U.S. Ski Team News - Freestyle

Roberts Gears Up For 2010

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (June 16) - Having missed his first season ever due to a knee injury, World Champion moguls skier Nate Roberts (Park City, UT) is more than ready to get back in action. He is grateful for the state-of-the-art equipment and superior training offered in the USSA's new Center of Excellence.

Roberts injured his right knee during the first World Cup of the 2009 season in Mirabel, France in December. He remembers, "I overshot the landing onto the flats," resulting in what was originally a simple bone bruise. U.S. Ski Team's Dr. Vernon Cooley confirmed that it was in fact a more serious knee injury involving damaged cartilage, and subsequently performed micro-fracture surgery.

On the road to full recovery, Roberts is proud to have graduated from physical therapy, and anxious to get back into shape.

"Mentally, it always sucks to miss a year. I haven't missed an event in six years, so missing a whole season last year was tough," Roberts said. "I just want to get in shape, get focused, and go to the Olympics."

Including water workouts for his knee, Roberts has started an aggressive summer training regime at the Center of Excellence, which he considers to be "the best facility in the world."

Training five days a week and focusing on building his knee strength, upper body, and overall fitness, Roberts is determined to "get back into tip-top shape, be prepared for our summer camp in Chile, and then fall camps," and ultimately, "to peak in February."

While working toward the Vancouver Olympics, Roberts maintains a positive attitude by taking it one step at a time, concentrating on "remembering the big picture, and not looking too far ahead," and that in the end, February is his principle goal.

Roberts is optimistic about the success of the team going into next season. He sees the "young and talented" athletes as healthy assets to the team, as the older athletes help to "guide those guys to where they need to be."

Looking back at the 2006 Olympics, Roberts highlights how much the team has grown and become a solid group of professional athletes.

"We're a team. We compete individually, but we have that chemistry where it's not going to be guys rooting against each other," Roberts said. Thanks to this revived team spirit, Roberts foresees success in the 2010 Olympic events.

If he continues his tough training routine and upholds a day-by-day mindset, Roberts feels confident that next season will not be another missed opportunity.

"Just missing a year motivates me for the upcoming season," Roberts said.

With his summer schedule well underway, he is simply "excited to get to work and go win a medal."

Ski Cross Hits the Course in Hood

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 MST

Mt. HOOD, OR (June 15) - With a course constructed down Mt. Hood's main run, the U.S. Freestyle Ski Cross Team is meeting up with U.S. Snowboarding's SBX crew Monday to get in on the on-snow action and build their terrain skills for the 2010 season.

"The goals for the camp are to progress what we worked on at Mammoth and take that in to the ski cross terrain," U.S. Ski Cross Head Coach Tyler Shepherd said. "The SBX crew went up before us and we definitely wanted to get on the features that are similar to what Jeff Ihaksi, the Olympic course builder, builds so that we can start training on that, especially the starts."

The course Ihaksi built for the Olympic test events last season included a difficult start feature known as a Wu-tang which is found immediately outside the start gate and requires athletes to drop into a W-shaped series of dips.

"Getting time on the Wu-tang, which is as similar as possible to what we'll see at the Olympics, is important so the athletes can figure out what will work best," Shepherd said. "For skiers, it's a unique feature we don't see at all that eliminates the skating and polling. If we can go into the Olympics with a good amount of time through those features, we'll have a better shot at being able to perform well.

"To get more time and repetition through those features and being able to mimic that in Hood right now is invaluable."

For X Games gold medalist Daron Rahlves (Sugar Bowl, CA) getting time on snow as well as dialing in new equipment is going to be crucial for him at Hood.

"I'm getting some new Atomic boots, so I'm going to use those and dial them in. I'm also going to focus in on starts and work on specific terrain skills," Rahlves said. "I'm pretty much going to put all my time into skiing."

According to Shepherd, the athletes will also have time to work on their fitness programs off snow and possibly fit in a few activities unique to the Hood area.

"The guys will continue to work out under their training programs," Shepherd said. "I'm sure we'll also do some fun activities, like head down to Hood River and go wind surfing."

While Rahlves is looking forward to some activities off snow, he says that being on the terrain and putting himself in head to head racing situations will be the most important goal for him at the camp.

"I'm going to be packing days full of skiing. I like to do these camps and get the most out of them. With the terrain we have we'll get some great training," Rahlves said. "Also, hopefully we'll get some head to head training. We've got to try and get the intensity up every time we can. We ski around each other so much and it's good to get comfortable head to head."

The Team will remain in Hood for over a week before returning to summer workouts off snow.

"We're looking forward to going back to Hood. None of us has been there in a while and we can reacquaint ourselves with the mountain while we get back on snow," Shepherd said.

Champion Q&A: Patrick Deneen

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 MST

One year after being named the FIS World Cup Rookie of the Year, Patrick Deneen (Cle Elum, WA) took the freestyle moguls world by storm when he won gold at the 2009 World Freestyle Championships in moguls. Now with a landmark season wrapped up, Deneen reflects on what his win meant to him and how he's shifted his focus to the 2010 year.

You're back at home in Washington now. How are things there and what have you been up to?
I'm just hanging out at home, which is nice because I just got back from spending the last month in Colorado where I was training and coaching some kids. So, it's good to be back in Washington and be home with the dogs and the horses.

Will you be spending your whole summer in Washington or are you ramping up your training schedule elsewhere?
I am planning on spending a lot of my summer in Washington. It's great because I am so close to Mt. Hood and with this time of year also being the time I do physical training, for me, this is the best type of training environment - in Washington and with my family on the ranch.

You might be a World Champion now, but when you head back to the ranch does a long list of chores wait for you?
I'm gone so often that my mom pretty much has it covered. But, when I am here I do normal chores like mowing the lawn and feeding horses. Luckily this time of year the grass is getting long, so I don't have to do a whole lot of feeding.

When you won your gold at Worlds, things were a whirlwind for you. Now that the dust has had a chance to settle, how do you reflect on what you accomplished?
The World Championship medal really means a lot to me. When you're skiing at the biggest event, and for me having everything come together at the right moment, it's a real special time.

What have you done with your gold medal?
Right now I keep it in a cupboard in my living room. If I'm sitting down watching television I'll have a quick look at it. My mom plans on framing it with my bib.

With such a great season behind you, how do you plan out your training this summer as you look ahead for future success?
I really focus on my skiing, the task at hand and small goals that I can do. If I just keep moving down that path my skiing will work and the results will come.

