Jennifer Berg Photo: Greg Epstein

Jennifer Berg and Will Burks Take it Home from the 'Bird
The final day of competition of the US Nationals Freeskiing event matched the music over the loudspeakers: the old-school Led Zeppelin approach of the semi-finals segued into today's finals and a mix of hip-hop and techno beats. It was bluebird at the 'Bird and the north face of High Baldy was about as prime as it gets in these parts.

Competitors could feel the energy of the crowd below—a mass of people ranging from industry folks out here for the Outdoor Retailer show, to hardcore ski fans sitting on skis and boards in preparation for what was to become an historical ski day.

	Will Burks Photo: Greg Epstein

Although he didn’t win, Jared Mazlich from Breckenridge pulled the biggest air—twice—that Jeremy Nobis and even "Sick" Rick Armstrong claim they had ever seen. From a 90-foot rock outcropping at the top of the course, Mazlich skied to the top, raised his arms to the crowd below, and launched it. You could see blue sky behind his entire body as he floated an additional 50 feet or more. His airtime was so long, he could have pulled a chute if he was wearing one. Instead, he landed in a pillow of powder, bounced around a little, then stood up and continued to ski down the mountain before pulling a little 30-footer at the very bottom.

As for judging such a monstrosity, it takes more than fat airs to pull off the win, including creativity, route selection, and a mix of drops and fluidity. Utah local boy Will "ber" Burks put two such runs together for the overall win. While he didn’t stomp double backflips of say, Brain Swinson or achieve the effects of speed and twisted airs of Frenchman Seb Michaud (who came in second), Burks did have the right combination of fluidity, technical carving, and strings of smaller cliff drops, including a final 25-footer that sent him speeding World Cup downhill-like to the bottom.

Burks, known around these parts for his quiet demeanor and big skiing prowess, didn’t even bother showing up at the podium to receive his award. Rumor had it, the day was done, and so was he. Nothing more.

Jeff Holden from Whistler, the 1999 Canadian Freeskiing Champion from earlier in the month, had the crowd in a frenzy when he shot the hole at the top and took a new line down skiers right that led right into a string of cliffs and technically steep sections. Originality was what got him on the third place step of the podium.

Chris Davenport, winner of 24-hours of Aspen, picked a line through the rocky shoals of the most technical part of the mountain to make what seemed unskiable, skiable. If he didn’t get hung up at the bottom for so long, he could have put together the winning run. Instead, he landed in 4th place.

Shane McConkey, who lost a ski in his first run of the day, took his second run on a mismatched set of boards, but still flew down the mountain carving as perfect turns as one can in a rock-strewn 50-degree face riddled with imposing cliff drops. What was enjoyable about McConkey’s second run is that he pulled a heli and lofty spread eagle right off the top, a place where most competitors took it easy. Glenn McConkey was pleased with her son’s run, even though it was only enough to put him in 5th place.

When it came to Dave "the Grom" Richards, all eyes were on the young lad with high hopes in a future of freeskiing. The Grom’s first run was full of drops, technical skiing, and a mix of speed and originality. Donned in his Mambosok outfit and a big smile, he was pleased about his third place-ranking going into the final run of the day.

On his second run off the top he pulled what the announcers called "Grom Airs," a mix of little drops between 10 and 25 feet one right after another. But the human knee can only take so much absorption. The Grom’s last drop was a knee-bender and it hurt. With a style and grace not usually found in young extreme skiers, Richards stood up and skied, painfully, into the finish area. From there, he was taken down in sled by ski patrol. Still, he came in 9th overall.

Curtis Tischler, from Tahoe, almost captured it. He’d put together such a clean line on the first run that he was in first place going into the 2nd run of finals. As the sun just started to duck under Baldy Peak in the late afternoon, Tischler pushed off. Fast turns on the top, now-bald, 45-degree face gave him the necessary momentum to pull a fat air off the first rock outcropping. It looked good until the landing when he pre-released and had to hike back up to grab his ski, which basically meant it was over for the Tisch. He came in 20th.

As for the women, there was much to be said for the level of women’s freeskiing ability. Basically, the ante’s been raised, gals, and it’s the likes of today’s winner, Jennifer Berg, and tied second place finishers Barb Peters and AJ Cargill pushing the limits.

AJ looked to have the most impressive second run. She took off the first white granite cliff and followed it up with 3 more—something that only the top men pulled-off.

"True, I did take a lot of drops," said AJ, "but I mean, I’m not the biggest hucker out there. I’m glad I went for it, but in the air of the first drop, I looked down and was like, ‘Oh no, how am I going to get through this?’"

She did and it moved her into second place with Barb Peters from Crested Butte. "Big Air Barb" shot the hole at the top, basically making the steepest portion of the run look like a 30-degree cruiser, then threaded her way down one of the most technical lines of the day, pulling two airs at the bottom. Meanwhile, Jennifer Berg kept it going.

Fluidity and control where huge factors to place her in first. By far the most aggressive run balanced with a mix of smaller drops and an original line off skier’s right placed her on the top of the podium.

That night, parties were everywhere, from Greg Stump’s techno bash in Park City (with buddy Seal camouflaged in a back booth) to the freeskiing dancefest at the Zephyr in downtown Salt Lake City. Like the pumping music during the day, the Zeph cranked tripped-up techno, getting everyone rowdy on the dance floor. I’d have to say two such parties stuffed with the best skiers in the world, in a Mormon-influenced state at that, means something went really right.

—Kathleen Gasperini reporting from the Greatest Snow on Earth for The Mountain Zone

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