Romain Maitre And Jessica Baker Claim Snowbird Big Mountain Titles
Snowbird, UT-The sun came out at Snowbird Resort for the final day of big mountain competition at the Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Nationals World Tour sponsored by The North Face, Atomic, Snowbird Resort, Amstel Light, Powder Magazine, and Dakine. Ten women and twenty-six men skied North Baldy's 30 inches of fresh powder on a bluebird day en route to World Tour points. After everyone got a run on North Baldy, the field was narrowed to six women and 13 men for a Super Final.
Jackson Hole, WY's Jessica Baker stomped impressive airs on aggressive lines for the women's win. Jackson took a second podium, as Kit DeLauriers' smooth skiing earned her second place. Squaw Valley's Ingrid Backstrom showed her technical prowess early, but a crash in the Super Final kept her from the top of the podium-she finished third.
The men's Super Final lived up to its name, seeing some of the biggest cliff hucks of the week. France's Romain Maitre's incredibly smooth, fast, technical line ended with the huck that landed him on top of the podium, and also snagging the Sickbird Award. Head judge Michael Beaudry commented, "In seven years of judging freeskiing, this was the most incredible line I have ever seen." Manu Gaidet also of France gained wows from the crowd and his creative lines and solid airs, finishing second. Snowbird's own Ben Wheeler skied one of the best runs of his career for third.
Ingrid Backstrom and Manu Gaidet continue to lead in overall 2004 World Tour points.
The U.S. Skiercross Nationals commence Saturday morning at 10:00am with qualifying runs followed by heated runs at noon. The 2004 Subaru U.S. Skiercross Nationals is a 2005 Winter X Games qualifying event and is the first stop of the 2004 US Skiercross series. In addition, $500 prize for the best male and best female skier, who competes in both the IFSA World Tour big mountain event, and the skiercross at the Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Nationals. Skiercross is a racing discipline in which multiple skiers race simultaneously over a course made of obstacles similar to those found in motocross courses like table tops, banked turns, rollers, and step-up or step-down jumps. Recognizing that racers make excellent big mountain skiers, and that pro big mountain skiers excel at racing as well, Mountain Sports International began hosting skiercross races in conjunction with big mountain competitions in 2002.