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Aspen, you’re starting to look rather a lot like you must. These fairly leaves are being changed by white mountain tops, these chairlifts will quickly be spinning and with glee winter might be upon us once more.
And this season is especially particular because the four-year Olympic cycle hits its crescendo with the 2022 Winter Video games developing from Feb. 4-20 in Beijing. Whereas a world away, Aspen, the Roaring Fork Valley and your entire state of Colorado will purchase into what’s arguably the biggest celebration within the snowboarding and snowboarding world, the place everybody with a tv set will have the ability to absorb these sports activities which might be commonplace right here within the mountains.
So, to get issues began, right here’s an Aspenite’s information to the Olympic season, from what native athletes may probably symbolize the purple, white and blue, to the Colorado occasions that can assist decide who will get to chase the Olympic glory.
Buckle up. The subsequent few months might be full of pleasure within the aggressive world of snowboarding and snowboarding.
Alex Ferreira returns for extra
When it comes to Aspen athletes, it begins with Alex Ferreira. The 27-year-old halfpipe skier is the reigning Olympic silver medalist, having completed second to Nevada’s David Clever in his one and solely look on the Video games 4 years in the past in South Korea. Ferreira is also a two-time X Video games Aspen gold medalist (2019, 2020) and is undoubtedly top-of-the-line on the planet when he’s on prime of his sport.
So, can he get again to the Olympics in 2022 and go for one more medal? Indubitably, however the competitors for these coveted U.S. group spots might be fierce in halfpipe snowboarding. Within the first Olympic qualifier, held at Aspen’s personal Buttermilk Ski Space again in March, Ferreira completed sixth general and fourth amongst People, behind Crested Butte’s Aaron Blunck, Clever and Winter Park’s Birk Irving. He’s in place getting into this winter, however might want to stick with it over the remaining qualifiers.
Hailey Swirbul heads to her first Olympics
The closest factor to an Olympic lock this winter needs to be Hailey Swirbul. The 23-year-old is a Basalt Excessive Faculty graduate and has grow to be one of many U.S. cross-country ski group’s prime up-and-coming skills. This may solely be her second season as a part of the distinguished A group for the U.S., however she’s already confirmed she belongs.
She landed her first profession World Cup podium final December and is poised so as to add to it this winter. Swirbul additionally was chosen to symbolize the People on the world championships final season, and there’s little doubt she’ll get to do the identical on the Beijing Olympics come February. Solely three ladies have been named to the U.S.’s A group this winter, an inventory that features Olympic gold medalist Jessie Diggins, Rosie Brennan and Swirbul. That’s an indication from the U.S. coaches that her Olympic spot is written in Sharpie.
Hanna Faulhaber is able to shine
Together with Swirbul, Hanna Faulhaber seems primed to make her first Olympic group. The halfpipe skier, who occurs to be a present Basalt Excessive Faculty scholar very like Swirbul was, has skyrocketed up the world rankings. The 17-year-old had a breakthrough efficiency when she completed fourth on the world championships final March in Aspen and is one among solely six ladies on the U.S.’s freeski professional halfpipe group for this upcoming season.
The draw back to her Olympic goals is that she crashed throughout coaching forward of the primary Olympic qualifier final march in Aspen and didn’t compete, that means she’s behind the curve in that regard. Veterans Brita Sigourney and Devin Logan appear like Olympic group locks, however the remainder of the U.S. contingent is large open. So long as she stays wholesome, one should like Faulhaber’s possibilities.
Athletes who may shock
Let’s name Ferreira, Swirbul and Faulhaber locks, a minimum of for a second. Who else may shock and discover their means onto the U.S. Olympic group from the valley? It’s price maintaining a tally of the remainder of our halfpipe skiers, notably professional group member Cassidy Jarrell and rookie group member Tristan Feinberg. I’d say each are longshots contemplating the insane quantity of depth the U.S. has in halfpipe snowboarding as of late, however they’ll each be knocking on the door. Jarrell missed the primary Olympic qualifier due to harm, whereas Feinberg — solely 18 — was a stunning finals qualifier in that competitors in Aspen. He completed seventh among the many People at Buttermilk, which a minimum of has him within the combine getting into this winter.
One other identify price watching is Aspen’s personal Bridger Gile in alpine snowboarding. The 22-year-old is on the U.S. B group and fared effectively at U.S. nationals right here in Aspen again in April. He has quite a few World Cup begins underneath his belt, together with this season’s opener in Soelden, however hasn’t but touched a second run. He’ll in all probability want to complete just a little stronger in races over the subsequent two months to make that Olympic group, but it surely’s very a lot within the playing cards for him.
