Stevens-Eliassen 2-3 at Visa Grand Prix at Copper

COPPER MOUNTAIN, CO. (Dec. 22) – Rookie Darian Stevens (Missoula, MT) took second and the top U.S. spot at Saturday’s slopestyle final while Grete Eliassen (Salt Lake City) came in third at the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix presented by The North Face. Dara Howell of Canada won the women’s FIS World Cup event, and fifteen-year-old rookie Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, MT) finished fourth, boosting into the top of the Olympic qualification standings. Stevens and Eliassen took one of two required podium finishes to qualify for the first-ever U.S. Freeskiing Olympic team. Previous leader Devin Logan (West Dover, VT) did not qualify for the slopestyle final and dropped to a second-place tie with Darian Stevens in the standings. Saturday’s results break the competition wide open, making it anyone’s game when the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix goes to Breckenridge Jan. 8-12.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Rookie Darian Stevens (Missoula, MT) took second and the top U.S. spot at Saturday’s slopestyle final while six-time X Games medalist Grete Eliassen (Salt Lake City) came in third at the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix presented by The North Face.
• Dara Howell of Canada won the women’s FIS World Cup event, which was hampered by snow and swirling winds and resulted in several crashes.
• Fifteen-year-old rookie Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, MT) boosted into the top of the Olympic qualification standings after finishing fourth in the final, while Stevens and Eliassen took one of two required podium finishes to qualify for the first-ever U.S. Freeskiing Olympic team.
• Previous leader and favorite Devin Logan (West Dover, VT) did not qualify for the slopestyle final and dropped to a second-place tie with Stevens in the standings.
• Grete Eliassen made a strong comeback Saturday from a rough crash in qualifiers at Dew Tour, where she shattered her helmet.
• Three of eight women in the finals, Stevens, Voisin and Alexi Micinski (Meridian, ID), are U.S. Freeskiing Rookie Team athletes, which shows how the next generation of freeskiers is progressing both as individuals as well as pushing the sport at large.
• Snow showers led to challenging conditions on the course, making itvery difficult to gain the speed needed to safely execute tricks and landings. Many of the veteran competitors landed on the knuckle of the jumps, which resulted in crashes or rough landings.
• Steven’s second-place run: Disaster on down-flat-down, lip-on down rail, backside 270 off the cannon, rightside 360 safety, leftside 720 safety and cork 900 blunt.
• Eliassen’s third-place run: slid down flat down to the bottom, wall ride (only woman to hit it), 450 off the cannon, rightside 360, leftside 720 and leftside 540.
• Saturday’s wildcard results break the competition wide open, making it anyone’s game when the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix goes to Breckenridge Jan. 8-12.

QUOTES
Darian Stevens
A podium means a lot, because now I can keep growing, hopefully get a couple more and hopefully be on my way to Sochi. I’m just trying to get all my stuff back together. Last year, I was out for a knee injury and this is only my third competition since I’ve been out. So, I’ve just been working on getting it all back

I’ve been working on my corks for a while but I haven’t really landed any. So, it actually all came together today.

Grete Eliassen
I cannot believe it. Just coming off the Dew Tour where I broke my helmet and I was just like, "What is happening?" I just stayed true to myself and had great family and support here to help me. There are a lot of girls that aren’t here right now so I just wanted to ski for them and do the best that I could.

It’s snowing out, but I love it when it’s snowing. I’m a big mountain skier too, so I like it all. I think it really showcased who can make it through courses and who can’t. 

RESULTS
Women’s Final Results

STANDINGS
Official Qualification Standings

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