Do you have any additional thoughts as you look ahead to the 2010 season?
I'm really excited for next season. All of us just really love to compete. It's such a short ski season and we don't get that many competitions to ski in, so I'm looking forward to getting in there and starting to compete again. I know it's only June, but it seems like it's coming up so fast.

Puckett Channels Alpine Speed in Mammoth

Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 MST

MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN, CA (May 22) - Casey Puckett (Aspen, CO) began his assault on the ski cross training season this week as he headed to Mammoth Mountain to train alongside the U.S. Alpine Ski Team and pick up the speed he needs to take him through 2010.

"In ski cross it's still really important to ski fast, so I'm basically getting in touch with my inner alpine skier," Puckett said.

The former alpine racer is accompanied by U.S. Ski Cross Head coach Tyler Shepherd, who believes tuning in on the crossover tactics of ski cross will enable Puckett to compete at his best this season.

"The nature of ski cross, it is an alpine discipline and there's still a lot of alpine fundamentals that cross over," Shepherd said. "One of the most basic skills are the turns from GS. The sport has gotten so competitive that if you're not making aggressive turns and generating speed, you can't make it into the event. This will help him be more confident going into those qualifications that he can nail the turns really well."

According to Shepherd, being able to train with the men's speed crew is a perfect fit because all of the athletes have the same goals.

"Being here with the men's alpine crew has been really good," Shepherd said. "We're here to work on the fundamentals and they're here doing the exact same thing. We're here to do what we need to do, to figure out what Casey needs in his skiing and work on that."

For Puckett, outside of perfecting his turns, his main focus is to work on the speed he feels he was lacking in 2009.

"Working on the basics will help because going fast is of paramount importance," Puckett said. "I slowed down a little last year for whatever reason and it's important to have that speed, so here I am in Mammoth."

For Shepherd, while being with the alpine team is a great fit, being at Mammoth has provided he and Puckett with invaluable resources as well.

"Mammoth has been wonderful. A lot of their race crew has been up here helping the Team and there's nothing that they don't do for us," Shepherd said. "They built a ramp so we could put a ski cross start gate in and work on that. They've been nothing but helpful and always asking what they can do."

Puckett and Shepherd will remain at Mammoth through the weekend before returning to dryland training through the summer.

"There's been really good GS progression and a lot of interesting things in Casey's skiing that he's learning he needs to work on. This will be good for him headed into the training season," Shepherd said.

Ski cross will reunite in Mt. Hood, OR, in early June for more on snow training.

Deer Valley Prepared For 2011 Worlds

Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 MST

CAVTAT-DUBROVNIK, Croatia (May 22) – Utah's Deer Valley Resort continued its preparations for the 2011 FIS Freestyle Ski World Championships with a presentation of its draft schedule to the International Ski Federation's Freestyle Committee. The meetings were a part of the annual FIS Calendar Conference in Cavtat, near Dubrovnik, Croatia. It will mark the second time that Deer Valley has held the major international event.

A provisional event schedule for the Feb. 2-5, 2011 World Championships was accepted and will now go to the governing FIS Council in June for its final approval.

Since being named as the host by the FIS in 2006, Deer Valley has continued to hold an annual World Cup, including special test events for two of the newer freestyle disciplines of ski cross and halfpipe. A year ago, Deer Valley held a test in ski cross down its Solid Muldoon run. American Casey Puckett (Aspen, CO) finished second. Ski cross will make its Olympic debut in Vancouver next February.

Deer Valley partnered with Park City Mountain Resort to hold a skier halfpipe event last January as a part of its annual World Cup. While not yet an Olympic event, ski halfpipe and ski cross have both been conducted in the FIS World Championships. American Jen Hudak (Park City, UT) took bronze at this year's World Championships in Japan.

"Deer Valley is proud to be the host of the World Championships a second time," said Deer Valley Events Manager Carrie Budding. "We feel very close to the freestyle community through our annual World Cup events and it's an honor to be hosting this event."

While Deer Valley is the host, it is partnering with Park City Mountain Resort for the halfpipe event. Aerials and moguls events will be at Deer Valley on the Olympic courses, along with ski cross on Solid Muldoon. The skier halfpipe event will be at the site of the 2002 Olympic snowboarding superpipe.

"Deer Valley is the premiere stop on the FIS World Cup for freestyle skiing. Combining with Park City Mountain Resort in 2011 only will elevate this status," said Chief of Competition Konrad Rotermund. "Our experienced team of volunteers that have supported so many local events, give us great confidence that we can continue to push to achieve our best."

Deer Valley is also partnering with Park City community, with support from the Park City Chamber/Bureau and the Utah Sports Commission.

"Deer Valley has become a real favorite of athletes and team officials from around the world," said U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Vice President, Events, Calum Clark. "The Teams had a great Championships in Japan this past season and are now looking forward to returning to Deer Valley in less than two years."

The full event will span from Sunday, Jan. 30 through Sunday, Feb. 6. Competitions are scheduled Wednesday through Saturday, Feb. 2-5 with a mix of daytime and night finals.

The U.S. Ski Team had a strong World Championships in Inawashiro, Japan this past season. In addition to Hudak's bronze in the halfpipe, Patrick Deneen (Cle Elum, WA) won gold in moguls while aerialist Ryan St. Onge (Winter Park, CO) also won. World Cup moguls champion Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT) took bronze in dual moguls.

Deer Valley will play host to an important Olympic qualifying World Cup this January before the U.S. Ski Team heads to Vancouver for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Moguls Athletes Train In San Diego

Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 MST

SAN DIEGO, CA (May 22) - Life's not exactly a beach for the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team moguls athletes who are stationed in San Diego this week for one of the most intense training camps of their season.

"We came down here to get our skiers out of their element in the mountains," U.S. Moguls Head Coach Scott Rawles said. "We've been doing beach workouts every day. We try to keep everyone moving. We have stuff going on from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., so it's fairly grueling, really intense and it's a good way to get our prep season kicked off."

Among the athletes at the camp are World Championship bronze medalist Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT) and 2002 Olympic silver medalist Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA).

"We're basically getting whipped into shape. We're learning some technique in the gym, we're doing core workouts, we're running on the track and then we're doing workouts at the beach that involve running in and out of the water with and without surfboards," Kearney said. "I'm not exactly what you'd call a beach person, but it's a really good way to mix up the training and get a good tan at the same time."

For Bahrke, a California native, training in her home state is a great way to get back into the swing of things.

"This is our first camp and we're really trying to get back into it. We've been doing a lot of different things," Bahrke said. "I'm a Cali girl, so I love being down here. It's beautiful, the sun is shining and it's a really good vibe down here."

