JACKSON FINALS: Tyson Bolduc, Carrie Jo Chernoff take first prize
"This competition has some of the best skiers out here showcasing the sport we do," said Jackson's Jason Anthony. He was psyched to grab third place. He blew out his knee six years ago and this was his first contest since. "Don't call it a comeback," he said, "it's just skiing." Lots of flashy skiing like the stuff Anthony threw went down during the last two days of the Jackson Hole Freeskiing Open Presented by Subaru.
"This is bottom-line hometown, no bullshit locals and competitors going and crushing it," said MSI event organizer and announcer John "Dak" Williams.
The sun-baked slushy snow conditions in Casper Bowl didn't prevent the competitors from having fun and putting on a show for the spectators. Forty-two skiers – 30 men and 12 women – competed in the SECOND DAY of competition at sunny Jackson Hole Mountain Resort for the final round.
The field was cut to 12 men and four women for the super final, or one more chance to flash a line to impress the judges. Athletes were vying for a $7,500 prize purse and a shot at the overall four-stop Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Series Title.
"It was amazing skiing," said head judge Jim Jack, "talented, controlled, technical and very bold."
In the men's field, Vail's Tyson Bolduc, wearing his signature bright green jacket and white pants, won the competition by a huge 9-point margin. He flashed a line in the super finals that utilized the entire venue and clinched the win. He skied technically strong onto a pillow drop, moving onto the top of a 50-foot rock ridge, goating to the edge and front flipping into the slush below.
"It was really not skiing," said an excited Bolduc. "It was acrobatics."
After a tough season, he couldn't believe it.
"I'm a crasher," Bolduc said, "it's good to be on my feet."
Both Drew Tabke of Alta, and Anthony smoked a couple of lines that included numerous big airs and smooth, fast skiing to clinch the second and third place honors.
Subaru Telluride Freeskiing Open champion Carrie Jo Chernoff from Crested Butte eked out Jackson's Lynsey Dyer by four-tenths of a point to win the championship. She took a gutsy line down a rock band in the venue's central chute and hucked off a 20 footer.
"At that point," she said about being in the super final, "it's all about having fun with it, second, third whatever, you want to ski a line that is challenging and fun … you've got to send it." Dyer nearly missed her run because her warm-up was stomping a 50-foot cliff in the ski area's backcountry for a Teton Gravity Research film sequence. "I did it," she whispered after her run, still beaming and wearing her avy beacon.
Crystal Wright, sitting in first place going into the final day, crashed while skiing into an icy chute (before the sun turned it to slop) riddled with frozen snow boulders in the run out. She dropped to last place. Jessica Baker smoked a flashy line through technical features to take third place in her first contest since blowing out her knee at the national championships in Kirkwood last year. Jackson's Justus Meyer almost took out three photographers when he sent it off a behemoth cliff and was awarded the sick bird award for the craziest, biggest stunts of the contest. "I can't believe it," he said, "just don't tell my parents."
CLICK HERE FOR DAY 1 RESULTS, PHOTOS
Women
1. Carrie Jo Chernoff, Crested Butte, 80.4
2. Lynsey Dyer, Jackson, 80
3. Jessica Baker, Jackson, 79.2
4. Lynn Kennen, Alpine Meadows, 71.4
Men
1. Tyson Bolduc, Vail, 114.2
2. Drew Tabke, Alta, 105.8
3. Jason Anthony, Jackson, 100.6
4. Craig Garbiel, Kirkwood, 99.8
5. Justin Modroo, Red Lodge, 99.8