Training will be open on Friday from 1 to 3 still, but I would come early and enjoy some free skiing - chances are it will open earlier.

Reminder: Check-in is at the Killington Ski Club.

Wait List:

Hello Eastern Freestyle-Freeskiing!

Has anyone been able to get a hold of Mother Mature yet? She is not answering my calls.

THIS WEEKEND:

EQS "B"

Central Region - Killington B Klassic, Killington, VT

Friday, Jan 27: Official Training, 1 - 3pm
Sat, Jan 28: Mogul Comp
Sun, Jan 29: SS/A

Eastern Region - Kagan Cup, Sugarloaf, ME

Friday, Jan 27: Official Training, Moguls: 10 - 1pm, Slope: 1 - 3pm
Sat, Jan 28: Mogul Comp
Sun, Jan 29: SS

Western Region - EQS "B" and ECS "A"

Seven Springs Smackdown, 7 Springs, PA

Looks like everything is ago for this weekend. We have had to move the venue to the backside of our mt. We will be competing on the lower half of the Gunnar slope. This is serviced by a high speed, 6-pack chair. There will not be any foot or driving access. Spectators are reminded the Seven Springs is member of the "Mountains of Distinction" cooperative, so if you have a season pass from one of these resorts (holiday valley, bristol mt. etc.), then you are eligible for a day pass discount. Lift tickets for friday afternoon training will be $35 and available at the ticket office in the skiers' lodge. Registration will start each day at 7:15am in the Maple room of the skiers' lodge (next to the Liftline Cafe). Awards will be held at the base of the course. We look forward to seeing you this weekend! chris huffman 7S Freestyle

ECS "A"

 Rosemary Bowl, Waterville, NH

Friday, Jan 27: Official Training - 1 - 3pm
Sat, Jan 28: Mogul Comp
Sun, Jan 29: Mogul II Comp (NO Duals Comp)

UPDATES FOR FUTURE EVENTS FROM WATERVILLE:

EAST FREE TOUR - NH Open
Thursday, Feb 2: Official Training TBD
Friday, Feb 3: Aerial /  Aerial II - Open A/B
Sat, Feb 4: A Slopestyle

(The Sunday halfpipe comp has been cancelled).

We encourage all EQS "B" athletes who would like to compete in aerials to sign up for the Friday, Feb 3 Open Aerial Competition. This will be a double event. "A" athletes will be scored to the USSA FSP and "B" athletes will be scored to the Eastern B points list.

Shuff's Showdown - EQS Freeride
Friday, Feb 10: Official Training - 1 - 3pm
Sat, Feb 11: B Aerials
Sun, Feb 12: B Slopestyle

Sorry for any inconvenience!
Marissa Preston
WV Freestyle
mpreston@wvbbts.org

So, that's all for tonigh. That said, we have a few more changes coming down the pipe. Please check back on Friday for an updated event schedule for some weekends in February.

Have a great weekend! Drive safely!

Deb

Sunapee Sun-Bash and Holiday Valley registrations will open tonight at 6pm. Sorry for the delay.

With limited terrain (half pipes), the Eastern Freeskiing crew is looking at a schedule revision, so Waterville's NH Open registration is delayed.

Killington Klassic registration will open tonight.

Thanks for your patience. (Honestly, I am losing mine with Mother Nature!)

Griffin Cup - Saturday Moguls and Sunday Slopestyle.
I did my best to get as many kids as possible, apologies to any I missed.
See you on the snow,
Scott

1. Dew Tour is at Killington this weekend.

2. Registration for the Griffin Cup at Loon is in a different location this year - at the Competition Center, and slopestyle will be on Springboard and open for training all day Saturday.

3. The Stratton Event Info has been updated again - version 3. 

I photographed EVERY B athlete on their first run of Saturday., many of the athletes on their second run on Saturday and a few on Sunday. I also photographed many A athletes on Saturday and Sunday but only from the top.

http://www.covenaturephotography.com/Sports/Bristol-Moguls-114-15/21060479_pcjRgF

Christopher Cove

Hello Eastern Freestyle-Freeskiing!

Just a couple of things before I start with the event updates.

I know it has been frustrating waiting for event registrations to open this year, but just so you are aware of the process - we wait to be sure that the mountain/event organizer is good to go before we release registration. Going through the refunding process is tedious to say the least. Thanks for your patience with this.

It is always great to see other teams helping out with event venue prep, by volunteering at events and with each other's athletes. Keep it up! Remember we represent EASTERN FREESTYLE-FREESKIING, not just our individual teams.

Big Weekend Coming Up ~

EQS "B's":

Central Region: Stevek's Mogul Challenge, Stratton, VT - m/m. A new event schedule was posted today - check it out.

