Government Camp, OR – The U.S. Freeskiing team, including Torin Yater-Wallace and Tom Wallisch, has been hitting the jumps and halfpipe at Windells summer camp at Timberline Ski Area on Mt. Hood for the past month in preparation for the upcoming 2014 Olympic qualifying season.

With airbags to practice new tricks and soft summer snow, new U.S. Freeskiing slopestyle coach, Skogen Sprang has been on hand to get the athletes ready for the first World Cup halfpipe competition scheduled for Aug. 20-22 at Cardrona Alpine Resort in New Zealand, followed by the season’s first World Cup slopestyle Sept. 3-8 at Ushuaia, Argentina.

“The setup at Windells has been really good this year,” says Sprang. “These guys have a bunch of snow and tons of features. We’ve got a great 60 to 70-foot jump and a 100-foot jump, there are all kinds of creative rail lines to hit. Everybody is really stoked working towards going to Sochi in two years. It’s a great scene on the glacier at Windells.”

“We have a pipe cut on both sides and an airbag for the athletes to learn new tricks,” added Ben Verge, U.S. Freeskiing Rookie Coach. “The airbags in the pipe have been pretty huge for everybody; it’s a great way to learn their tricks safely and helps to progress the sport.”