The camp involves some of the most intense training the athletes will endure throughout their season. The intensity serves as a foundation for the athletes remaining in consistently good shape as they gear up for 2010.

"Every day I fall asleep within two seconds of my head hitting my pillow. Everything we've been doing is really hard. There have been no easy workouts," Bahrke said.

"In a lot of ways this is a little unorthodox compared to what we usually do, but I think that's one of the main reasons we do it," Rawles added. "It's good to get the athletes into different situations that they might not have been in before because in our sport we're always dealing with different situations so this helps them prepare for that."

Athletes who live away from the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association's Center of Excellence training facility and the supervision of the Team's trainer will be able to take the workout plans and fundamental skills they developed in San Diego and use them from their homes across the U.S.

"Living in Vermont I don't get to work with Alex [Moore, Team trainer] very often except for over the Internet. It's really good getting some face time. He makes us work harder than we would alone. It's a really good way to start the off season," Kearney said.

The moguls athletes will remain in San Diego through the weekend before returning to their personal training schedules.

Cook Promotes Playing In Jordan

Tue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 MST

While she spends most of her time flipping through the air and winning World Cup competitions, U.S. Freestyle Ski Team aerialist Emily Cook (Belmont, MA) reserved a few weeks in April to travel across the globe and teach people about something she believes is very important - playing.

Cook spent part of her spring in Jordan working with teachers and coaches on implementing programs that encourage youth engaging in sports via the Right to Play program.

"It was an opportunity for us to learn from them and for them to learn from us," Cook said. "We did two full days of master classes where we sat down in a room and led a full day session of the life skills that we've learned through sport and how they can deliver those life skills to the kids they are working with."

In Jordan, Cook worked with youth leaders to develop structures for and encouragement of childhood athletic involvement for children who may not have otherwise been able to experience sport in their youth.

"It was totally overwhelming. There were kids who have been in refugee camps and who are former soldiers and who have never had the opportunity to play before," Cook said. "These kids, who have been so devastated by the conflict surrounding them, are learning to be confident, to include and those are some of the greatest gifts we can give."

For Cook, one of the most important things a child can spend time doing is participating in sport because of the developmental lessons it provides youth.

"For children who don't have the opportunity to play, they really miss some of the key factors of development," Cook said. "Through sport you learn to work together, to cooperate, to be confident, be strong, healthy living skills, positive conflict resolution and kids learn to function in the real world."

The group was also able to do a school visit. Seeing the outcome of the workshops she was involved in, Cook said she was moved to by impact that Right to Play programs can have on a community.

"The school visits were the most inspiring part because we actually got to see the results of what they're doing and also of what we did in the master classes," Cook said. "I think having the opportunity to interact so much with the coaches and teachers, the difference it has made is going to be lasting. Instead of going and talking to one group of kids at a school, we're able to make a bigger difference by giving the tools to the teachers."

At the school visit, Cook was also able to participate in the practices she is striving to teach children.

"We didn't have the opportunity to communicate with them because of the language barrier, but we were playing volleyball, and even though we couldn't use words, we were communicating perfectly and that's a great thing to show them - how to work together with people who are different from them," Cook said.

In the end, Cook was able to help children in Jordan get out and play, but, as far as she is concerned, the work is far from being done.

"It was an incredible opportunity and something that I think should be implemented around the world, whether through a structured organization like Right to Play, or just through parents encouraging their kids to go outside and play with their friends," Cook said.

For more info on Right to Play visit www.righttoplay.com.

Champion Q&A Ryan St. Onge

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MST

With two World Cup wins and a World Championship gold medal, Ryan St. Onge had a season that any athlete would envy. What does one do after they have one of the most successful seasons of their career? They pack a car and head South looking for warmer temperatures.

Where are you right now and what are you doing?
I had no plans after the season finished at nationals. I wanted to go someplace warm and sunny so I got in my car and started driving south. I got to the Grand Canyon and realized it still wasn’t warm enough, so I jumped a flight to Southeast Asia. I’ve been enjoying the sun, the beach, the food and time off for almost two weeks. But, I’m getting antsy to get back and start training.

Looking back on your season - in which you won a couple World Cups and a World Championship gold medal - what is your most memorable moment and why?
I keep track of time by the jumps I remember. This season I remember my last training jump before the contest in Deer Valley. I was doing a trick that I hadn’t done in three years. After the training jump was over, my coaches came to congratulation me. Many of the Deer Valley hill crew, coaches from other teams, my competitors, and event officials all gave me congratulations. When it came time for the competition jump, it was the best jump of the day and I won the event. When I think about this season I’ll forget just about everything else, but I will always remember three moments: finishing my twists perfectly in the first flip, thinking that I had the perfect rotation for the jump, and looking down at the landing knowing that I was going to stick that jump.

Where do you keep the medal from World Championships?
I put my World Championship medal with the rest of my trophies and medals, packed in some old clothes bag in a storage unit. I have a hard enough time as it is staying level headed, I don’t need a bunch of awards hanging around reminding me how good I am. I’d throw them all out if it wouldn’t upset my mother, but she says I'll want them some day. I have never cared as much about what I’ve won as what I have done to win.

When you're not on the road and not traveling to exotic places, what do you do with your spare time?
I sleep. It’s my favorite thing to do in the entire world. I was naturally inclined towards sleeping as a young man, maybe almost bordering on the genius level. My sleep IQ was well over 170. But, like so many talented young children I let my ability slip by the wayside. I am just beginning to get back what I had, but I’ll never sleep the way I used to.

Did you know Lindsey Vonn designs her own speed suits? Well, she does. If you could design your own competition uniform, what would you be wearing as you huck yourself off aerial jumps?
I have always placed function over form. I am interested in finding things that work, and I don’t pay much attention to how they look. However, I find that things designed entirely for functionality are usually the most beautiful and transporting things I have ever seen.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grow up?
I suppose if I did not get involved in skiing I would most likely be an investment banker. Then after that I would like to teach tenth grade English.

What can we look forward to seeing out of you this coming season?
My hopes are to keep doing what I am doing, but just a little bit better. My major projects are completed, but there’s still a lot of work to be done assimilating new way of doing old things.

Four Named to Ski Hall of Fame

Sat, 4 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (April 4) – Four legendary skiing athletes were inducted Saturday into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in ceremonies at Deer Valley Resort in Park City. Olympic freestyle medalists Liz McIntyre (Granby, CO) and Nelson Carmichael (Steamboat Springs, CO), along with ski mountaineering legend Bill Briggs (Jackson Hole, WY) and two-time alpine Olympian Cary Adgate (Boyne Falls, MI) were honored as members of the Hall of Fame's class of 2008.

