Complete Schedule
Jan. 3, 2001--
Freestyle skiers from all over the world are in Utah to compete this weekend in an event that's a preview of the 2002 Winter Olympics.
The Gateway Freestyle Challenge at Deer Valley will take place on the same hills where the Olympic venues will be. So this is a test event for organizers and athletes.
News Specialist Shelley Osterloh has the story.
Freestyle Inverted Aerials is one of the hottest new spectator friendly sports. It is a relatively young sport and 1998 Olympic gold medalist and reigning world champion, Eric Bergoust, is helping the sport evolve.
After the Olympics this son of an engineer went about redesigning equipment, techniques, and even the jump, or kicker, as its called.
Eric Bergoust/Olympic Gold Medalist: "SO I TRIED TO DESIGN A BIGGER AND BETTER JUMP THAT WAS A LITTLE STEEPER. AND OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS OUR KICKERS HAVE GOTTEN A METER TALLER, WHICH IS LIKE THAT MUCH BIGGER, AND THEY ACTUALLY BUILT THAT ON WATER FOR US AFTER THE OLYMPICS. AND NOW WE ARE BUILDING THEM ON SNOW. AND NOW EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE WORLD IS USING THAT JUMP TOO."
And in a competition where bigger is better, the jump has enabled competitors to do more difficult jumps, more safely.
At the Gateway Freestyle Challenge World Cup this weekend, Bergoust will be doing triple flips with quad twists..
And so will returning Gateway World Cup champion, Joe Pack.
The 26-year-old Park City man is hoping to repeat his win from last year and do what he likes best --- perform for an enthusiastic hometown crowd.
Joe Pack/US Aerialist: "FRIENDS ARE ALL THERE, AND THAT'S WHERE THE SHOW COMES IN. I GOT ALL THESE GREAT PEOPLE DOWN THERE THAT WANT TO SEE SOMETHING REALLY COOL, SO HERE WE GO. WHY NOT SHOW IT TO 'EM."
Also look for Jerry Grossi. This is only his third season on the team, but this Chicago native turned Utah resident is ranked 11th in the world.
The Freestyle Aerial team is America's most successful ski team, and jumpers hope their hometown advantage starts this weekend at the Gateway World Cup, and continues through 2002.
You can watch the Freestyle Aerial World Cup at Deer Valley on Saturday.
The final competition starts at noon, with training at 10 A.M.
It's free to the public, unless you want to sit in the bleachers. That comes with a v.i.p. lunch, and costs $50. For the bleacher seats, call (435) 615-6015.
Go to Complete Schedule
Go to Utah Winter XTC story on World Cup Freestyle (real video only).
