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Winter Carnival 2015: Carnival Royalty

Carrigan tapped as 2015 queen

Maggie Rose Carrigan
Maggie Carrigan

Maggie Rose Carrigan loves to go fast. Her fearlessness and need for speed have propelled her to the top of the sport of Alpine snowboarding.

Carrigan credits her Involvement with the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and inspiration from her older siblings, twins Tori and Lex Koski, who were members of the U.S. Snowboarding Team, as key contributors to her success.

After training with the Winter Sports Club since age 5 or 6, Maggie, a Steamboat Springs High School senior, will be reigning over the 2015 Winter Carnival as its queen.



“When I was 6 or 7, I was one of the princesses and my sister Tori was an attendant,” Maggie said in a telephone interview from Holiday Valley where she had just competed in the FIS NorAm Cup, New York. “Now, it’s really great to be queen and represent the club.”

Part of what Maggie said she loves about the Winter Sports Club is getting to train on the snow every day and traveling.



“It’s a great thing; you can train every day and meet great people,” Maggie explained. “I also enjoy the places we go and the adventures we go on. I’ve gone to so many places in Europe. Being only 18, it’s kind of crazy that I’ve traveled that much.”

Early on in her snowboarding career, Maggie competed in boarder cross. Diagnosed with scoliosis at age 11, Maggie underwent surgery and had 14-inch rods placed in her back. She had to take a year off, and when she got back on the snow, she made the decision to switch to Alpine snowboarding, which doesn’t require the jumps that boarder cross does.

“I needed to protect my back,” Maggie said. “I also always had a big interest in it. I love the carving and how fast it is. It’s kind of my lifestyle.”

She excelled at her new sport and is now competing on the NorAm tour with an eye toward the 2018 Winter Olympics. After she graduates in June, Maggie plans to take a gap year to compete in the Europe Cups and World Cups.

When asked if she has a shot at making the Olympic team in three years, Maggie is optimistic.

“I believe so if I work hard and train every day. I want to go into the real world and figure it out.”

Maggie’s role models are her parents, Tammy and Marty Carrigan, and her big brother and sister.

“I love my parents so much, and they have done so much with my snowboarding and rooting for me,” Maggie said. “And my brother and sister, as well — looking up to them and getting coached by them.”

She also gives a shout out to her coaches Thedo Remmilink and Dave Winter for their support.

Maggie will be joined on the royal court by attendants Ellese Lupori and Esther Rose DelliQuadri.

Ellese is a junior at Steamboat Springs High School and has been involved in the Winter Sports Club for 12 to 13 years. She competes in Alpine skiing and loves the thrill of going fast.

She said she has learned a lot from her involvement with the club.

“In the Winter Sports Club you learn a lot about responsibility,” Ellese said. “You’re a part of something that’s such a big part of Steamboat, you want to represent it well.”

Esther, a sophomore at Steamboat Springs Club, competes in ski jumping and Nordic combined skier and has been involved in Winter Sports Club since she was a toddler.

“My time at the club has taught me a lot,” Esther said. “It has taught me things like teamwork and sportsmanship, as well as determination and hard work. It has taught me a lot about overcoming my fears and trying new things.”

Following in the footsteps of family members, Esther said she is honored to be a member of this year’s Winter Carnival royal court. Her aunt was a Winter Carnival queen and her grandmother was a Winter Carnival grand marshal.

“Growing up in Steamboat, Winter Carnival was one of my favorite times of the year, and being involved in an event that is such a big part of the community is an amazing opportunity,” Esther said.

The Winter Carnival queen will be crowned, and the court, including the princesses who are yet unnamed, will be recognized during Opening Ceremonies on Feb. 4 at Olympian Hall. The Royal Court also will preside over many of the Winter Carnival festivities throughout the event’s five-day run.


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