The best freestyle skiers in the USSA Rocky Mountain Division will converge on Chapman Hill next weekend in the Durango Orthopedics & Spine Colorado USSA Moguls.
The Purgatory Freestyle Team will host teams from Winter Park, Vail, Summit County and Telluride in mogul competition Jan. 25 and 26.
Last year’s winner of the event may very well have been Chapman Hill itself. Tabbed by many competitors as the toughest moguls course they had seen, Chapman Hill took its toll on many skiers because of the steep upper section and top air. With improvements made in the off-season by the city of Durango and the Durango Winter Sports Foundation, Chapman Hill has been tamed a bit.
“We had extensive dirt work done, which included a start platform to move the top air higher and regrading the face for a more consistent pitch,” said Michael McQuinn of the Durango Winter Sports Foundation. “This has made for a more realistic training center and should prove to be a great run for the competitors. This will make for a great spectator venue.”
The event will feature single-run moguls Saturday with dual moguls Sunday. The skiing action will take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day.
Members of the Purgatory team will warm up for the Chapman Hill event by competing in Aspen this weekend after coming off Rocky Mountain Division-sanctioned competitions at Vail and Telluride last week.
Trudy Mickel captured the J4 (age 11-12) title in Vail, finishing 20th overall in a field of 46 competitors. It was Trudy’s second top finish of the year, having topped the podium in Steamboat on Jan. 4.
“This is so impressive, given that Trudy is 12 years old competing against women twice her age,” said Kirk Rawles, Purgatory Freestyle Program director. “She is competing in a field that includes U.S. Ski Team members and the Australian Freestyle Team.”
Sadie Smith posted a personal best on her way to a fifth-place finish for J2 (age 15-16) girls. Hannah Smith placed seventh among J1s (age 17-18) and 18th overall. Amina Youssef took ninth among J3s (age 13-14) with Elle Duke in 14th.
George McQuinn, Coleman Bader and Jimmy Pope all posted personal bests for the season, placing sixth, 11th and 14th, respectively, for J2 skiers. Shane Ellis placed 17th.
While the older athletes were competing at Vail the young gun “Devos” were competing at Telluride. Charlie Mickel won the J5 (9-10-year-old) age group with Cole Alexus finishing in third place. Alexus wowed the crowd landing a 720 degree jump on the bottom air. Freddie Mickel took the bronze medal for J6 (7-8-year-old) skiers.
Both Hunter and Freddy Rawles posted career-high scores in placing 17th and 27th overall in the field of 56 boys. Joe Pope had a personal-best, placing sixth among J3 skiers. Aiden Quayle finished 10th for the boys and Elle Duke 11th for the girls in the J5 category.
Seven-year-old Nina Quayle surprised everyone by finishing sixth overall in dual moguls Sunday after a silver-medal performance in J6 singles Saturday.
