U.S. Wins Freestyle Marc Hodler Trophy at Junior World Championships

The 2019 FIS Junior World Snowboard and Freeski Championships in Klappen, Sweden came to a close on Saturday and brothers Kiernan Fagan (Brownfield, Maine) and Deven Fagan (Brownfield, Maine) led the way for the Americans earning the freeski big air silver and bronze medal. Also, a strong performance from the entire U.S. Freestyle Junior World Championships Team secured the Marc Hodler Trophy, awarded to the best overall nation.

“The Junior Worlds went really well for me,” said silver medalist Kiernan Fagan. “Getting second-place in both slopestye and big air here is a great feeling. It was amazing to see the whole U.S. Team here skiing so well and it’s great to see the U.S. take home the prize for the best overall nation, winning the Marc Hodler Trophy!”

Fagan will add his Junior World Championship accolades to an already successful year. Fagan went two for three earning podiums in the first two slopestyle World Cups he competed in this season. He then earned a third-place finish at the Seiser Alm, Italy World Cup and another third-place at the Mammoth Grand Prix.

Other notable U.S. finishes include 14 year-old Troy Podmilsak (Park City, Utah) finishing sixth and also earning the Next Gen Award. In addition, Zane Zeverson (Park City, Utah) and Hunter Henderson (Madbury, N.H.) finished in ninth and tenth respectively. Ulrik Samnoey of Norway won the event. 

For the women, U.S. Rookie Team members Rell Harwood (Park City, Utah) and Grace Henderson (Madbury, N.H.) finished in fourth and fifth respectively. Estonian prodigy Kelly Sildaru won the event, Megan Oldham of Canada took second-place, and Kirsty Muir of Great Britain finished in third.

For the snowboarders, U.S. Rookie Team member Jake Canter (Evergreen, Colo.) took to the big air jump and was the leading American finishing in tenth-place. Ryoma Kimata and Aoto Kawakami of Japan finished in first and second respectively, followed by Canada’s Buffey William in third-place.

For the women, U.S. Rookie Team member Courtney Rummel (West Bend, Wisc.) finished just off the podium in fifth-place and American Addison Gardner (Riegelsville, Penn.) finished 10th. Sommer Gendron of Canada added another 2019 Junior World Championship gold medal to her collection topping the podium as she did earlier in the week in slopestyle. Annika Morgan of Germany finished second and Poppe Evy of Belgium finished in third.

The U.S. freestyle athletes dominated the race for the Marc Hodler Trophy, finishing with 142 points ahead of Canada with 89 points. The U.S Junior World Championship snowboard team finished fifth overall. It was a hugely successful Junior World Championships with Americans taking home seven medals in addition to solid overall results from the entire U.S. field. The proving ground that is the FIS Junior World Championships tends to unearth future superstars, so keep an eye out down the road as the athletes progress and compete at the highest level of their sport.

RESULTS
Men’s freeski big air
Women’s freeski big air
Men’s snowboard big air
Women’s snowboard big air

MARC HODLER TROPHY STANDINGS
Freestyle
Snowboard