Eastern Region: Griffin Cup, Loon, NH - m/s. Their event sheet is posted.

Western Region: Rip's Monster Mogul Mash, Hunter, NY - m/m

Greetings Freestyle Athletes, Parents, Coaches, and Fans!
Hunter Mountain is extremely excited to host our EQS –B Mogul two day event. Rips Monster Mogul Mash will be hosted on a new trail. Park Avenue will be dialed into EQS B meet specifications and we are very excited about the new location. As always, we open our doors to USSA Freestyle athlete’s to join in the fun and excitement this event draws. Hunter Mountain’s Management and Events staff are committed to making your visit a pleasant one. Our Freestyle community has a history of smooth running events. We look forward to your arrival. We hope all Coaches and Athletes will consider rallying your team to join the fun on January 21-22.

EAST FREE TOUR starts this weekend at Okemo, Vt with slopestyle events on Saturday and Sunday. These events are open to all of our skiers, but more appropriate for the older crew. That said, groms are always welcome!

ECS "A's":

Whiteface Bumps & Jumps, Lake Placid, NY - m/dm We are SUPER PUMPED about Lake Placid's appearance back onto the A schedule. PLEASE tell me you are heading over on Thursday to watch the World Cup and to train on the WC course on Friday before the event gets underway on Saturday! Thursday's World Cup event will feature the best mogul skiers in the world AND some of our very own Eastern athletes! (Honestly - too many to list here! Oh ok - Hannah Kearney, Eliza Outtrim, Brittany Loweree, Alison Digravio, Troy Murphy, David Digravio, and Jeremy Cota) On top of the mogul event on Thursday, the Aerial WC will take place on Friday and Saturday nights at the jumping complex - you know, the hill next to the water ramps, so we can head over and cheer the US Team as well (Eastern athletes on the air hill - Emily Cook, Alison Lee, Kiley McKinnon, Dylan Ferguson, Jon Lillis, Hans Gardner, Alex Bowen, Mike Rossi, Mac Bohonnon and Nevin Brown.) Should be a super fun weekend! Hope you can make it!

All of that said, Mike Kirchner at NYSEF needs some help still. I promised him that our Eastern coaches would help out with the chop each morning, but if there are any parents that would like to volunteer for the usual positions, then they will provide lift access for the day you work as well as give you a voucher for another day. Send Mike an email at Michael Kirchner <kirsh68@frontiernet.net>.

Lastly, I am PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE the addition of a GREAT TRAINING opportunity for all of our mogul, freeride and aerial athletes. Joe Davies and the Elite Aerial Program are hosting air camps at Lake Placid this winter. The venue will be set up to help athletes from all of the disciplines to advance their air skills. I have attached a flier to this notice. Please check it out! Space is limited and I know that KMS Freeskiing is already signed up...best place to get the dub flips going...onto a chopped landing!

Have a great weekend.

Be nice and courteous to all!

GO TEAM USA!

Coach Deb

PS Did I mention that Hannah Kearney is going for her 11th straight win at Lake Placid on Thursday! GO HK!

Griffin Cup - Saturday Moguls and Sunday Slopestyle.
I did my best to get as many kids as possible, apologies to any I missed.
See you on the snow,
Scott

Toyota Freestyle Fest
http://www.covenaturephotography.com/Sports/Bristol-Moguls-114-15/21060479_pcjRgF
Christopher Cove

Pix from Waterville - Preston Cup - Saturday and Sunday by Scott Mulder - LINKS Updated!

Thanks to all of our Eastern Freestyle-Freeskiing families that contributed to the High Fives Foundation on behalf of Jake Hickman, the athlete from the Far West division that suffered a spinal cord injury at US Selection Events.

Here is today's update from his dad, Eric. It is really encouraging. Yeah!

Hi Everyone,

Hello!

Congrats to all of the competitors on a great weekend of competition. All kinds of great reports have been coming into the office! Thanks again to the commitment from the mountains and their staff for making it happen for the kids! Reminder: anyone that is taking pictures - please load them up to Smugmug or Picasa and send me the link to share.

Registration has been a little off this year. Please call Mother Nature to complain. She really needs to start hearing from us!! Thanks for your patience and persistence...we are just trying to open registration once we are sure the event is a go.

Explanation of a new rule for the B's as we head into a weekend with our first slopestyle event - see end of email.

EAST FREE TOUR ~ Okemo, VT is ready to host the VT Open next weekend - Jan 21-22. That said, we may see a schedule change or two, unless the mtn is able to get the half pipe open. Please stay tuned this week for updates.

