Apparently, Miguel Rodden has a few new tricks in his repertoire.
The 17-year-old freestyle skier pulled a wicked flip-spin move after vaulting off a rail-box halfway up Mount Sima on Sunday.
Called a misty 450, it’s a rare stunt. Rodden’s performance during Simapalooza may have been the first time it was successfully completed at the resort.
“That was the first time I ever landed it,” said Rodden. “It was fun. It was a small event, but everyone was having fun. I was pretty stoked.”
Rodden was participating in the slopestyle competition while others were downing beers, burgers and hot dogs at Sima’s annual season closer.
It was a topsy-turvy year. Conditions on the mountain were awesome, but they resort’s unreliable chairlift equipment prevented skiers from enjoying them to the fullest.
That didn’t mar the closeout celebrations, which saw guys like Rodden put on stellar performances.
Rodden, who took eighth in slopestyle for the Yukon Freestyle Ski Team’s best result at the BC championships (see story on page 37), had a bit of the end-of-season mentality - it’s the last day, why not just go for it, he said.
“Yeah, basically,” said Rodden. “Although I am moving to Whistler on Thursday to ski. I’m just going to work nights and ski as much as I can.”
Taking second in the slopestyle ski event was Josh Harlow, hitting 270s off both rails, ahead of Dylan Reed with a front side 270. Hannah Milner, the only female competitor, was first for girls with some spread eagles.
[image2]
In the snowboard portion of the slopestyle competition Adam Waddington took the top prize with a front flip off the big rail box.
“I did it off a box in Calgary once, but it was a really small box and it wasn’t as scary,” said Waddington, who also won the boys-under-18 snowboardcross event on Saturday. “My first couple (runs) sucked. But then I knew I wanted to do something a little fantastic because the skiers were doing some cool stuff. So I decided to just do it - and my coaches just got back, so I wanted to show them what I learned since they left.”
Hitting an indy off the box and a shifty off the rail, Lara Bellon, the only female competitor, tied Alidas Jamnicky for second, beating out Gabriel Rivest in third.
This year’s ski cross and snowboardcross races started in the freestyle park, down through Pete’s Plunge, with a couple sizable jumps and some fun rollers along the way.
Taking first in the competitive boys-under-18 division was Simon Geoffroy, skiing for his third time in the event, winning his division last year.
Geoffroy had a rather simple strategy: “Go as fast as I can,” he said.
“Especially the beginning, it’s most important. You have to be first at the beginning, and then you can kept your place because it’s really hard to pass people. So, yeah, the way to go is to go as hard as you can, bust in front of people and block them off.”
For the win Geoffroy outpaced his brother Etienne Geoffroy, who took second, and Sam Schirmer. Winning for the girls was Kaitlyn Mitchell, ahead of Lyndsey Boorse and Hannah Milner.
Capturing the boys-under-12 title in the ski cross was Mael Pronovost, with Shane Orban in second and Victor Thibeault in third.
“It was pretty slushy and icy,” said Simon Geoffroy. “In some places there some really tight turns, and everybody takes it the same way, so it gets super slippery and icy. But other than that it was a really nice course this year - nice jump at the beginning.”
RESULTS
Ski cross
Girls under 18
1st Kaitlyn Mitchell
2nd Lyndsey Boorse
3rd Hannah Milner
Girls under 12
1st Luanda Pronovost
Boys under 18
1st Simon Geoffroy
2nd Etienne Geoffroy
3rd Sam Schirmer
Men over 18
1st Marc Pronovost
Boys under 12
1st Mael Pronovost
2nd Shane Orban
3rd Victor Thibeault
Snowboardcross
Girls under 18
1st Lara Bellon
Boys under 18
1st Adam Waddington
2nd Andrew Jensen
Men over 18
1st John Lindsay
2nd Neil Talsma
Slopestyle
Boys skiing
1st Miguel Rodden
2nd Josh Harlow
3rd Dylan Reed
Girls skiing
1st Hannah Milner
Boarders
1st Adam Waddington
2nd Lara Bellon
2nd Alidas Jamnicky
3rd Gabriel Rivest
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com