South Lake Tahoe, CA – From March 29-31, 2013, Heavenly Mountain Resort in South Lake Tahoe will be buzzing with excitement as Olympic hopefuls take to the California side of the resort to compete in moguls, aerials and dual moguls.
The Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships will return to Heavenly’s famous Gunbarrel run, as U.S. team athletes come together for the final event of the season to battle it out for the title of U.S. Champion. Leading the team are Olympic and World Champion Hannah Kearney, of Norwich, Vt., and South Lake Tahoe’s own hometown hero, Sho Kashima.
Representing Heavenly and aiming for a comeback after a knee injury cut his best season short last year, Tahoe local and former Heavenly Ski Foundation athlete Kashima will be competing in the moguls event on Friday.
“I can’t think of anything more inspiring than competing on my home hill in one of the biggest ski events in the United States. Heavenly provides excellent support to its freestyle athletes, and I am proud of the resort’s selection as host of the U.S. Freestyle Championships,” said Kashima. “We have such a rich background within this sport going all the way back to Wayne Wong and Glen Plake, who still ski here, and you have Olympic gold medalists and U.S. Ski Team members…this is quite the place to be if you’re a mogul skier.”
Heavenly has also been home and training ground for several other amateur and pro freestyle skiers, including Chris Hernandez, Brooke Ballachey, Travis Woodcock, Christy Tibbetts and Travis Cabral, as well as legendary Glen Plake, and rising stars Ryan Hickey, Anna Park, Yamato Kashima, Shanti Payne and Taryn Baker.
The weekend hits a high note on Saturday with live music by Liquid Blue followed by a post-event fireworks display. Event admission is free, and spectator seating will be available on a limited basis.
For those in the community that would like to volunteer for the event, Heavenly and the USSA are looking for both on-snow and off-snow help. Volunteers in mogul course and big air jump maintenance, banner set-up, food and beverage runners, registration, Zero Waste Warriors for the recycling team, and more. Shifts for various roles are available during the entire week up to the event, as well as during all three days’ events on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. No experience is needed. Volunteers receive lunch and a special gift for participating in three or more shifts. For more information or to sign up, contact Tiffany at (530) 542-5180.
Heavenly will also host the U.S. Championships following the Olympics in 2014. Spectators will have the opportunity to watch U.S. Olympic athletes compete after they return from the Games.
U.S. FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE
Friday, March 29 – Mogul Qualifications and Finals on Gunbarrel
2:30-3:00 p.m. Women’s Mogul Finals
3:05-3:35 p.m. Men’s Mogul Finals
3:50-4:05 p.m. Mogul Awards
Saturday, March 30 – Aerial Finals on World Cup
4:30-5:40 p.m. Live Concert by Liquid Blue
4:30-5:30 p.m. Aerials – Women’s Speed Checks and Training
5:40-6:05 p.m. Aerials – Women’s Final – Run 1
6:05-6:30 p.m. Aerials – Women’s Final – Run 2
6:40-7:50 p.m. Live Concert by Liquid Blue
6:40-7:40 p.m. Aerials – Men’s Speed Checks and Training
7:50-8:25 p.m. Aerials – Men’s Final – Run 1
8:25-9:00 p.m. Aerials – Men’s Final – Run 2
9:10-9:20 p.m. Aerials Awards
9:20-9:30 p.m. Post Competition Fireworks
Sunday, March 31 – Dual Moguls on Gunbarrel
11:45 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Women’s and Men’s Dual Mogul Finals
3:15-3:30 p.m. Dual Moguls Awards