PHOTO: Inductees show off their medals including Nelson Carmichael, Bill Briggs, Liz McIntyre and Cary Adgate. (USSA)

Carmichael and McIntyre made history during freestyle skiing's debut Olympic period, with Carmichael taking moguls bronze in 1992 and McIntyre silver in 1994. The Olympic medalists will be recognized alongside Adgate, a six-time U.S. champion, and Briggs, who has a collection of famous first descents to his name.

"Recognition by the Hall of Fame is a great personal honor for each of these four athletes who have made outstanding contributions to their sport," said U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Bill Marolt. "Nelson Carmichael's bronze medal in the new sport of freestyle moguls in 1992 was an historic achievement. And while Liz McIntyre is most known for her 1994 Olympic silver, one of her most significant contributions in recent years was as an influential coach of a host of Olympic and World Championship medalists."

McIntyre's career spanned 20 years with the U.S. Ski Team, first as an athlete on the freestyle moguls squad from 1986-98, then as the moguls technical coach until retiring in 2006.

As an athlete, the culmination of McIntyre's career came during the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer where she led the qualifying round and went on to take the silver medal. With an athletic career filled with accolades, McIntyre also stood on top of the World Cup podium four times (all in Tignes, France) and earned 18 other World Cup top tens, and competed in three Olympics - 1992, '94 and '98.

McIntyre put that experience to good use as U.S. Ski Team moguls technical coach. She coached Olympic medalists Shannon Bahrke, Toby Dawson, and Travis Mayer. In 2003, her athletes Bahrke and Travis Cabral swept the World Cup titles. She coached from the heart, challenging the athletes with fresh ideas and new training methods, and dedicated herself to getting the most out of them. She led athletes into a new era in the sport when inverted maneuvers were approved for competition after 2002.

Carmichael, a Steamboat Springs native, jumped into a spot on the U.S. Ski Team straight out of high school in 1984. He struggled during his first couple of seasons, but by 1988 found his stride and won the World Cup mogul championship. In 1989 he repeated his World Cup title and then set his sights on the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, France, where he won bronze when freestyle debuted as a sport in the Olympics. During his career with the U.S. Ski Team, he also won six U.S. Championships and 12 World Cup events.

After the Olympics Carmichael continued his successful ski career, winning several professional tours and, after retiring from competition, established himself with Steamboat Ski Resort.

Adgate was a Midwesterner who made his first race turns on Boyne Mountain in Michigan. In 1971 he won the U.S. Junior National Championship at age 17. He joined the U.S. Ski Team in 1973 and in that year won the Can-Am Overall Championship, the Can-Am GS Championship and the Roch Cup downhill/overall championship. He earned the U.S. Alpine Championship title in slalom or combined six times, and was a member of the U.S. Olympic team in 1976 and '80.

Adgate turned to professional skiing in 1981, competing in Bob Beattie's World Pro Skiing Tour. He became the only skier to win back-to-back races in his pro debut, going on to win 25 professional victories and the 1984 U.S. Pro Championships.

In 2005 he won three U.S. Masters Championship events and was named Ski Racing Magazine's 2005 Master Racer of the Year. He currently is Boyne USA Resorts' Snowsports Ambassador and mentors several racing programs.

Briggs was a pioneer first-descent skier and is considered a leader of American ski mountaineering. He started his professional ski career as a fully certified instructor in 1955 and founded the Bill Brigg's Ski School at Suicide Six Ski Area near Woodstock, VT in 1958.

With three companions, he made the first 100-mile traverse from the Bugaboos to Rogers Pass, BC in 1958. He made a series of first-ski-descents from Mount Rainer in 1961, Middle and South Teton in 1967, Mount Moran in 1968 and, most famously, the Grand Teton in 1971.

He founded the Great American Ski School, which models his own ski teaching ideology and technique. His system established the Certainty Training Method (CTM) for ski instructors and he still holds the position of director at the Snow King Ski School in Jackson, WY.

The induction was held at Deer Valley Resort's Silver Lake Lodge and was emceed by freestyle skiing legend and Hall of Famer Trace Worthington. According to Hall of Fame President and CEO Tom West, a formal enshrinement ceremony will be held in September at the Hall of Fame in Ishpeming, MI.

"We're especially proud that the Hall of Fame selected our hometown for its induction," said Marolt. "Our organization began over a century ago in the Hall's home of Ishpeming, Michigan under the leadership of Carl Tellefsen. We've come a long ways in those hundred years and are excited to introduce a home of future Hall of Famers with the opening of our Center of Excellence training and education center here next month."

The U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame's Class of 2008 was selected by an independent selection committee of ski professionals, historians, and writers chaired by Paul Bousquet and voted on by a national panel. Any interested individuals are welcome to make nominations through the Hall's selection process.

The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum, located in the birthplace of organized skiing of Ishpeming, MI, is dedicated to honoring America's skiing and snowboarding professionals, pioneers and athletes. The museum houses one of the largest collections of skis and snow sport related memorabilia in the United States.

The induction was jointly organized by the U.S. Hall of Fame, along with the local Alf Engen Ski Museum Foundation, Deer Valley Resort, and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association.

Multimedia
Audio of Inductee Presentation
Photography of Induction Ceremony

Championships on Versus

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (March 31) - U.S. athletes from across the nation were in top form last weekend as they fought for the honor of being best in the U.S. during the Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships in Squaw Valley, CA, and the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships in Alyeska, AK. Versus, one of America's leading action sports networks, will bring the action to ski fans in April.

Packed with moguls and skier halfpipe action, the 2009 Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships from Squaw Valley will air April 4 beginning at 4 p.m. ET with the Nature Valley Freestyle Challenge dual moguls competition, and then continuing at 5 p.m. ET with the skier halfpipe and individual moguls events. The best national athletes, including World Cup champion Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT), Olympic medalist Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA) and 2009 moguls and dual moguls champion Michael Morse (Duxbury, MA) will all be on hand and fighting for the top of the podium.

World Cup overall winner Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) and Olympic gold medalist Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) are among the athletes who will compete as the speed and precision of the 2009 Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships from Alyeska Resort airs April 11. Downhill and slalom races will be featured on the show, which starts at 4 p.m. ET.

Fans are invited to tune in to see all the action during the first half of April on Versus. You can also follow the latest broadcast updates on twitter.com/usskiteam.

