Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Steamboat Springs will play host to some of the best up-and-coming freestyle skiers in the nation this week.

Beginning today and running through Sunday, Steamboat Ski Area will host the United States Ski and Snowboard Association Freestyle Junior Nationals. The event features skiing competitions in halfpipe, slopestyle, aerials, and single and double moguls.

The moguls events and aerials will take place on the Voo Doo run, and the halfpipe and slopestyle will be in Bashor Terrain Park.

The event begins at 10:15 a.m. today with the halfpipe competition. The slopestyle is at 10:15 a.m. Thursday, the single moguls are at 10:15 a.m. Friday, the aerial competition is at 10:45 a.m. Saturday and the dual moguls wrap up the competition at 10:45 a.m. Sunday.

The event should feature some of the top 18-and-younger athletes. It will have mostly

divisional competitors from around the country, but also some NorAm competitors who meet the age requirements.

“I think you’ll see a little bit of a wide variety,” said Rob Day, a moguls coach with the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. “But you’ll definitely see a high level of skiing.”

The Winter Sports Club moguls team will have about 12 skiers competing.

On the boys side, Michael Degrandis, fresh off a fifth-place finish in his first NorAm series, and Luke Farny should have an opportunity to finish on the podium in both events.

The Winter Sports Club also has three athletes competing in today’s halfpipe competition. Conor Garrecht-Connelly, Lennon Vaughan and Landen Mertz will participate.

“I’ve got high expectations for them,” Winter Sports Club Freeride coach Jonah Drescher said. “If Conor skis like he should, he has a good chance of winning the event. If Lennon skis like he can, he can get a top 10 or top five. Landen can also go for that top-10 spot.”

The winners in each event get an automatic spot at the U.S. Nationals from March 22 to 28 in Stratton, Vt., and an invitation to Junior Worlds next year.