pumped about Kirkwood which is coming up this weekend!

Crested Butte Freeride World Tour Stop # 1

Crested Butte is always a tough venue for me and always leave disliking the competition. This year I tried to have a better attitude and go into it knowing that I am a strong skier and I should be able to ski all the venues on the tour. Day one was in a place called Dead End and Body Bag. These runs are two really steep cliffed areas that are very rocky especially on the bottom half. I picked out a line in Body Bag and felt pretty good about my line. I convinced myself that I could ski this steep chute and do some strong hop turns, I definitely excel more when I am able to do wide open fast turns. I had a pretty strong run except I sat my butt down on one of my hop turns when the snow fell away underneath my skis. I was docked pretty hard for my butt down, but was only two points out of first. I knew I still had a chance at the podium if I skied strong the next day.
The finals were held in The Hourglass a permanently closed area that is only skied when our competition comes to the Butte or if people poach the area. It has only been used four times in the past 18 years so the ski patrol love to be able to let us use the venue. I was able to compete in the Hourglass last year and it definitely got the best of me so I had a little different approach this year. I decided to ski a place called Bed Bath and Beyond, which is full of pillows and steep shots. The problem with Hourglass is that it is not open so it does not get skied and therefore is very sugary and has no base. This makes it hard to ski fluid or fast, I picked out a line that had a few pillows and then moved into a mandatory air at the bottom of the venue.
I started fourth which was a good start position and just told myself to slow down so that my tips would not dig in and I would not fall over due to the variable conditions. I had one of the best runs I have ever had in Crested Butte and was stoked with my run, I moved from 9th place up to 1st. They decided only to take three of us up for the Superfinal run due to the large point spread between third and fourth place. I knew all I had to do was stay on my feet and I could have won my first world tour event. I watched the other two girls ski and heard their scores. I decided to stick with my same line because I knew the line well. The only problem with skiing my same line was that the snow had changed a lot since my first run. My fourth turn into my run my tips dug into the bad snow and I fell over. This fall obviously cost me my placing, but i ended up third which is still a good start to the season and also my best result I have ever had in the Butte.