2009 Versus April TV Schedule:

April 4:
Nature Valley Freestyle Challenge (Dual Moguls) - 4:00 p.m. ET on Versus
Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships (moguls and skier halfpipe) - 5:00 p.m. on Versus

April 11:
Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships (downhill and slalom) - 4:00 p.m. on Versus

Bahrke, Kashima Take Duals

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 00:00:00 MST

SQUAW VALLEY, CA (March 29) - Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA) and Sho Kashima (South Lake Tahoe, CA) put on a show for their hometown crowd Sunday as they wrapped up the 2009 Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships with wins in dual moguls.

"It was amazing. It's been such a long season and I just had no energy and to be able to pull that off and run after run ski really well was great," Bahrke said. "I skied this for my coach that passed away last year in a plane accident - Clay Beck. It was great to have his family here and I felt him with me the whole time. It was cool to do it for him and win the competition at home for him."

According to Bahrke, who marked her sixth U.S. title at Squaw, the level of competition at U.S. Championships made winning a battle to the end.

"I skied probably the four hardest duals I have skied all year. Every dual was very hard and they were all really close," Bahrke said. "It was great to have such a good field out here and have all the women ski well."

Following Bahrke was Emiko Torito (Denver) who said she enjoyed skiing against her best friend.

"I feel seriously competitive with her, but she's probably my best friend on the team. It's cool to be up against your friend, it's fierce," Torito said. "It was really good dual and it was a great day of competing. Squaw has been unreal. They know how to host an event."

Rounding out the podium was Michelle Roark (Denver) who, after winning the moguls title on Friday, was happy with having a successful weekend in Squaw.

"I had some super consistent and good runs," Roark said. "There was a little bit of a bobble in my run against Shannon, which put me into the small final. I felt good about how I skied and I'm happy with it."

In the men's competition Kashima, who last won a dual moguls title in 2007, said winning with his family and friends in the crowd was a great way to finish out the season.

"It was fun to ski well in front of my family and friends. It feels great. It's the last competition for us and it's good to end things off with a win and finish the season strong," Kashima said.

Joined by two of his teammates on the podium, Kashima was also impressed with the way the U.S. men competed, saying, "It was a good day for the U.S. men. They really let the dogs out."

Landon Gardner (Missoula, MT) finished second for his first time competing at Squaw Valley.

"I skied five runs today and was happy with most of them. Overall I skied great and it felt really good to finish the season strong," Gardner said. "Squaw valley was awesome. I have never been to an event here and everything was awesome."

Filling out the men's podium was Bryon Wilson (Butte, MT).

"I came into this gunning for it and just had a good weekend, so I am happy," Wilson said. "Skiing was awesome today. It was just an awesome weekend."

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2009 SPRINT U.S. FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Squaw Valley, CA - March 29, 2009
Dual Moguls

Men
1. Sho Kashima, South Lake Tahoe, CA
2. Landon Gardner, Missoula, MT
3. Bryon Wilson, Butte, MT
4. Jeremy Cota, Steamboat Springs, CO
5. Michael Morse, Duxbury, MA
6. Dave DiGravio, Farmington, ME
7. Reed Snyderman, Winchester, MA
9. Wade Parkinson, Ridgway, CO
10. Michael Degrandis, Solon, OH

Women
1. Shannon Bahrke, Tahoe City, CA
2. Emiko Torito, Denver
3. Michelle Roark, Denver
4. Eliza Outtrim, Steamboat Springs, CO
5. Heather McPhie, Park City, UT
6. Shelly Robertson, Reno, NV
7. KC Oakley, Piedmont, CA
8. Lane Stoltzner, Telluride, CO
9. Laurel Shanley, Squaw Valley, CA
10. Jillian Vogtli, Ellicotville, NY
# # #

For complete results click here.

Wise Wins Fourth U.S. Title

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 00:00:00 MST

SQUAW VALLEY, CA (March 28) - David Wise (Reno, NV) put it all on the line for the hometown crowd Saturday to win his fourth consecutive U.S. title in skier halfpipe at the 2009 Sprint Freestyle World Cup at Squaw Valley. Jess Cumming (Wilton, CT) took the women's win for her first U.S. title.

"I'm really excited. It definitely wasn't easy," Wise said. "It feels good to be the top skier in America for the fourth time."

According to Wise, who threw a left side 900, right side 900, 1260, alleyoop flatspin 360, switch rodeo 720 for the win, winning his fourth title all came down to his final run.

"I was in fourth place going into my second run of finals, so I knew that I really needed to send it. I did that and it worked out for me. I'm pretty excited," Wise said. "I was very excited about this event because it was a home town competition. The last time I competed here I didn't make finals so it was nice to finally be able to get some redemption from that. "

Following Wise was Walter Wood (Evergreen, CO) who put down a 360, left side 900 mute grab, rodeo cork 1080 tail grab, switch alleyoop 700 to finish in second place.

"I couldn't be happier. I was just hoping to do my best and everything worked out pretty well," Wood said. "This was my first time at Squaw Valley and I was surprised at how beautiful it is. It's great weather and there were great fans, so I had a blast."

Clayton Vila (Block Island, RI) rounded out the men's halfpipe podium in third.

For Cumming, who ran an alleyoop, 540 mute grab, straight air, 700 to win at only her second U.S. championships, winning was a great way to finish the season.

"This is really exciting. I've has a pretty good season so far. It's really exciting to have that title under my belt," Cumming said. "The people have been so great. This is actually where I learned to ski. It is pretty exciting to come back here and compete."

According to Cumming, being able to see the women in her sport progress was also something she was happy to be a part of at the event.

"You could see the level of the women's talent, which was really exciting. It's exciting to see the future of the sport at this event," Cumming said.

Devin Logan (West Dover, VT) followed Cumming to finish second on the podium and Brita Sigourney (Carmel, CA) was third.

The 2009 Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships wrap up Sunday with men's and women's dual moguls.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2009 SPRINT U.S. FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Squaw Valley, CA - March 28, 2009
Skier Halfpipe

Men
1. David Wise, Reno, NV, 48.3
2. Walter Wood, Evergreen, CO, 47.3
3. Clayton Villa, Block Island, RI, 44.9
4. Evan Schwartz, Weston, CT, 44.8
5. Evan Walls, Manchester, MA, 43.9
6. Christian Allen, Littleton, CO, 43.5
7. Michael Bochenek, Truckee, CA, 43.1
8. Tyler Peterson, Sandy, UT, 42.3 +4 (tie breaker)
9. Wing Ta Barrymore, Hailey, ID, 42.3 +1
10. Marshall Lacroix, Bondville, VT, 39.6

Women
1. Jess Cumming, Wilton, CT, 34.5
2. Devin Logan, West Dover, VT, 33.1
3. Brita Sigourney, Carmel, CA, 28.1
4. Sophia Schwartz, Ketchum, ID, 26.7
5. Hannah Doan, Lake Placid, NY, 23.9
6. Maddie Bowman, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 22.9
7. Charity Mersereau, Frisco, CO, 22.6
8. Annalisa Drew, Andover, MA, 21.6
9. Chloe Lee, Park City, UT, 20.0
10. Casey Craig, Fairfield, CT, 19.4
# # #

For complete results click here.

