Sigourney Set for Sochi

PARK CITY, UT (Jan. 18) – Brita Sigourney (Carmel, CA) became the second U.S. woman to secure an Olympic halfpipe team spot at the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix, where Maddie Bowman (S. Lake Tahoe, CA) took the victory. Americans Alex Ferreira (Aspen, CO) and Lyman Currier (Boulder, CO) shook up the men’s standings, finishing second and third and leaving the door wide open for the final men’s halfpipe qualifier Saturday. The athletes have one more chance on Saturday to secure a spot on the first-ever Olympic team for halfpipe skiing.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Brita Sigourney (Carmel, CA) became the second U.S. woman to secure an Olympic halfpipe team spot at the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix, where Maddie Bowman (S. Lake Tahoe, CA) took the victory.
• Bowman clinched her Olympic team spot last week at the Breckenridge Grand Prix.
• Sigourney finished ninth, with her previous two podiums putting her ahead of the other U.S. women, who no longer have an opportunity to earn the required two podiums.
• Angeli VanLaanen (Bellingham, WA) is the only other U.S. woman with a podium, and she could clinch a team spot with another on Saturday.
• Alex Ferreira (Aspen, CO) and Lyman Currier (Boulder, CO) wreaked havoc on the men's Olympic selection with one event remaining, finishing second and third and setting up a showdown in the Park City halfpipe for Saturday night.
• Halfpipe veteran Simon Dumont (Bethel, ME) pulled out of the competition due to a training injury.
• French heavy-hitter Kevin Rolland sealed the victory in the men’s competition.
• So far, only David Wise (Reno, NV) has clinched a spot for the men, and Aaron Blunck (Crested Butte, CO), Ferreira, Currier and Gus Kenworthy (Telluride, CO) are all in contention for the top three spots in the overall qualification standings. However, if Blunck can finish second or better on Saturday, he will clinch a team spot.
• Ferreira’s second-place run: Leftside 1080 tail, switch rightside cork 720 mute, leftside double cork 1260 mute, down-the-pipe double Michalchuk Japan and leftside cork 900 tail.
• The athletes have one more chance on Saturday to secure a spot on the first-ever Olympic team for halfpipe skiing. NBC will air coverage of the final qualifier at 5:00 p.m. EST Sunday.

QUOTES
Maddie Bowman
It's pretty great. I'm happy to keep the ball rolling. I am happy to be here and just ski. I think my biggest focus was to try more stuff, push it a little bit harder and risk a little more. 

There was a different kind of pressure today. I had a lot of friends and family out here and I wanted to impress them and it made it all the more fun.

I just think that if I do everything right I'll be fine. I want to keep the momentum going into X Games and the Olympics. 

Alex Ferreira
It’s great. Hopefully I do well tomorrow and then hopefully I can go to Sochi with a couple of my best friends. To represent America and go with my homies…it’d be the best feeling in the world.

Lyman Currier
It’s insane. Just standing down here on the podium, every single person coming down can knock you off, so it’s definitely nerve-wracking.

Ever since they announced that our sport was in, the Olympics have been a goal for me. I’d love to go and this definitely helps me on the way. Hopefully I can do well again tomorrow.

RESULTS
Official Men's Results
Official Women’s Results

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