YOG: Hall Takes Silver in Youth Olympics
LILLEHAMMER, Norway (Feb. 19, 2016) – The Americans continued their success at the Winter Youth Olympic Games, this time in freeskiing slopestyle, where Alex Hall (Park City, UT) scored a silver medal.
Hall followed up his fourth place showing in halfpipe earlier in the week with a podium appearance in slopestyle, which is his specialty. “Today was definitely a fun day,” Hall said after the competition. “I just focused and got all the pieces of the puzzle together. I landed my first run pretty well but cleaned it up on my second run and snuck into second place.”
Hall is quickly making the transition from rookie to elite-level skier, with top-10 finishes on the pro circuit and, most recently, a win at the Mammoth Revolution Tour slopestyle event. Hall stood on the YOG podium with Birk Ruud of Norway, who took first, and Finn Bilous of New Zealand in third.
"The experience in Norway has been amazing – meeting a ton of new people and being in a new place, representing the USA," said Hall, about his trip to the Youth Olympic Games. "It’s been great to meet people from all over the world and hang out with other Americans from different sports. This whole experience is something I’ll never forget."
American Nikita Rubocki (Boise, ID) also competed in both halfpipe and slopestyle at the 2016 Youth Olympic Games; she placed fourth in halfpipe and eighth in slopestyle. Rubocki, who is a high school student in Boise, ID, is a regular on the Revolution Tour and recently scored podium finishes in both slopestyle and halfpipe at the Bjorn Thorsen Memorial event in Park City, UT.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Alex Hall earned silver for the men. His best run scored an 87.40.
- Nikita Rubocki took eighth in slopestyle.
- The International Olympic Committee’s Youth Olympic Games offers a competitive venue for young athletes to not only compete, but also participate in a Learn & Share program designed to inspire and empower youth.
- Live broadcasts, event and daily highlights are available on the Youth Olympic Winter Games YouTube Channel.
QUOTES
Alex Hall
Today was a fun day. It was weird getting used to the course throughout the week but on comp day I just focused and got all the pieces of the puzzle together. I landed my first run pretty well but cleaned it up on my second run and snuck into second place. The experience in Norway has been amazing – meeting a ton of new people and being in a new place, representing the USA. It’s been great to meet people from all over the world and hang out with other Americans from different sports. This whole experience is something I’ll never forget.
Alex Hall
Alex Hall is the epitome of a freeskier. Born in Alaska, raised in Zurich, Switzerland and then Park City, Utah, Hall’s passion and balance for both competitive skiing and filming street and backcountry clips showcases not only his technical expertise but his adaptive style as well.