Wilson, Roark Take Moguls Titles

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 MST

SQUAW VALLEY, CA (March 27) - It was a day for new champions as Bryon Wilson (Butte, MT) and Michelle Roark (Denver) each won the first moguls U.S. title of their careers Friday as the 2009 Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships kicked off in Squaw Valley.

"It's an emotional win because I've been at this a long time and I have a lot of World Cup titles, but I've never won nationals in singles. It was just very overwhelming and very exciting for me," Roark said. "Squaw Valley, I have never been here, but they put on an amazing event and it was so much fun to ski the moguls on their course. It was real moguls skiing and it felt so good."

Roark threw her first backflip of the season off the top jump and a bronco off the bottom.

Roark's win was a close call in a tie breaker with teammate Hannah Kearney which factored in a judge by judge comparison of air and speed. According to the new champ, laying down a winning run was worth the wait.

"It was a really rough World Cup season and it just felt so good to some here and lay on a run," Roark said.

While Kearney was happy for Roark, losing in a tie breaker has made her hungry for a victory in duals later this weekend.

"I'm really happy for Michelle. She's never won a moguls title before. I'm proud of her for skiing well," Kearney said. "But, I tied for first and lost it in a tie breaker. It gives me some fire for dual moguls. I don't want to lose again and duals are a great way to get out your aggression, so I plan on bringing that forward."

Finishing third for the women was local legend Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA) who was happy to be competing in her hometown with friends and family watching.

"It was better than I could have expected. Everyone was out here cheering and the sun was shining and my coach who died last year was watching over me, so it was amazing," Bahrke said.

For Wilson, locking in his first U.S. championship title required letting go and giving the competition everything he had.

"It feels like nothing you can imagine. This whole season was kind of slow. I came into this event and I really wanted," Wilson said. "I was 12th in qualifying, so I just let it all hang out and it worked out."

Wilson threw a double full off the top jump and a cork 7 from the bottom to win the competition, and hopes that another title could be in the future for him.

"It's a confidence builder, for sure. I always knew I could do it. Today was the day," Wilson said. "Hopefully I can do a repeat in duals."

Following Wilson was 2008 U.S. champion Michael Morse (Duxbury, MA).

"I was excited that I skied pretty well. I really wanted to repeat, though," Morse said. "I laid down a pretty good run, but it probably wasn't my best, so I got second, which I'm happy with. I'm also happy for Bryon to win his first title."

Finishing things out in third was teammate Joe Discoe (Ridgway, CO) who was happy to finally find his rhythm.

"I just had one little mistake, which kept me off from being a little higher up on the podium, but getting third is great," Discoe said. "I finally found the skiing I was looking for and I was able to carry it through into this week and into this competition."

The 2009 Sprint U.S. Freestyle championships continue Saturday with skier halfpipe.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2009 SPRINT U.S. FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Squaw Valley, CA - March 27, 2009
Moguls

Men
1. Bryon Wilson, Butte, MT, 26.23
2. Michael Morse, Duxbury, MA, 26.18
3. Joe Discoe, Ridgway, CO, 25.90
4. Reed Snyderman, Winchester, MA, 25.69
5. Sho Kashima, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 25.61
6. Dave DiGravio, Farmington, ME, 25.53
7. Bradley Wilson, Taylorsville, UT, 24.43+ 3 (tie breaker)
8. Cody Tempel, Missoula, MT, 24.43 +2
9. Jay Panther, Las Vegas, NV, 24.42
10. Jeremy Cota, Steamboat Springs, CO, 23.91

Women
1. Michelle Roark, Denver, 26.33 + 3 (tie breaker)
2. Hannah Kearney, Norwich, VT, +2
3. Shannon Bahrke, Tahoe City, CA, 26.03
4. Shelly Robertson, Reno, NV, 25.40
5. Emiko Torito, Denver, 24.78
6. Heather McPhie, Park City, UT, 24.70
7. Eliza Outtrim, Steamboat Springs, CO, 24.56
8. Laurel Shanley, Squaw Valley, CA, 24.10
9. K C Oakley, Piedmont, CA, 24.03
10. Allison DiGravio, Farmington, ME, 23.69
# # #

For complete results click here.

Cabral Remembers Title as Teen

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 MST

SQUAW VALLEY, CA (March 26) - As the 2009 Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships commence Friday at Squaw Valley, there will be one face in the crowd who is recalling a time 10 years ago when, at U.S. championships, he made history at the age of 15. Tahoe native Travis Cabral (South Lake Tahoe, CA) was a surprise winner that year in Deer Valley, going on to become a World Cup champion a few years later.

PHOTO: A young 15-year-old Travis Cabral skis so the U.S. title at Deer Valley in 1999. (Getty Images-Jed Jacobsohn)

As a teenager, Cabral thought competing at U.S. Championships would merely be an awesome chance to compete alongside his heroes.

"I went into the competition thinking 'this is going to be a great competition, I'm going to learn a lot, and I get to ski with Jonny Moseley who just won the gold medal,'" Cabral said.

Little did Cabral know that at the end of the day he would become the youngest athlete to ever win a U.S. freestyle title.

"All this stuff was going through my mind and lo and behold I win the competition," Cabral said. "Honestly I didn't know what to do. It's one of those things where it's a dream, but I didn't know dreams could come true like this. I'm 15 years old and going, 'Is this real?'"

What followed his incredible win was a whirlwind of an athletic career that included a Junior World Championship silver medal, a World Cup moguls title and a spot on the 2006 Olympic team.

Following his monumental success, Cabral decided that it was time for a change of pace in his life.

"It was just one of those easy transitions. I'm done with skiing, so what's the next best thing I can do to continue helping my community and giving back," Cabral said. "I've always been one to help out every way I can, to give back to not only my community but any community. It took me two years to make a decision on what I really wanted to do and it just hit me."

Cabral's choice - become an officer at the South Lake Tahoe Police Department.

"I have a lot of friends and family in the department and I've always been fascinated with that type of work," Cabral said. "I get to make money while I give back to people and help my community. It's the same as skiing, just a different profession."

