Freeskiing

Historic Night at Fenway Park

by
USSA
2016-02-12 21:47
 

BOSTON, MA (Feb. 12, 2016) – It was a night to go down in ski history as the world’s best freeskiers threw down on a 140-foot-tall scaffolding jump at the Polartec Big Air at Fenway on Friday night. An enormous crowd gathered under the lights of Fenway Park and Americans McRae Williams (Park City, UT) finished just off the podium in fourth, while for the women Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, MT) and Devin Logan (West Dover, VT) skied to fifth and sixth place respectively.  

It was a groundbreaking event for the U.S. Grand Prix and FIS Freestyle World Cup – never before has the U.S. Grand Prix featured a big air-only event, and never before has skiing been presented in such a historic American venue.

Williams skied well in front of the rowdy Bostonian crowd, and all the athletes seemed to be feeling the energy of the fans that filled one of Major League Baseball’s most iconic stadiums. “It’s been an unreal experience just to be a part of this,” Mcrae said after the event. “I mean the crowd is something we don’t get to experience very much at least at this level, so just feeling the energy from them and having fun with it has been amazing.”


Maggie Voisin sends it during practice. (Getty Images-Maddie Meyer)

Logan—a native New Englander—said she had as much fun with the crowd as perhaps any of the athletes. “I was out here just to please the crowd and get everyone hyped,” she said. Logan has been battling through some injuries and on Friday she brought back a trick that she hasn’t thrown in awhile, the rodeo 540. “I’m happy I tried it. It’s been a really long time since I’ve done rodeo 540s so I’m happy I put one to my feet in Fenway—not a lot of people can say that!”

HIGHLIGHTS

  • McRae Williams took fourth. His cumulative score for his best two jumps was 167.40 (Switch double 1440 tail, Double 1260 stalefish)
  • Maggie Voisin was fifth. Her cumulative score for her best two jumps was 118.00 (including a forward to switch 540).
  • Devin Logan was sixth. Her cumulative score for her best two jumps was 108.20 (including a rodeo 540).
  • The Polartec Big Air at Fenway is the first big air-only event ever featured on the U.S. Grand Prix tour.
  • Fenway Park, constructed in 1912, is one of the most iconic sporting venues on American soil. Home to the Boston Red Sox baseball team, Fenway is the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball.


A huge Boston crowd showed up to cheer on the freeskiers at Fenway Park. (USSA)

QUOTES

Mcrae Williams
It’s been an unreal experience just to be a part of this. I mean the crowd is something we don’t get to experience very much at least at this level, so just feeling the energy from them and having fun with it has been amazing. The jump has been really good for the most part; the city big airs, the scaffolding jumps are hard to make perfect but they’ve done the best they can. The weather’s amazing – a nice clear night – a little cold but hey it’s Boston. We’re having a great time. It’s been awesome.

Maggie Voisin
I definitely didn’t ski as well as I would have liked to, but I’m just honored to be out here—this is crazy. Not many people can say they’ve skied in Fenway Park. This is unreal. I can’t say that close to this many people have come to a slopestyle event so that’s just awesome. And they get so excited so it’s such a blast—I’m so grateful for this.

Devin Logan
I was out here just to please the crowd and get everyone hyped. I’ve been vibing off the energy that they were bringing. I’m really happy, I did the tricks I wanted to do—not the best execution but I was stoked to be here, stoked to make finals and ski in front of this amazing crowd. I’m happy tonight. Sometimes you just have to send it—that’s what big air is, the bigger the better. I’m happy I tried it, it’s been a really long time since I’ve done rodeo 540s so I’m happy I put one to my feet in Fenway—not a lot of people can say that!


Devin Logan hits the jump during the Big Air at Fenway finals. (USSA)

RESULTS
Men’s Big Air
Women’s Big Air

 


 


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