The Purgatory Freestyle Ski Team took advantage of skiing on its home slope and turned in strong performances at the Hampton Inn Rocky Mountain Qualifier during weekend at Purgatory Resort.
During Saturday’s events of the Rocky Qualifier Series, Megan Faherty went from last place after her first run to capturing the gold medal for Purgatory. Faherty lost a ski near the bottom of the course and finished with the lowest score after the first run. But she bounced back with the cleanest run of the event in her second run to take the overall title.
In the RQS events, skiers were scored on turn quality, air difficulty and execution, and overall speed down the moguls n the El Diablo course.
Amara Kirk won the under-11 girls and placed third overall with the fastest run of the day for the Purgatory team. During Sunday’s DEVO events, Kirk added another gold in the under-11 division.
In the under-13 division, Purgatory’s Lucy Klotz and Nina Quayle placed second and third, respectively.
On the boys side, Purgatory’s Kai Skowlund finished second in the overall standings. Pajarito’s Stephen Boone took the overall title.
Purgatory dominated the under-15 division. Skowlund finished first, Ryan Bell was second and Aiden Quayle placed fifth.
Balin Kirk won silver in the under-11 division, ahead of Purgatory teammate Chase Connors in third.
During Sunday’s DEVO events, reserved for developing skiers, Purgatory’s Corbett Thomas set himself apart from the rest of the under-11 field with a truck driver spread eagle. Balin Kirk picked up his second silver medal of the weekend in the event, and Finn Skowlund placed sixth.
Chip “The Ripper” Catsman snagged a second-place finish in his debut in the under-9 division.
In the girls events Sunday, Ellie McLean and Teagan Reese finished second and third, respectively, in the under-13 division, and Montana “Big Sky” Faherty placed eighth in the under-11 division.
The Purgatory team will be back on the snow for the DEVO/RQS mogul competition this weekend at Arapahoe Basin.
kschneider@durangoherald.com
