Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships
Stratton Mountain, Vermont
Deneen displays his skill in the air as national single moguls champion.
Halfpipe skier Alex Ferreira
goes high above the pipe at
sunny Stratton Mountain.
Heather McPhie, Hannah Kearney and K.C. Oakley
topped the women’s single moguls podium.
KIRK PAULSEN; HUBERT SCHRIEBL; EMILY COOK
when you ski well, and I knew I was gong to have to
ski well to win the title. We are the U.S. Ski Team. We
battle it out all season long and here is where the title
is given out. This is the icing on the cake or the choco-
late drizzle. It’s just a really nice way to end, especially
here in Vermont.”
Patrick Deneen, 2009 World Champion, was anoth-
er first-time national champ. Jeremy Cota earned his
fourth career nationals medal in second place. Ryan
Dyer stepped up to his first nationals podium in third
place. “I always love coming back to Nationals and
seeing all the regional coaches and athletes I used to
ski with and seeing all the up-and-comers out there
just shredding,” said Deneen. “It makes you realize
that you gotta push hard because these guys are com-
ing at you quick.”
Halfpipe titles went to three-time national champion
David Wise (2008, 2009, 2011) and Vermont’s own
Devin Logan — a first time national-title winner.
The winning duo came into Stratton with plenty of
confidence having each grabbed a pair of World Cup
podiums the at the last competitions of the season in
La Plagne, France.
Marshall LaCroix of Bondville, Vt., took the men’s sil-
ver medal ahead of Crested Butte’s Aaron Blunck in
third. It was the first nationals medal for both of them.
Logan was joined atop the women’s results list by
first-time nationals podium finisher, silver medalist
Dara Howell, and Maddie Bowman, who matched her
performance at last year’s meet in third place.
The championships closed on March 27, a sunny
Sunday, with a dual moguls battle that saw Joe Dis-
coe and Eliza Outtrim take home bragging rights for
the year.
In the men’s contest, defending champ Jeremy Cota
SkiRacing.com APRIL 7, 2011 | 32
