PARK CITY, UT (Feb. 27, 2015) – In a clutch performance on his third and final run, hometown hero Joss Christensen (Park City, UT) led a men’s U.S. podium sweep at the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix. Fellow Parkite McRae Williams (Park City, UT), who hasn’t landed on the Grand Prix podium yet this year, finished second, with Gus Kenworthy (Telluride, CO) rounding out the podium in third. Devin Logan (West Dover, VT) also came through on her third and final run to finish in the second spot for the women. Sweden's Emma Dahlstrom took the win, with Norway's Tiril Sjaastad-Christiansen in third.
With the hometown crowd cheering him on, Christensen knew he was going to have to throw down on his third run after making uncharacteristic mistakes in the first two.
“Usually you want to get that first one out of the way, but today I fell on my first two, which doesn’t happen to me too often,” said Christensen. “I was really nervous going into this third one. I really wanted to land a run. So I just went for it, and I’m glad I went for it because it worked out.”
Williams progressed with his runs, scoring a 70 on his first run before landing one of the best jump runs of the day in his third run to score a 90 and secure the second place spot.
McRae Williams competes in the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix finals at Park City Mountain Resort. (Melanie Harding)
“I changed my run up a lot from the qualifiers,” said Williams. “We only had about an hour to do so, so I was just happy to get a run down that I knew could compete. To have two bobbles on the first two runs really put the pressure on for the third run, but sometimes that’s just the little extra kick that you need. This time it worked.”
Kenworthy was looking for some magic on his second run, but unfortunately fell on the last jump. Consistency in his third run landed him on the podium.
My second run was going really well, but I just fell on the last jump,” said Kenworthy. “That was definitely my best run if I would have landed it. My third run, I scaled it back a bit to make sure I landed, and ended up in third. I made the best of the situation and I’m happy I could end up on the podium.”
Gus Kenworthy high fives the crowd after finishing his run. (Melanie Harding)
U.S. Freeskiing teammates Tom Wallisch (Pittsburgh, PA), Chris Laker (Cinncinati, OH) and Bobby Brown (Breckenridge,CO) battled through the strong field of international skiers to finish fifth, sixth and eighth, respectively.
After qualifying for finals in fourth position, Devin Logan, or D-Lo, as the locals like to call her, was looking to take things up a notch in finals. She did just that, landing a clean third run and finishing in the second spot.
Devin Logan celebrates her second place podium. (Melanie Harding)
“I landed my first run clean and wanted to step it up on my second and third runs,” said Logan. “Unfortunately I went a little to big on the last jump in the second run and fell, but had a third run and landed it. I’m hyped. All the girls are killing it.”
Devin Logan and Joss Christensen were also named U.S. Freeskiing slopestyle national champions. (Melanie Harding)
With five of the seven U.S. athletes currently calling Park City home, everyone was happy to put on a show for the crowd.
Taking a win in Park City means so much to me,” said Christensen. “It’s so cool to have an event here and I hope that with these good events that we’ve had this weekend that it’s going to keep coming back. “
Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix action continues Saturday when skiers will take to the pipe at Park City Mountain Resort. Finals will be lived streamed on NBC Sports Live Extra starting at 1:50 p.m EST.
Women's Results
Men's Results
HIGHLIGHTS
- Joss Christensen led a U.S. podium sweep in his hometown of Park City, with fellow Parkite McRae Williams in second and Gus Kenworthy in third.
- Devin Logan, who also lives in Park City, was second in the women’s competition.
- Christensen and Logan were also named U.S. Freeskiing slopestyle national champions.
- Christensen and Dahlstrom recieved the overall slopestyle Grand Prix tour titles.
- Tom Wallisch, Chris Laker and Bobby Brown rounded out the strond field of U.S. skiers, finishing fifth, sixth and eighth.
- Devin’s Run (rails;jumps): Front two, Two switch lip disaster, Back two; Right 500 Japan, Switch 700 safety
- Joss’ Winning Run (rails;jumps): 270 on 270 off, Switch right tails two pretzel two, Switch left two pretzel four; Left double cork 1260 double Japan, Switch right double cork 1080 safety
- McRae’s Run (rails;jumps): Right 630, Switch 450, Misty 450 critical; Switch right double cork 1080 safety grab, Switch left double cork 1440 tail grab
- Gus’ Run (rails;jumps): Lip slide 450, Switch right 270 pretzel 450; Left dub 10 blunt, Right dub 12 mute
QUOTES
Devin Logan
My day was awesome. The weather conditions were a little rough this morning, but by the time our second run went down, the sun came out. I landed my first run clean and wanted to step it up on my second and third runs. Unfortunately I went a little to big on the last jump in the second run and fell, but had a third run and landed it. I’m hyped. All the girls are killing it. The runs are just improving so much from past years. So many new rail tricks and jump tricks.
Joss Christensen
It’s pretty awesome to have a three run final. Usually you want to get that first one out of the way, but today I fell on my first two, which doesn’t happen to me too often. I was really nervous going into this third one. I really wanted to land a run. I was sitting in 10th place, so I knew I just wanted to do well. I was up there alone, and I was just thinking I wanted to do the best I could and try and prove myself. So I just went for it, and I’m glad I went for it because it worked out.
I’m really stoked. It’s definitely hard dropping last when there’s no one behind you and knowing it’s up to you to either do well or not. I wanted to shoot for first and not fifth.
It was so cool to see all my friends and family cheering me on. It was awesome. I’m really excited with how that turned out. Taking a win in Park City means so much to me. This feels bigger to me than it might to the other athletes being in my hometown. It’s so cool to have an event here and I hope that with these good events that we’ve had this weekend that it’s going to keep coming back.
McRae Williams
I’m super stoked. We had some rough weather in the practice and we were kind of wondering how it would go. The sun came out and shined on us. Super stoked to put in down on that last run.
I changed my run up a lot from the qualifiers. We only had about an hour to do so, so I was just happy to get a run down that I knew could compete. To have two bobbles on the first two runs really put the pressure on for the third run, but sometimes that’s just the little extra kick that you need. This time it worked.
I was super stoked today. Everyone was super vibrant coming down. Hitting everyone’s hands coming through the corral really got me stoked. At the same time, having the family here, you’re sitting up top wanting to do well for them. So it kind of goes both ways, but I’m happy to have them here. Now that I’ve succeeded I’m super stoked they were here. It’s a great thing to be at our home resort and to succeed like this.
Gus Kenworthy
The weather was better today. It snowed a bit, but it was fast snow so it didn’t slow us down or anything, and the rails were super smooth. I just struggled my first run. Second run was going really well, but I just fell on the last jump. That was definitely my best run if I would have landed it. My third run, I scaled it back a bit to make sure I landed, and ended up in third. I’m pretty happy with it, but obviously I would have liked to have done my better run and landed it. I made the best of the situation and I’m happy I could end up on the podium.
It’s awesome to get a U.S. sweep. McRae absolutely killed it. He had the hardest jump run by far. Joss had the combination of a good jump run with technical rails. Putting it down as the very last person to go always counts as a little extra. It was a very clutch performance, so it’s cool.
