If you compared the 2007-08 season for the Sun Valley freestyle team to a bump course, skiers would be about three-quarters of the way down the run—close to the finish, but still having to navigate and make turns to the bottom.
For some SVSEF competitors, the Intermountain Freestyle Division Championships were the end of the line. The five-event championships were staged at Park City, Utah, over four days, Feb. 28-March 2.
Sun Valley stood tall at the end—boasting overall combined champs, Austin Bourret and Zana Davey, and a sweep in the overall women's standings with Davey, Hannah Haupt and Anita Vorsteveld claiming the top three spots.
"Combined consists of moguls, aerials and halfpipe," coach John Zuck said. "We've owned the men's side the last few years with Ross Falcone and Kurtis Fieguth, and now with Austin winning, but now the girls are kicking butt, too. We've never had a girl and boy win the combined at the same time."
The series also featured dual moguls and slopestyle, and local kids made their marks across the board.
Some highlights were Broc Sheue and Nic Hanscom finishing 1-2 in dual moguls. Bourret was 4th. Shane Cordeau made it to the round of eight. Aunika Phillips was 4th among females. Phillips was also the highest-rated girl in single moguls at 5th overall. Davey was 9th. Trace Page was 13th in men's moguls, followed by Bourret and Cordeau.
Haupt led the charge in the halfpipe and slopestyle with a 4th and 5th overall. Vorsteveld pulled down 6th place in each event. Austin Moses was 5th in slopestyle and 3rd among M2s.
Also competing were Adam Vorsteveld, Nathan Moses, Joey Richardson, William Eagan, Ben Parker, Trevor Norris, Kali Phillips, and Wyatt Wilson.
Zuck said Bourret and Davey will now try and match their recent success at the Division Championships, with national championship titles at the 2008 Freestyle Junior Olympics at Steamboat Springs, Colo., March 3-9.
"That's the goal for them, but you never know who is out there from other divisions," Zuck said.
Also competing at JOs are Haupt, Vorsteveld, Austin Moses, William Eagan, Nathan Moses and Trevor Norris.
The USSA JO's feature halfpipe (Wednesday), slopestyle (Thursday), moguls (Friday), aerials (Saturday) and dual moguls (Sunday).
