SUBARU JACKSON HOLE FREESKIING OPEN: Griffin Post and Jess McMillan come out on top
SUBARU JACKSON HOLE FREESKIING OPEN: Griffin Post and Jess McMillan come out on top
Eben Wight/MSI and Keith Carlsen/MSI
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In the final run of the women’s competition Whitney attempted the same double-drop which had scored so well the previous run, but was unable to pull it together and crashed, costing her to slide from first position to fourth overall. Hannah Horigan’s consistent smooth style and aggressive skiing pushed her just ahead of Crystal Wright who tumbled at the bottom of her final competition run. Recent U.S. Freeskiing Nationals Champion Jess McMillan rounded out the Jackson Hole podium sweep with a very fast, hesitation-free run which won her the title of Subaru Jackson Hole Freeskiing Open women’s champion.
"It feels awesome to win at home," said women’s champion Jess McMillan. "My whole family is here, all my friends and we had a Jackson sweep which is almost better than me winning alone."
As always, spectators enjoyed watching freeskiing’s elite battle it out for the Tobias Lee Memorial Sickbird buckle award. The Sickbird award, named for the final Sickbird winner of 2006 who passed away in an avalanche just weeks later, is presented to the competitor with the most spirited competition run, often involving super-human talent and agility. This weekend’s Sickbird buckle was awarded to Adrien Coirier of Les Arcs, France, who was nominated for all three runs of the competition for his incredible antics.
"I wasn’t expecting to win the Sickbird this year," said second place overall finisher and winner of the Tobias Lee Memorial Sickbird award Adrien Coirier. "It’s almost more important for me to win the buckle than to win the event. I knew Tobias and he was such a good guy and took such good care of me over here last year. I miss him on the tour. I gave him my run today."
The North Face Young Gun Award returns in 2007, honoring outstanding new talent in competitive freeskiing. Points accumulated throughout the season will crown one lucky 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 Young Gun overall front runner Brady Smedsrud of Red Lodge, MT.
The Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Series tour wraps up in a weeks time at the Subaru North American Freeskiing Championships at Kirkwood, CA, March 26-April 1. Past tour stops the Subaru Telluride Freeskiing Open at Telluride, CO, the Subaru Squaw Valley U.S.A Freeskiing Open at Squaw Valley U.S.A, CA, and the Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Nationals at Snowbird Ski Resort, UT.
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