Not fairly Aspen, however we declare them
Thanks largely to the unbelievable teaching out there by way of the Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Membership, there are a lot of athletes who are usually not valley natives however have educated by way of AVSC and will probably symbolize on the Olympics this winter. On the prime of that checklist is Chris Corning, one of many world’s finest massive air and slopestyle snowboarders. Nonetheless solely 22, Corning made the 2018 Olympic group, ending fourth in massive air and seventeenth in slopestyle. He was a disappointing sixteenth within the Olympic slopestyle qualifier in Aspen final March, however was nonetheless fifth amongst People. He’s not a lock, not with rising stars like Dusty Henricksen and Judd Henkes seeking to snag a spot — let’s assume somebody like Crimson Gerard is a assure — however Corning has sufficient expertise and expertise to make a push for the U.S. group once more.
Others with AVSC ties embody snowboarders Jake Canter and Jake Pates, alpine skiers Cooper Cornelius and Isabella Wright, and snowboardcross’s Hagen Kearney. He received’t be on the U.S. Olympic group, however former AVSC athlete Jon Sallinen — he, like so many, works with valley legend Peter Olenick as of late — may very effectively symbolize his native nation of Finland on the 2022 Olympics. He competes in each halfpipe and slopestyle snowboarding.
Who isn’t going to China?
As enjoyable as it’s to guess who will symbolize the Roaring Fork Valley on the Olympics, it’s price stating who won’t. Final spring, we bid adieu to a cross-country snowboarding legend in Simi Hamilton. The Aspen native hung it up after three Olympic appearances, six world championships and a decade on the U.S. ski group. He’s retired house to the valley alongside together with his spouse, fellow U.S. Olympian and standout Sophie Caldwell Hamilton, and can seemingly be discovered competing in lots of the native ski races this winter.
Different 2018 Olympians from the world who we received’t see in China embody cross-country skier Noah Hoffman, alpine skier Wiley Maple and halfpipe skier Torin Yater-Wallace. Hoffman and Maple have since retired, whereas Yater-Wallace dedicates himself to the movie world completely as of late. New Fort’s Alice McKennis, who was oh-so-close to that 2018 downhill podium in South Korea, additionally retired again within the spring, saying her goodbyes with a remaining lap at Aspen Highlands throughout U.S. nationals.
About these Olympic qualifiers
So, how does one go about qualifying for the Olympics, anyway? So far as disciplines like alpine and cross-country snowboarding, it’s largely about scoring World Cup factors. There aren’t any true qualifiers, so doing effectively within the common races ought to get you on the Olympic group. A celebrity like Mikaela Shiffrin in all probability wouldn’t have to the touch her skis between now and February to be named to the group for Beijing, however good luck maintaining her out of the beginning gate.
The freeskiers and snowboarders — i.e., halfpipe, slopestyle and large air — do have particular qualifiers, which largely make up the U.S. Grand Prix collection. Within the chaos of final season and the pandemic, Aspen stepped in to host the primary qualifier in March at Buttermilk, per week after additionally internet hosting the world championships, which was not a U.S. qualifier. The qualifiers resume this season with the Copper Grand Prix (Dec. 8-11), Dew Tour at Copper (Dec. 16-19) and the Mammoth Grand Prix (Jan. 6-8). There may be additionally a one-off massive air contest Dec. 2-4 in Steamboat Springs.
The secret on the qualifiers is to make podiums and beat your American teammates. In recent times, the U.S. coaches have just about caught to the leads to naming the Olympic groups, so it’s actually within the athletes’ fingers. One other qualifier of some type in mid-January can’t be dominated out, however U.S. ski and snowboard hasn’t but introduced any plans so as to add any further contests.
So, what about X Video games?
Sure, X Video games is scheduled to make its annul trek to Aspen’s Buttermilk Ski Space this winter. ESPN’s made-for-TV spectacle is scheduled for Jan. 21-23. Considerably unceremoniously, X Video games “celebrated” its twentieth anniversary in Aspen final winter with out followers due to the pandemic. This January’s occasion marks No. 21 at Buttermilk, and followers will even have the ability to attend this yr after not being allowed in final winter due to the pandemic.
Whereas X Video games stays probably the most well-liked and fascinating contests for athletes, it’s not an Olympic qualifier. In reality, most international locations could have named their Olympic squads earlier than then and if something, X Video games might be a remaining tune-up earlier than athletes head to China. That mentioned, don’t count on it to be a glorified observe session, as X Video games competitions throughout Olympic years could be among the finest, with athletes typically bringing new methods to the world. Profitable gold at both X Video games or the Olympics most of the time means being the innovator and doing one thing that’s by no means been carried out earlier than, and Buttermilk might be a showcase for simply that come January.
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