The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“We emphasize having fun and skiing hard, points will come and go”
By Than Acuff
While a majority of the Crested Butte Mountain Sports Team (CBMST) was in Crested Butte defending their home mountain in a Regional 2* event last weekend, seven athletes were busy throwing down at Snowbird ski resort in an IFSA 3* National comp with Sol Hausdoerffer and Brooks Miller leading the charge. Hausdoerffer won the u15 ski women category and Miller placed fifth among the u19 ski men among a deep pool of talent typically dominated by the Altabird Freeride team based there.
“The Snowbird 3* National was stacked,” says coach Montana Wiggins. “It felt quite similar to the Junior Championships at Kirkwood last year. The skiing, snowboarding and coaches all brought their A game. There were some of the top-level athletes in North America there.”
Fortunately for the athletes, after a tough season of questionable conditions, skiers and snowboarders were met with clear skies and good coverage for the competition allowing the CBMST athletes to follow the succinct instructions of their coaches Wiggins and Emma Latta.
“The conditions were incredible for Snowbird,” says Wiggins. “We emphasize having fun and skiing hard, points will come and go.”
That mantra led to the CBMST skiers to consistent skiing across the board. In addition to Hausdoerffer’s win and Miller’s fifth place, Alpine Leonard and Beck Hasz finished 10th and 12th respectively among the u15s and Autumn Evanko and Sophia Laggis pacing ninth and 14th in the women’s u19 group.
“Out of our 11 comp runs total we had nine of 11 stay on their feet,” says Wiggins. “A good statistic in freeride with results that will benefit their points.”
The action continues this week with CBMST coaches Grant Spear, Evan Marcus and Clara Lantz taking athletes to another 3* National freeride event in Alaska.
“Up next, Alyeska, the last frontier,” says Wiggins. “This will be the first time in CBMST history we will have feet on the ground in Alaska, and I know they will represent the Gunnison Valley.”
The event will be livestreamed March 3-6. Check the Freeskier website for the link.
