Las Leñas, Argentina – With a few inches of new snow and warmer temperatures, athletes were in great spirits and put on a fantastic show on Eduardo’s, the massive, 2,500-vertical-foot venue at Las Leñas for the Argentinean Freeskiing Championships. Still, due to unseasonably low snowpack, this was definitely a different type of competition, not focusing so much on big airs, but technical lines and controlled fluidity.nAthletes from nine different countries enjoyed the near hero snow conditions.
“Even with just three inches of new snow, it skied like fresh pow,” said women’s winner Angel Collinson of Salt Lake City, Utah.
Collinson skied an aggressive, fast line, demonstrating her strong ski racing background. She nailed a few small airs, but respected the sketchy snow pack and focused on skiing a more technical line.
Crystal Wright and Sole Diaz also skied to impress, finding themselves in second and third, respectively.
Men’s winner Chopo Diaz, skiing on rental boots, demonstrated his local knowledge. “Chopo chose a creative line with numerous features,” said announcer and event coordinator Rodrigo Medina. “From top to bottom, he showed everyone that he was really just enjoying the skiing. He read the terrain of the mountain differently than his competitors, making his run really stand out.”
Drew Tabke and Lars Chickering Ayers, both also on rental and borrowed gear, found themselves on the podium. Ayers skied a solid, fluid line with multiple airs. Tabke threw a huge backflip — rental boots and all — that landed him third place and his second Sickbird.
“Overall, we were so impressed with the skiing today,” said Head Judge Jim Jack. “Everyone respected our desires to run a safe comp and picked lines that were within their comfort zone and in line with the snow conditions. It was a different competition to judge because there were not many line variations, but there were a few features that stuck out and tricks always stick out. All and all it was awesome to see athletes ski aggressive and have fun with the conditions.”
“This competition couldn’t have been any closer to cancellation with the thin snow conditions and very exposed terrain we were dealing with, but mother nature came in the night before the one run event and left us just enough snow to safely run the event,” said Competition Director Bryan Barlow. “It was a blessing and all the competitors ranted that it was the best run they had the entire trip in South America. The level of competition was tight as always and it was the difference of who had the most creative runs that determined the top athletes.”
Las Leñas Resort Marketing Manager Sofia Fernandez Madero was ecstatic about the event. “Las Leñas is so proud to be the selected resort in Argentina hosting this amazing event” Madero said. “All of the athletes performed so well and we’re just so happy they were able to come to South America and experience our mountain and the surrounding culture.”
There is always a sense of camaraderie on the tour and this weekend was no exception. Julien Lopez dedicated his run to friend and fellow competitor Arne Backstrom, who passed away in a mountaineering accident earlier this summer in Peru.
“I dedicated my run to Arne and the entire Backstrom family today,” said Lopez. “We are going to give this bib (bib #1) to his family because he was number one. He passed away in mountains not too far from here, not too long ago. We miss him here on the tour with us.”
Following the raucous awards ceremony at the Doma in the Las Leñas Village, Argentinean reggae band, La Zimbabwe, rocked the party with their stylish reggae beats. Then, in classic Argentinean style, the athletes, event organizers, and sponsors partied till the wee hours of the morning, celebrating this successful international event.
Official Results
2011 Subaru Freeskiing World Tour
Argentinean Freeskiing Championships
Las Leñas, ARG – Aug. 28, 2010
(Result, Athlete, Home Resort, Country, Score)
WOMEN
1 Angel Collinson Snowbird USA 32.50
2 Crystal Wright Jackson Hole USA 32.23
3 Sole Diaz Farellones CHL 31.33
4 Ashley Maxfield Jay Peak USA 30.08
5 Jacqui Edgerly Aspen USA 30.00
6 Clare Burns Val d’Isere USA 29.67
7 Rebecca Selig Timber Ridge USA 29.27
8 Sebestiana Martinez Farellones CHL 28.27
9 Alex Riedman Crested Butte USA 28.10
10 Alex Taran Snowbird USA 27.87
MEN
1 Chopo Diaz Valle Nevado CHL 35.57
2 Lars Chickering Ayers Mad River Glen USA 35.50
3 Drew Tabke El Colorado CHL 35.10
4 Griffin Post Jackson USA 33.80
4 Garrett Altmann Taos USA 33.80
4 Johnny Collinson Snowbird USA 33.80
7 Aaron Schmidt Fernie Alpine Resort CAN 33.50
7 Julien Lopez La Plagne FRA 33.50
9 Lucas Swieykowski Cerro Caterdral ARG 33.47
10 Mathieu Imbert Tignes FRA 33.23