Squaw Valley, CA – It was fun under the sun on Saturday as Emily Cook and Matt DePeters marked the end of the 2010 ski season with national aerials titles during the 2010 Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships in Squaw Valley.n”Squaw is so much fun. I’m excited and it’s a great end to a really fun season,” said Cook, of Belmont, Mass., marking her fourth U.S. title on the day.
Cook was joined on the championships podium by Ashley Caldwell (Hamilton, Va.) in second and Jana Lindsey (Black Hawk, S.D.) in third.
According to Cook, the Championships are a great time not only to unite the athletes in the U.S. freestyle world, but also to see the future of the sport emerging as their talent grows.
“It’s always fun being out here at U.S. Championships with all the athletes and the future of our sport. It’s great to see so many young guys and girls representing our sport so well,” Cook said.
With the podium out of her way, Cook’s immediate future holds some nice turns with her closest friends.
“I had the best day of skiing the other day with my teammates. We had a great time and I’m looking forward to another day of skiing tomorrow,” Cook said.
It was the first time on a U.S. Champs podium for Caldwell, who emerged to make the 2010 Olympic team from the Elite Aerial Program at the age of 15.
“I had a great year and this is another check on my list of awesome great achievements of the year,” Caldwell said.
With spring-like temperatures, nice snow and bluebird skies, Caldwell could not have imagined a better spot for the event to take place.
“I think this is the ideal U.S. Championships. It’s really sunny, it’s warm and everyone is having a good time. These are awesome jumps and people were hucking, so it’s pretty fun here,” Caldwell said.
It was also the first time on top of the U.S. Champs podium for DePeters, of Hamburg, N.Y., who was elated to take the win.
“This is my first national title and I’m pretty happy. I came out and just wanted to jump my best, and try to set a personal record. I did that and I can’t be happier right now,” DePeters said.
DePeters was followed by Dylan Ferguson (Amesbury, Mass.) in second and Nevin Brown (Streetsboro, Ohio) in third.
Just like the rest of his teammates, DePeters enjoyed marking the end of the 2010 season in sunny Squaw Valley.
“I always look forward to this event. The sun is out, we get nice soft landings and it’s a nice end of the year event for us. One of my favorites,” DePeters said.
Just recovered from an unexpected bout with appendicitis, which took him out of the sport for eight weeks, Ferguson was happy to nab the second silver U.S. Champs finish of his career on Saturday.
“I feel good. I’m just coming back from my injury. I haven’t jumped in two months, so to be able to put down a really good full, double full, full was all I really wanted,” Ferguson said. “Squaw is awesome. I’m enjoying the sun and having a good time here.”
OFFICIAL RESULTS
2010 Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships
Squaw Valley, CA – March 27, 2010
Aerials
Men
1. Matt DePeters, Hamburg, NY, 214.87
2. Dylan Ferguson, Amesbury, MA, 193.59
3. Nevin Brown, Streetsboro, OH, 190.87
4. Ryan St. Onge, Winter Park, CO, 177.82
5. Jeret Peterson, Boise, ID, 174.43
Women
1. Emily Cook, Belmont, MA, 173.14
2. Ashley Caldwell, Hamilton, VA, 163.57
3. Jana Lindsey, Black Hawk, SD, 145.98
4. Allison Treleaven, Fort Wayne, IN, 120.83
5. Jamie Crane-Mauzy, Waterville Valley, NH, 119.32