April 3rd Crystal IFSA Jr Comp

Silver King Junior Freeskiing Championships are on this weekend at Crystal. Nearly 100 Jr rippers, 2 groups, 13-15 and 16-17 are stoked for the King on Sunday. Qualifier starts tomorrow (Sat the 3rd) on Elk chutes. Great spectator view, music and announcing etc etc. The same judges that do the Suburu Freesking World Tour are on hand, Jim Jack, Johnny Manwaring and Eric Schmidt. Local coaches Wayne Greevey and Kieth Rollins have nearly 20 athletes entered. This is the final stop of the year with the tour championship at stake. Athletes are judged on choice of line, fluidity, technical skill, agressivity and control. Should be some great performances with the new snow and pillow landings. The line of Skittle Rippers chugging to the top of Elk Bowl to inspect the venue this afternoon was simply colorful. Must be nice to climb with young knees!. From B-lot I remain old but still slow.

Go cheer on oftpiste jr. tomorrow! I can't be there due to other kids racing at Stevens so he needs some extra stoke. See you there Sunday. Nice to see you back Wally. A bunch of us were wondering where the #$%^& you were the other day.

I'll bet those kids are pumped! 19"+ within the last 24-hours just in time for comp day! Have fun out there!

See you on CH 6 Sunday. Good luck to little Oft Piste. I'll have the binoculars out, watching and cheering and bumping chairs.

Congrats to Philip oftpiste ! Made it into the finals ! Tough crowd on Elk chutes today. Way to go.

Thanks for all the stoke Bandit, Wally and all. Yesterday was brutally cold for the kids up on top of the king, but some good skiing was done.

One Utah kid, a terrific skier and 16 year old who has sumitted Everest and many other significant climbs (including a bunch of Colorado 14ers by the time he was 7!), missed chair 6 before it closed and actually bootpacked from the bottom of Powder Bowl to the top of the king in order to make his start. Shouldda received the sickbird for that IMHO.

Good event, always a learning experience.