Tahoe area freeskiers in back of the pack

By USSA

ROSA KHUTOR, Russia — Torin Yater-Wallace (Aspen) and Gus Kenworthy (Telluride, Colo.) battled through fog and rain Feb. 16 to go one-two for U.S. Freeskiing in the pre-Olympic test event of the halfpipe at Rosa Khutor outside Sochi. It was the first opportunity for the top athletes in the Olympics’ newest event to visit Sochi and test the new pipe.

Torin Yater-Wallace

Yater-Wallace soared to his first win of the season.

David Wise (Reno) was unable to impress the judges as he has through the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix and X Games events recently and was fifth.

Top American woman was Jamie Crane-Mauzy (Park City) in ninth.

South Lake Tahoe’s Maddie Bowman said, “I’m really disappointed with myself. I just couldn’t get my trick dialed on this pipe. It’s been a great experience to check out Russia and where the Olympics will be.”