Central Region Reminder and Update - Sugarbush was cancelled. Mt Snow will be hosting a SS-A/SS-A in lieu of a mogul event this year to make up for the SS-A cancellation at Preston Cup. Finally, Stratton is getting pumped to host the annual Stevek's Mogul Challenge (M/M) next weekend.

Eastern Region - Eastern Throwdown, Jan 14-15 ~ M/SS. The event is on for this weekend. Registration opened tonight for in-region and will open at 6pm for out of region. Event info sheet should be up shortly.

Western Region - Toyota Freestyle Fest, Bristol, NY ~ M/M See below.

ECS "A" Meet - Toyota Freestyle Fest, Bristol, NY ~ M/M/DM See below.

A/B Toyota Freestyle Fest, Bristol, NY ~ PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.
There are a number of changes for our event this year, all driven by the incredibly warm weather and horrible snowmaking conditions. Neither of our normal course sites has adequate coverage to build anything on. As a result (after tremendous amounts of negotiations) Bristol was extremely generous to give us their main trail (Upper Rocket). Both courses will be located on this trail. The B course will run from the very top of the mtn and the A course will start directly below the B finish area. As of this update both courses are fully built including all airs and we have been training on them. Here are a few bullets that I need to make sure everyone understands in order to make this event run smoothly.

1. Spectators - THERE IS NO FOOT ACCESS TO EITHER COURSE! There will also be no spectators allowed directly below the B course - coaches only. The area at the bottom of the B, top of the A course will be very crowded and we cannot impede skier traffic going by. There is plenty of space at the side of the B course and tons of flat space at the bottom of the A course (this area is half way up the mtn though).

2. A athletes - There will be a fenced in area for you to congregate while you wait for your run. You must keep all of your gear (especially skis) inside of that area to allow skier traffic to flow by.

3. Skier traffic - as you might be able to tell from my previous two bullets, the mountain is extremely concerned that our event will pinch off traffic to the runs below. I have assured them that there is adequate room to ski by our courses and this will not be an issue. Please help me make sure that the general public can use the remainder of the trail.

4. All athletes - at all times please keep your speed in check when you are skiing by the courses and when you are going to the bottom down Lower Rocket.

This should be an exciting event and a really cool setup having both courses set up in this manner and running simultaneously. We are very much looking forward to hosting the Eastern Freestyle community. All training and event times remain unchanged. Thanks and see you all this weekend!!! ~Johnny

Think Snow!

Coach Deb

 A summary of the EQS Rules in reference to aerial manuevers for the 2011-2012 season. ~ by Mark Depeters

EQS Slopestyle

Inverts are NOT ALLOWED.  Spins greater than 900 and off-axis tricks must have their maneuvers qualified by a USSA Level 2 or higher coach.  If the athlete does not have the maneuvers qualified, then they must have a USSA level 2 aerial coach or higher present at the event to represent them.  (EQS 10.4) Athletes wishing to compete spins greater than 900 or off-axis tricks must perform these maneuvers during official training.  (EQS 10.5)

EQS Aerial "Big Air"

This is the same event and will be scored as traditional aerials, using the Degree of Difficulty Chart and Multipliers.

Spins greater than 900, off axis and inverts ARE Allowed subject to the following:

For EQS aerial/big air events any athletes performing spins greater than 900, inverted jumps and off-axis tricks must have these maneuvers qualified in accordance with the current USSA rules (Section 3070 in the USSA Freestyle/Freeskiing Competition Guide) and must have a USSA Level 2 aerial or higher certified coach present.  (EQS 10.1)

For EQS aerial/big air events any athletes performing spins greater than 900 inverted jumps and off-axis tricks must have these maneuvers listed on the USSA Freestyle Jump Qualification List, available at www.easternfreestyle-freeskiing.org.  (EQS 10.2)

In EQS aerial/big air events jumps may not be repeated. Jumps must be called down to the head judge.  Calling down jumps in EQS aerials/big air is merely to help educate the athletes and judges. If an athlete does not perform the jump called down the judges will score the jump performed with no deductions.  (EQS 15.4)  Please be aware using this format both jumps will count towards the final score.  The score is a combination of the two jumps performed.

The highest degree difficulty jump that is going to be performed during the competition must be performed during official training.

EQS Moguls

For EQS mogul events athletes may not perform spins greater than 720, inverted jumps or off-axis tricks.  (EQS 10.3)

Reminder: EQS mogul athletes are invited to participate in one mogul and one dual mogul event at the ECS level each year.

For all EQS events if the Technical Delegate deems the situation unsafe; the site not appropriate; the athlete having problems with the jump, then the TD may exclude the jump from the competition.  (EQS 10.6)