The Durango Herald
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The Durango Freestyle Park and Pipe Ski Team started the competitive season at the USASA Crested Butte Freeride event last weekend.
The event included the top USASA freestyle halfpipe and slopestyle skiers from Purgatory, Crested Butte and Telluride.
USASA is the national governing body for snowboarding and freeride competitions which provides events throughout the country.
This competition in Crested Butte is part of the Southwest Colorado Series, which qualifies athletes for the national championships at Copper Mountain in April.
Series winners will earn a chance to compete at nationals.
The Durango team had impressive showings in both disciplines.
Hank Stowers (J2, ages 15-16) led the Durango team by winning the overall halfpipe competition Saturday. Brother Nolan Stowers took second place honors for (J3, ages 13-14) skiers.
Ty MacGuffie led the team on Sunday as he took first place for (J2) skiers and first-place overall in slopestyle.
Hank Stowers earned a second podium with his second-place finish.
Despite a shoulder dislocation, Nathan Stilwell managed a fifth-place finish with Brodie Hall, Toby Goldman, Parker Norvell and Chance Conaty placing eighth through 11th, respectively.
Nolan Stowers (J3) added a fourth-place finish as did James Shahan for (J1, ages 17-18) skiers.
Jamie Wanzek, the lone girl for the team, took top honors in the girls (J2) division.
“We are off to a great start for the season with overall wins in slopestyle and halfpipe,’ said J.C. Jones, head coach of the Durango Freestyle Park and Pipe program.
“Hank, Ty, Nolan and Jamie have put themselves in good positions to qualify for nationals,” Jones said.
Team members will look to secure a spot at nationals when they return to Crested Butte on Feb. 5-6.
They also will compete in Telluride on Feb. 27.
“Our plan is to wok out at the new terrain park at Chapman Hill during the week to fine tune our boxes and overall competition run,” Jones said.
The team has several training options with the improvements at Chapman Hill and with the two refurbished parks at Purgatory, Jones said.