With a few years on the squad under his officer's belt, Cabral says he's excited to have the freestyle world come to Squaw so he can catch up with old friends and reminisce on good times.

"It's going to be a lot of fun. Any competition we have at Tahoe is great. Now that I'm on the outside it's cool to see the friends and teammates in the community who are trying to accomplish the same goals," Cabral said. "Even though it's an individual sport, our team does a good job of working together for the same goal and I really miss that."

But, more than excitement, Cabral will remember 10 years ago being the teenager who stunned the freestyle world.

"It is home and I get to see a lot of people competing in the same event that got me to where I was," Cabral said. "It's such a cool thing to be able to still be in the sport in the sense that I can see all my friends. For me life went on, but it's also good to step back and think 'wow, we really did have a fun time. It's a good life and it's quite an experience to do what professional athletes get to do."

Cabral can still show a thing or two in the bumps. But what will most excite him this weekend at Squaw is watching the young club skiers battle the top guns like he did 10 years ago.

Get Freestyle Champs Info Online

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 MST

SQUAW VALLEY, CA (March 24) - Fans can catch all the latest competition coverage and results as the 2009 Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships kick off at Squaw Valley resort. Info including start lists, competition schedules and results on moguls, dual moguls and halfpipe will be available at www.usfreestyle.blogspot.com as the competition runs through the weekend.

Squaw Set For Sprint U.S. Freestyle Champs

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 MST

SQUAW VALLEY, CA (March 23) - U.S. freestyle moguls and halfpipe skiers will be in the hunt for a national title as the final leg of the Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships lands at Squaw Valley March 27-29.

"We haven't had a major event at Squaw Valley in quite a while. It's going to be awesome to go there. It's a great mountain to ski," U.S. Moguls Head Coach Scott Rawles said. "Nationals is always fun for everyone because we get to see who else is on the radar out there. It's just a really good way to finish out the year."

The action kicks off Friday with men's and women's moguls where 2008 champions Emiko Torito (Denver) and Michael Morse (Duxbury, MA) are in the hunt to defend their titles against a field of stacked competitors that includes World Cup moguls champion Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT), World Championship gold medalist Pat Deneen (Cle Elum, WA), and Olympic silver medalist Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA).

"We've never really had an event in my home town, so I am really excited. It's going to be awesome," Bahrke said. "The competition site is at the bottom of the mountain, so everyone can watch without having to ski. Squaw just has such a great vibe. It's an awesome mountain with lots of local people and I know that Squaw is going to do a really good job."

While three-time U.S halfpipe champion Jen Hudak (Park City, UT) will not be competing due to an injury, fellow three-peeter David Wise (Reno, NV) will be returning from a second place finish during World Cup finals to attempt to make it four back-to-back national titles Saturday during the halfpipe title event.

"It means something to have that title. It was kind of the event that started my career and it means a lot to be the U.S. champion and have that under your belt. People know that that's who you are - best in the U.S. at least for one day," Wise said. "Every year U.S. Championships has been my event because it's towards the end of the season and I've got my game on and I'm skiing really well, and I don't think this year is going to be any different. I'm skiing better than I ever have been."

Wrapping the weekend with dual moguls 2008 U.S. champs Michelle Roark (Denver) and Morse are geared up to compete against the nation's best in order to reclaim their titles.

"I'm excited to go to Squaw. There are still a lot of things I want to work on in my skiing and having one competition left to do it is good. I'll hopefully ski my best and if I'm lucky I can do well again and defend my titles," Morse said.

Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships will be televised on the cable station Versus on Saturday, April 4 at 5 p.m. ET and Saturday, April 11 at 4 p.m. ET. Air dates and times are subject to change, please check local listings.

2009 Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championship Schedule:

Friday, March 27 - Men's and women's moguls
Saturday, March 28 - Men's and women's skier halfpipe
Sunday, March 29 - Men's and women's dual moguls

Puckett 9th In World Cup Finals

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 MST

LA PLAGNE, France (March 20) - The U.S. Ski Team's Casey Puckett (Aspen, CO) concluded the season Friday, finishing ninth in the final freestyle World Cup of the year. World Cup ski cross champion Tomas Kraus of the Czech Republic won.

"It was a tough race and a tough hill. It was steeper than normal for ski cross," U.S. Ski Cross Head Coach Tyler Shepherd said. "The race could have gone better, obviously, because we didn't get the podium. But, it was a good day in that Casey moved up a spot in the rankings and finished fourth in the overall."

According to Shepherd, Casey started things out on fire and was poised to do well, but a coupe of bad starts kept him from advancing the whole way.

"He had a great first round, a really good start, and he got out in front and led the whole way," Shepherd said. "He won the heat by a long way and I thought that was really going to set the tone, but in the second heat and the quarters he had a bad start."

In addition to Kraus, Ophelie David of France won the women's competition and the women's World Cup ski cross title.

Now that the season has come to an end, Shepherd is eager to begin training as he looks ahead to the 2010 Olympics where ski cross will make its debut.

"All in all it's been a really long season. Casey can now get into his workout program quickly and start focusing on the big year next year," Shepherd said. "We're going to figure out what plan of attack will be the best thing to do."

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2009 FIS FREESTYLE WORLD CUP
La Plagne, France - March 20, 2009
Ski Cross

Men
1. Tomas Kraus, Czech Republic
2. Armin Niederer, Switzerland
3. Stanley Hayer, Canada
4. Lars Lewen, Sweden
5. Davey Barr, Canada
-
9. Casey Puckett, Aspen, CO

Women
1. Ophelie David, France
2. Kelsey Serwa, Canada
3. Emilie Serain, Switzerland
4. Alexandra Grauvogl, Germany
5. Aleisha Cline, Canada
# # #

For complete results click here.

Wise Takes 2nd in La Plagne HP

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 MST

LA PLAGNE, France (March 19) - David Wise (Reno, NV) drew the curtains on the skier halfpipe World Cup season Thursday, taking second for his first career World Cup podium during the last event in La Plagne.

"Today I landed everything just when I needed to and landed everything just right, so I am stoked," Wise said.

Kevin Rolland of France won the men's halfpipe and Nils Lauper of Switzerland was third.

Wise, who finished the season fourth in the World Cup halfpipe standings, was also excited to have his first podium take place under such sweet conditions.

"The pipe was great and the crowd was one of the best I've ever experienced," Wise said.

Wise, who narrowly missed the podium at World Championships as he finished fourth, threw down a cork nine, right side 900, left side 1260, alleyoop, alleyoop flatspin 360, switch 1080 for his finish on the podium in France.

