The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Brittany Barefield racks up another win
The Junior Freeride Tour closed out an incredible three days of big mountain freeskiing competition on Sunday, February 16 on the Headwall, which had been used for the 2-star event on Thursday and the IFSA Regional event a couple of weeks ago.
A few inches of wind smudge healed the venue, since it had been destroyed by Tanner Cabana and Kele Thorsen, who had won the skier men and women divisions in the 2-star event. The Crested Butte Mountain Sports Team (CBMST) was there defending its home turf with pride amidst strong regional and national competition.
Brittany Barefield continued her hot streak with another win since the Aspen Highlands regional last weekend and the Crested Butte regional before that. According to judge Carrie Jo Hicks, Brittany skied Angle Gully “better than the women on Thursday,” greasing through the rental shop exit. Brittany had four points over Erika Klenk in second place, and CBMST teammate and friend Josie Byron was close behind in third place. A young Western State Colorado University student, 17-year-old Miranda Holson, took fourth.
The highlight of the day belonged to Bill Klein. The CBMST member and Gunnison senior flew into Box Rock with speed and floated a huge right-side 3 to a clean stomp and take the win. Erik Hilb of Vail took second place by crushing Angle Gully and getting a bonus feature off the bottom of the handrail. Christian Kinnison came over from Salt Lake City, Utah to take third place.
The “Free Mountain Award,” a junior version of the Sick Bird that also embodies sportsmanship on and off the hill, was given to Seamus Flanagan for hitting the most features and 3-ing Box Rock, but a couple of control issues kept him off the podium. CBMST rounded out the top ten with Patrick Curvin in eighth and Oz Scott in ninth.
The snowboarders were also there. The men’s side had trouble keeping their runs clean, but Phil Hansen of Centennial took the victory while the strongest run of the day went to Amber Nelson of Grand Targhee, Wyo., who won the women’s side with a 68. There were a handful of males in the 12-14 category there—Cedar Palmer bested locals Ian Eldridge and Turner Petersen, who finished in second and third, respectively.
