Ear to the ground
“They should call it ‘not working.’”
– Local observation on the social networking phenomenon
The Purgatory Freestyle Ski Team brought home state titles and podium finishes at both the USSA Rocky Mountain Freestyle Devo State Championships at Arapahoe Basin and the USSA Junior Nationals in Park City, Utah, this past weekend.
The state championship pitted developmental freestyle skiers, ages 7 to 14, from throughout the state in a test of knees, skill and pure adrenaline. Some 100 skiers participated, including athletes from Winter Park, Aspen, Telluride, Vail, Steamboat Springs and Summit County.
When the snow spray settled, Carter McQuinn and Trudy Mickel, of Durango, were crowned king and queen of the bump field, respectively, earning them the titles of “Best Devo Mogul Skiers” in the state.
Affectionately known as “Mad Dog” McQuinn, Carter blew away the boys field of 63 skiers by two points to finish in first place. Mickel narrowly won the girls overall title on the strength of her 360-heli.
Durango skiers also dominated the podium in slopestyle, including Cole Alexus, Elle Duke and Freddie Mickel, who turned in gold medal performances; Charlie Mickel and McClure, who took silver; Emma Duke and Easton Verduzco took bronze; and Rawles, Rifkin and McQuinn taking home fourth.
Meanwhile on the national stage in Park City, George McQuinn earned his second consecutive Junior Combined National Championship while adding bronze medals for Big Air Combined and J3 Aerials.
Hannah Smith brought home three bronze medals in Combined, Big Air Combined and J2 Aerials. Her outstanding 12th place overall mogul finish most likely will result in an invitation to the U.S. Nationals at Heavenly Valley on March 26-31, where she will go up against the likes of reigning U.S. Olympic gold medalist Hannah Kearney
On the collegiate level, Durango high graduate David Sugnet placed first in the 2013 U.S. Collegiate Skiing and Snowboarding National Championships, held last March 2-9 in Sun Valley, Idaho. Sugnet now lives in Crested Butte and was skiing for Western State College. The event drew more than 500 competitors from 60 schools throughout the country.
Meanwhile, in the world of skinny skiing, Durango High graduate Rogan Brown, now a junior at Middlebury College in Vermont, helped propel his team to a third-place finish at the 2013 NCAA Ski Championships, which were held last weekend at Middlebury College.
“They should call it ‘not working.’”
– Local observation on the social networking phenomenon
Season finale
Durango is home to two three more champions.
Durango is home to two three more champions.
The Purgatory Freestyle Ski Team brought home state titles and podium finishes at both the USSA Rocky Mountain Freestyle Devo State Championships at Arapahoe Basin and the USSA Junior Nationals in Park City, Utah, this past weekend.
The state championship pitted developmental freestyle skiers, ages 7 to 14, from throughout the state in a test of knees, skill and pure adrenaline. Some 100 skiers participated, including athletes from Winter Park, Aspen, Telluride, Vail, Steamboat Springs and Summit County.
When the snow spray settled, Carter McQuinn and Trudy Mickel, of Durango, were crowned king and queen of the bump field, respectively, earning them the titles of “Best Devo Mogul Skiers” in the state.
Affectionately known as “Mad Dog” McQuinn, Carter blew away the boys field of 63 skiers by two points to finish in first place. Mickel narrowly won the girls overall title on the strength of her 360-heli.
Durango skiers also dominated the podium in slopestyle, including Cole Alexus, Elle Duke and Freddie Mickel, who turned in gold medal performances; Charlie Mickel and McClure, who took silver; Emma Duke and Easton Verduzco took bronze; and Rawles, Rifkin and McQuinn taking home fourth.
Meanwhile on the national stage in Park City, George McQuinn earned his second consecutive Junior Combined National Championship while adding bronze medals for Big Air Combined and J3 Aerials.
Hannah Smith brought home three bronze medals in Combined, Big Air Combined and J2 Aerials. Her outstanding 12th place overall mogul finish most likely will result in an invitation to the U.S. Nationals at Heavenly Valley on March 26-31, where she will go up against the likes of reigning U.S. Olympic gold medalist Hannah Kearney
On the collegiate level, Durango high graduate David Sugnet placed first in the 2013 U.S. Collegiate Skiing and Snowboarding National Championships, held last March 2-9 in Sun Valley, Idaho. Sugnet now lives in Crested Butte and was skiing for Western State College. The event drew more than 500 competitors from 60 schools throughout the country.
Meanwhile, in the world of skinny skiing, Durango High graduate Rogan Brown, now a junior at Middlebury College in Vermont, helped propel his team to a third-place finish at the 2013 NCAA Ski Championships, which were held last weekend at Middlebury College.