According to the two-time U.S. champion, Thursday's success meant a lot to him after a season of feeling like things weren't coming together.

"It feels really good. I've been skiing really well all year long, but I haven't been pulling a ton of competitions together and landing everything right when the time came," Wise said.

Wise was close to being joined on the podium by fellow U.S. athlete Tyler Peterson (Sandy, UT) who finished fourth.

In the women's competition, Anais Caradeux of France won followed by Virginie Faiver of Switzerland in second and Canadian Rosalind Groenewoud in third. No U.S. women competed.

Now that the World Cup season is over, Wise plans on doing the same things he usually does as he looks ahead to 2010.

"I'm just going to continue what I'm doing for the spring," Wise said. "I'm going to try to put together some good film segments and then train really hard to come back here next year."

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2009 FIS WORLD CUP
La Plagne, France - March 19, 2009
Skier Halfpipe

Men
1. Kevin Rolland, France, 45.70
2. David Wise, Reno, NV, 45.00
3. Nils Lauper, Switzerland, 40.60
4. Tyler Peterson, Sandy, UT, 39.80
5. Micheal Riddle, Canada, 39.00

Women
1. Anais Caradeux, France, 31.30
2. Virginie Faivre, Switzerland, 31.20
3. Rosalind Groenewoud, Canada, 27.70
4. Margarita Marbler, Austria, 20.20
5. Katia Griffiths, Spain, 18.40
# # #

For complete results click here.

Kearney Takes Moguls Title

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 MST

LA PLAGNE, France (March 18) - The U.S. Freestyle Ski Team's Hannah Kearney (Norwich VT) finished ninth Wednesday to solidify her spot as the 2009 World Cup moguls champion. Emiko Torito (Denver, CO) and Michael Morse (Duxbury, MA) each finished sixth to lead the U.S. Team.

PHOTO: Vermont's Hannah Kearney celebrates her World Cup title. (Getty Images/AFP-Jean-Pierre Clatot)

"I haven't wanted anything as much as I have wanted this in a long time. It just felt great," Kearney said. "Overall it was a glorious moment - one of the best moments of my skiing career so far."

Kearney, who also finished second in the overall standings, just five points off Ophelie David's 76, was on the World Cup podium six times in 2009, three of which were wins.

"Winning the globe is the best accomplishment you can get as a moguls skier. To win the globe takes so much work," Kearney said. "Since I've started skiing World Cup it's been a goal of mine."

According to Kearney, while her season may have been a success, it has taken a long time for her to reach the top.

"This is my seventh year on the U.S. Ski Team and it took that long to get here. The best I've finished prior to this season was fourth overall, which was my first year on the World Cup in 2004," Kearney said. "So, it's sort of been a long battle, but when you want something that badly it feels good to work for it and come out on top."

With the title globe now in hand, Kearney says she feels strong as she looks ahead.

"I think I'm happy with my confidence. Having the globe puts you in a good place and I'll take that into my training for next season," Kearney said.

For the new champ, training means going above and beyond what it took to get her to the 2009 title.

"It's not going to leave me complacent. I'm going to take this confidence and bring that into next year, but also know that people were nipping at my heels and now they're going to be gunning for me," Kearney said. "I'm going to train harder than I've ever trained before."

As for 2008 U.S. moguls champs Torito and Morse, leading the way for U.S. athletes is a good way to head toward the 2009 championships to defend their titles.

"Today I skied really well on both my runs. It was a tight match between Margarita [Marbler; Austria] and I in the quarterfinal. I would have liked to have won the competition. It was one of those days where I could have taken it, but considering who I was up against, I think I skied alright," Torito said. "It's a good way to finish the season. Five of the top 10 girls were American and it feels good to be, in my opinion, a member of the strongest team."

According to Morse, while he may not have skied the way he wanted to on Wednesday, he is happy to have reached a level of consistency in his skiing.

"Today I didn't exactly get the results I was looking for. It was OK. I had a pretty good first dual and then in my second I went up against Guilbaut [Colas; France] and I lost to him, which was tough. I did not have my best run of the day against him, but I'm excited the season is coming to an end with me being pretty consistent," Morse said.

Now, the moguls squad heads to Squaw Valley, CA, for the 2009 Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships March 27-29.

"Squaw Valley is such a fun event. It's going to be a good nationals. I know Squaw putting a lot of effort into it and they want to make it a fun time, so I am excited," Torito said.

PHOTO: Hannah Kearney charges to the finish in the La Plagne duals. (Getty Images/AFP-Jean-Pierre Clatot)

Check out Hannah in LaPlagne below:

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2009 FREESTYLE FIS WORLD CUP
La Plagne, Norway - March 18, 2009
Dual Moguls

Men
1. Alexandre Bilodeau, Canada
2. Guilbaut Colas, France
3. Pierre Ochs, France
4. Anthony Benna, France
5. Vincent Marquis, Canada
-
6. Michael Morse, Duxbury, MA
7. Sho Kashima, South Lake Tahoe, CA

Women
1. Margarita Marbler, Austria
2. Nikola Sudova, Czech Republic
3. Chloe Dufour-Lapointe, Canada
4. Maxime Dufour-Lapointe, Canada
5. Jennifer Heil, Canada
-
6. Emiko Torito, Denver
7. Shelly Robertson, Reno, NV
8. Heather McPhie, Park City, UT
9. Hannah Kearney, Norwich, VT
10. Michelle Roark, Denver
13. Eliza Outtrim, Steamboat Springs, CO
# # #

For complete results click here.

Makeup SX Canceled

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 00:00:00 MST

MEIRINGEN-HASLIBERG, Switzerland (Mar. 15) - A World Cup ski cross competition in Meiringen-Hasliberg was canceled Sunday due to fog and poor weather. It was scheduled as a make up for last week's canceled ski cross in Grindelwald.

"The weather wouldn't cooperate and it was too shady to try and run. It wasn't meant to be," U.S. Ski Cross Head Coach Tyler Shepherd said.

He said the start was delayed for three hours in the morning, then officials decided to run the course inspection and part of a training run when the bad weather moved back in.

"The clouds were just sitting on the course the whole time and the course was deteriorating. We discussed trying to change the course to make it better, but in the end the weather had the upper hand," Shepherd said.

Saturday, Sheperd said the U.S. Team had mediocre results, but that the team's qualifying results were good.

"It was good in terms of guys who don't normally punch in there qualifying well, but Casey for example who ran early and other guys who ran early were slow," he said.

Next up for ski cross are World Cup finals in La Plagne, France on March 20. Just Casey Puckett (Aspen, CO) will be racing, Sheperd said.