Grand Targhee IFSA Junior Freeskiing Results
In the midst of swirling spin drift and bluebird skies beyond Grand Targhee Resort hosted our 2011 IFSA Junior Freeride Competition, with over 140 skiers ages 12 to 17 competing for freeskiing glory. Held on the steep, cliff laden ridge of Peaked Mountain, the event drew skiers from around the west including: Alaska, Utah, Colorado, Montana, Washington, and California, as well as
several competitors from Alta, WY.
View Event Results and Scoring See the entire Event Images at Powder Day Photography's lightroom:
Day 1 Women /
Day 1 Men or
Day 2 Finals Women /
Day 2 Finals Men
View Full IFSA Tour Standing
Matt Evans, Perry Martin, Casey Rose and Jessica Sterrett were crowned Champions at the 2011 Grand Targhee Junior Freeskiing Open at Grand Targhee Resort, Wyoming.
From the Junior Freeskiing World Tour-Grand Targhee, Wyoming (March 20, 2011) Sixty seven junior competitors battled it out on the final day venue; Bobcat Face, as the 4th annual Grand Targhee Junior Freeskiing Open, the third stop of the 2011 Junior Freeskiing Tour concluded on Sunday at Grand Targhee Resort. The Bobcat Face served as a perfect venue for today’s competition and provided fresh wind-blown snow conditions on top of steep, exposed, technical terrain for our 15-17 year-old finals and 12-14 year-old super finals.
The Girls 15-17 year-old started of the day with 10 girls advancing from the Day 1 competition on Reliable Face. Finishing in second place on day one, Perry Martin of the AltaBird Freeride Team, took the victory with a fast, fluid run highlighting her outstanding polished skiing technique with an overall score of 55.37. Close on her tails was her teammate from the AltaBird Freeride Team, Tasha Heilweil finishing in second place with a total score of 55.13. Sally Steeves, of the Red Mountain Freeskiing Academy rounded out the podium in third place with a two-run score of 54.97.
The Boys 15-17 year-old category was next to drop as 32 boys moved on from Day 1, one of the most generous cuts we have seen so far this year on the Junior Freeskiing Tour. Despite being 15-17 years old, these athletes skied far and beyond their ages, performing some of the best runs of the whole competition. Crested Butte Mountain Sports Team’s, Matt Evans walked away with the victory after skiing a fast fall-line run to a 20-30 foot mandatory air displaying textbook technique on Bobcat Face. His Day 2 Final run score of 36.90 combined with his powerful fluid skiing on Reliable Face on Day 1 (34.07) gave him a combined total score and the top finish with a 70.97. Zach Halverson of Girdwood, Alaska finished second with a score of 70.83, and Ian Borgeson of Team Summit finished third with a 70.23.
“The talent showcased by these young athletes is mind-blowing time and time again. They ski with such polished technique, style and confidence. The are truly the driving force and future of the Big Mountain Freeskiing..” said Junior Freeskiing Tour announcer, Max Kuszaj.
On the 12-14 year-old Girls side of the competition, seven athletes advanced into today’s Super Final on Bobcat Face. Continuing her overall Junior Freeskiing Tour domination, champion from the first two JFT stops at Crested Butte, Colorado and Crystal Mountain, Washington, AltaBird Freeride Team’s, Jessica Sterrett walked away with the top honors once again with cumulative score of 83.17. Squaw Valley Freeride Team’s, Isabella Gold took the second place spot with a total score of 77.17. And rounding out the girls podium was Squaw Valley Freeride Team’s, Erica Backhus with a combined score of 76.97.
And finishing up the day of competition, the 12-14 year-old Boys hit the Bobcat venue for their super final. The Alta/Bird Freeride Team swept the podium with the top three finishing athletes. Salt Lake City’s, Casey Rose, finished in second place after his runs on Day 1 with a total score of 61.50. Casey kicked off his super finals run on Day 2 with a sizable air up top, into nice fluid, aggressive turns, capping off his run and the overall victory with a Lincoln Loop on the “Rock Chuck” air at the bottom scoring a 32.10. That combined with his Day 1 scores totaled a 93.60 for the top spot. Following was the 12-14 year-old boys champion from Crystal Mountain, Washington, Grant Howard with a 3-run score of 93.43. And rounding out the podium after the super finals was Salt Lake City’s, Seth Klein. Klein was in 4th place after day one with a 2-run score of 61.43, and moved onto the podium with his third run score of 30.43 making a cumulative score of 91.87.
“After 4 years of this event being held here at Grand Targhee, the athletes step it up time and time again and continue to find new and different lines on Bobcat and Reliable Face. This Junior Freeskiing competition is always a season highlight for us up here at Grand Targhee Resort.” stated Andy Williams Event Director for Grand Targhee Resort.
The Blizzard/Tecnica Free Mountain Award, which rewards the athlete who displays the best on-hill/off-hill leadership, sportsman-like attitude, and overall spirit of the Junior Freeskiing Tour, was presented to Girdwood, Alaska’s, Zach Halverson.
Halverson received a pair of Blizzard skis of his choice and a pair of Tecnica boots and now is in the running for the overall Free Mountain award, which is a sponsorship for the 2012 season with Blizzard/Tecnica.
The next stop of the 2011 Junior Freeskiing finds itself in Kirkwood, California next weekend, March 25-27 and then to Snowbird, Utah for the Junior Freeskiing Tour Championships on April 7-10, 2011.