2013 USASA Ski and Snowboard National Championships

It is the spring of 2013 and another USASA National Championships has come and gone. Over the course of the winter thousands of athletes, in dozens of age groups, have competed in regionally sanctioned events, to try their hand at qualifying for and competing in the National Championships at Copper Mountain. More than 1600 athletes made the voyage to Copper this year to compete. The competitions took place over a two-week span of time. During the first week the snowboarders took to the slopes, and in the second week, the skier's had their turn. In total, 31 athletes from the Adirondack series competed in the disciplines of ski cross, slopestyle, rail jam, or half pipe, and most of the athletes competed in a combination of these events.

ADK represented at the opening ceremonies

Here is a bigger look at opening ceremonies. Can you find ADK?

The weather over the majority of the two weeks of competitions was absolutely spectacular. However, there were a few occasions where Mother Nature showed us her wrath and challenged the athlete's levels of maturity, determination, and perseverance. In true Adirondacker fashion, the athletes who represented this wonderful series proved, on these challenging days, that when the going gets tough, the tough get going! 

A snap shot of some happy ADKers

The list that follows is the full report of the athletes who represented the Adirondack series, and the results that they obtained at the 2013 USASA National Championships:

Snowboard Week

            Breaker Boys 12 – 13

Anthony Russo from Plattsburgh, New York
            – 19th in Border Cross
            – 22nd in Slopestyle
            – 23rd in Rail Jam

            Youth Men 14 – 15

Josh Boise from Plattsburgh, New York
 – 15th in Rail Jam
 – 25th in Border Cross
 – 58th in Slopestyle

Junior Men 16 – 17

Daniel Badgley from Owls Head, New York
 – 7th in Rail Jam
 – 12th in Slopestyle

Men's Jams 18 – 22

Dale Mortensen from Lake Placid, New York
 – 3rd in Slopestyle
 – 3rd in Border Cross

 

It was snowing hard on Dale's slopestyle day, but he still did a double frontflip, and he still got 3rd!

Dale claimed some more 3rd place hardware on his Boarder Cross day

Ski Week

            Open Men

Peter Palumbo from Gansevoort, New York
 – 6th in Rail Jam
 – 7th in Border Cross
 – 14th in Half Pipe
 – 30th in Slopestyle

Corey Brousseau from Saranac Lake, New York
 – 4th in Ski Cross

Skier girls 9 and under

Audrey Higgins-Lopez from Ithaca, New York
 – 1st in Ski Cross

Madeline Prichard from Old Forge, New York           
 – 3rd in Ski Cross

 – 4th in Rail Jam

 – 9th in Slopestyle

Girl Power!

 ADK all day! Here are two of the fastest/happiest girls that the ADK has on its roster!

Skier boys 9 and under

Kaylen Reiley from Saranac Lake, New York

 – 4th in Rail Jam

 – 8th in Slopestyle
 – 11th in Ski Cross

Max Oechsner from Delmar, New York
– 18th in Slopestyle

 Skier boys 10 – 12

 Alex Ruhl from Ridgewood, New Jersey
 – 21st in Ski Cross

 Daniel Eaton from Saratoga Springs, New York
 – 34th in Ski Cross

 Linus Sante from Queensbury, New York
 – 40th in Ski Cross
 – 45th in Slopestyle

 Jack Deweese from Saratoga Springs, New York
 – 34th in Slopestyle

 Bryant Ward from Queensbury, New York
 – 40th in the Slopestyle

 Avery Higgins-Lopez from Ithaca, New York

 – 6th in Rail Jam 

 – 48th in Slopestyle

 James Jr. Ward from Queensbury, New York
 – 72nd in Slopestyle

 Skier men 13 – 15

Andrew Piper from Minerva, New York
 – 14th in Ski Cross

J. Sloan Ruhl from Ridgewood, New Jersey
 – 16th in Ski Cross

 Ryan Ruhl from Montclair, New Jersey
 – 41st in Ski Cross

Jacob Prichard from Old Forge, New York

 – 14th in Rail Jam

 – 25th in Slopestyle
 – 47th in Ski Cross

Skier women 13 – 15

Brett Deweese from Saratoga Springs, New York
 – 6th in Slopestyle

Emily Eaton from Wilmington, New York
 – 3rd in Ski Cross

Skier men 16 – 18

Jason Castle from Ilion, New York
 – 1st in Rail Jam
 – 8th in Slopestyle

 Jason was exceptionally stoked to receive his first major career win in Rail Jam at National Championships

Jake Wenn from Jay, New York
 – 13th in Slopestyle

Alex Higgins-Lopez from Ithaca, New York
 – 11th in Rail Jam
 – 14th in Slopestyle

Max Finn from Northwood School
 – 20th in Slopestyle

Oliver Holmes from Saranac Lake, New York
 – 4th in Rail Jam
 – 33rd in Slopestyle

Sam Johnston from Rockport, Ontario
 – 5th in Ski Cross

Skylar Glick from Lake Placid, New York
 – 17th in Ski Cross

Skier men 19 and over

Jonathan Ruhl from Ridgewood, New Jersey
 – 3rd in Ski Cross

In total, the athletes representing the Adirondack series claimed 2 gold medals, 5 bronze medals and 13 other top 10 positions! This was the best showing from the Adirondack series to date. However, I am pleased to announce the most important part which is: every athlete from the Adirondack series returned home happy, healthy, ready for summer, and yet eager to compete again next year.

 On this happy note I will leave you with a quote from an NYSEF athlete taken on April 14, 2013: "can it be next season yet?"