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Weekend Moguls Competition
The U.S. Ski Team also held some special events this week to allow athletes a wild card chance to qualify for the Olympic team. Here's what happened in Moguls.
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(Jan. 5, 2002)------ America's best Freestyle Mogul skiers gathered at Deer Valley on New Year's Eve for the Gold Cup.
The man to lay down the cleanest run was 19 year old Travis Mayer of Steamboat Springs.
His first jump was a 360 iron cross, and his second a quad twister.
He has really come on strong this year, landing a second place finish in World Cup a few weeks ago.
He was the guy that had it all together that day.
What a run. Huge jumps. Great style through the bumps and a fast time.
He is thrilled to be heading to the Olympics.
Travis Mayer/Moguls skier: MY OLYMPIC DREAM STARTED WHEN I WAS REALLY LITTLE. I USED TO CHASE MY BROTHERS AROUND A MOUNTAIN CALLED HOLIDAY VALLEY IN UPSTATE NEW YORK AND I WAS JUST SKIING BUMPS. THEN I STARTED TO GET GOOD AND THOUGHT THE OLYMPICS WERE A POSSIBILITY. AND THE LAST FOUR MONTHS, THINGS STARTED TO TAKE SHAPE NOW I'M RIGHT ON LINE.
Ryan Riley finished second and Alex Wilson came in third.
Olympic gold medalist Jonny Moseley is also making a comeback bid for 2002.
He didn't get it that day, but he tried out a controversial new trick.
It's called the Dinner roll. Great stunt. Controversial because, in Moguls competition, skiers can NOT do an inverted trick. What do you think? Does his head go lower than his feet?
Jonny Moseley/Olympic Gold Medalist: IN MY OPINION THEY SHOULDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. IF THEY LIKE THE JUMP THEY THOUGHT IT WAS FINE, THEY SHOULD JUST LET EVERYONE DO WHAT THEY WANT. THIS IS FREESTYLE, THIS ISN'T SOME FIGURE SKATING OR SOMETHING. SCORE IT ON HOW YOU LIKE IT. MAYBE THEY DIDN'T LIKE IT, SO THEN I'LL HAVE TO FIX IT UP. WHO KNOWS?
Not to worry, Moseley still has a few more chances on the World Cup this month to qualify for the games.
Maybe some of the European judges will be hungry for something new like the Dinner Roll.
The women's Moguls Gold Cup was held the same day.
There are some familiar faces: '92 Olympic gold medalist Donna Weinbrecht had a nice solid run, but not spectacular enough for the judges.
Favorite, Hannah Hardaway, is a two time U.S. Moguls Champion. But this wasn't her day.
She ended up in third position.
Three time Olympian Ann Battelle of Steamboat Springs thought this might be her ticket to 2002. And her run was a crowd pleaser. The judges landed her in 2nd place.
But it was Shannon Bahrke who dialed it in: Style, air and speed. Bahrke is from Tahoe City and goes to school at the University of Utah.
And she admits, she was surprised at how well everything went.
Shannon Bahrke/Moguls: I DON'T QUITE KNOW WHAT TO DO RIGHT NOW. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. YOU KNOW YOU THINK ABOUT IT WHEN YOU'RE A LITTLE GIRL, WINNING THE GOLD CUP, BEING AN OLYMPIAN. I COULDN'T IMAGINE ASKING FOR ANYTHING MORE RIGHT NOW.
Trilla Bahrke/Shannon's Mother: IT'S SO EXCITING TO SEE HER DREAMS COME TRUE BECAUSE SHE HAS WORKED SO HARD.
Dick Bahrke/Shannon's Father: REALLY EXCITED. IT'S QUITE A TREAT. WE'RE COMING TO THE OLYMPICS.
Yeah, the whole family is pretty excited. Dad was brought to tears.
Gold Medalist Donna Weinbrecht said she was tired from too much training, but was happy for Bahrke.
Donna Weinbrecht/Olympic Gold Medalist: TO DO TWO TRIPLES ON THE COURSE LIKE I DID... LAST YEAR I DID TWO DOUBLES, SO THINGS ARE IMPROVING. BUT YOU KNOW THE YOUTH ON THIS TEAM IS WONDERFUL. THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT DEPTH. AND THEY ARE SKIING WELL. SHELLEY OSTERLOH: SHANNON SKIED WELL. DONNA: YEAH, SHE HAD THIS COURSE WIRED IN ALL WEEK LONG. SHE DEFINITELY OWNED IT.
Donna Weinbrecht won the first Olympic Gold Medal for Moguls back in 1992. She too still has a few more chances to make the Olympic team.
We wish her well.
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