Well, Day 1 of the World Freeskiing Championships just wrapped up at my home mountain of Snowbird, UT. Sunshine and temperatures of 52°F caused conditions on West Baldy (Qualifier Venue) to range from coral reef to slush. A big cut was laid down on the men competiting (19 of 55 made it to Silver Fox on Friday), but the most disappointing fact of the day was JCDC (jakecast.com …DUH) Athlete Nik Aksamit threw down the GNARLIEST line of the day and for some reason didn’t qualify.
After being nominated as one of Frankie’s favorites in the athlete meeting after today’s event (the announcer’s views on what the best lines were), Nik found himself sitting in 22nd position. This is after sending the biggest air in the gnarliest section of the venue and then straightlining the last half of the zone through huge icy moguls right into the finish. Don’t believe me yet? Just check out the World Freeskiing Tour Homepage picture from today, featuring the Aksamit sending it HUDGE into the pocket.
World Freeskiing Tour Homepage featuring Nik Aksamit
Tough break buddy, we all thought you were top ten for sure. At least we can take solace in knowing that we are so gnarly that even if we don’t make the cut, we still get featured in the headline photo.
Video of Frankie’s Favorites from the athlete meeting this evening (I’m in the purple shirt and Nik has a haircut like a child molester).
Scroll to 1m 20s for the JCDC spotlight moment.
The good news is tomorrow temperatures are supposed to drop and the clouds are going to movie in, which means it won’t be variable conditions throughout the day. It’ll just be coral reef and ice all day long. I am so fucking stoked.
See you tomorrow, #16.
Jake