Reggie Crist & Aleisha Cline Win Skiercross
Snowbird, Utah -- After two days of unusually foggy weather, the Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Nationals Skiercross saw just enough clearing to run the competition Saturday at Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort. The women's time trials were graced with sunny skies and fast snow, but shortly into the men's trials, the fog thickened and socked in the semi-final rounds. It was not until the finals that the athletes and many spectators were able to truly enjoy the fast and furious competition which was taking place amidst the clouds.
The single-run timed trials, which seeds the athletes for the semi-final rounds, had ESPN X Games Gold Medalist Aleisha Cline of Whistler, BC Canada, Anik Demers of Squaw Valley, Vicki Bates of Snowbird leading the field of 6 women. Little changed for the women into the finals, as they held their trial placements through to the final round. In the men's division, Justin Glick of Silverthorne, CO had the fastest timed trial, followed by Enak Gavaggio of Savoie, France, Davie Barr of Whistler, Kaj Zackrisson of Rattuik, Sweden, and Kyle Darling of Snowbird.
The course was designed by Keith Phaler and Jason Webster, incorporating a series of motocross influenced jumps, burms, and whoops combined with gates. Four racers hit the course together--their keys to success are the infamous "hole shot", and consistent speed to break away from the other athletes and beat them to the bottom. The final obstacle of the course was a large "Subaru" table top jump where the athletes sailed over the automobile towards the finish line.