The need for “more cowbell” is real this week when the world’s greatest freestyle skiers descend on Park City and Deer Valley Resort for the Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International World Cup, Feb. 6-8.
The three-day competition – the only domestic stop on the World Cup circuit — not only features eye-popping aerials and heart-racing moguls competitions, but also showcases Park City’s Olympic legacy as approximately 7,000 fans gather each night to watch the greatest show on snow held on very same competition courses used for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. This year marks 22 years that Deer Valley Resort has hosted international and world competitions that also include three World Championships (2003, 2011, 2019) and 17 World Cups.
Perhaps the best part is that all events during Deer Valley’s World Cup are free to the public, and the finals take place nightly under the stars, adding to the magic. If you’re skiing this week at Deer Valley, check out the daytime qualifiers and training runs slopeside. The intermediate-level run Big Stick parallels much of the Champion moguls course while Carpenter Express offers a birds-eye view of aerials action on White Owl.
Use the free Park City Transit bus system, which has a bus stop right outside Snow Park Lodge for easy access, or park at the base if driving. To get up to the large viewing area, either take the conveyor lifts and then Snowflake chairlift or Burns chairlift up, and then walk the rest of the way to the course.
Be sure to wear layers and warm footwear with tread (or Yaktrax) to ease your way up and down the 20-minute hike to the spectating area. Pack some snacks and beverages, or enjoy Deer Valley’s beloved turkey chili, hot cocoa and cookies available for purchase from the concession stand. Pop into Snow Park’s EBS Lounge for adult beverages, appetizers and apres ski entertainment.
WHAT – AND WHO! – TO WATCH FOR:
Moguls competition kicks off Thursday on Champion Ski Run, one of the longest and steepest courses on the FIS moguls World Cup circuit. Today’s freestyle tricks are a far cry from the backscratchers and daffys of yesterday, and often include inverted and/or multi-rotational maneuvers performed right in the middle of a gnarly mogul field — twice. Competitors are timed for speed and judged on their skiing and tricks.
Canadian Mikael Kingsbury, the reigning 2018 gold medalist, leads an Olympian-studded field that also includes Park City’s own Bradley Wilson, a five-time U.S. champion, two-time Olympian and three-time World Cup winner, as well as reigning U.S. champion Jesse Andriga, also of Park City. Look for young guns Nick Page and Alex Lewis, both of whom can land a cork 14 (an off-axis spin with a 1,440-degree rotation).
On the women’s side, Americans Jaelin Kauf and Hannah Soar will go up against 2018 Olympic gold medalist Perrine Laffont of France, 2018 silver medalist Yuliya Galysheva of Kazakhstan and 2018 bronze medalist Justine Dufour-Lapointe of Canada.
The aerials competition soars on Friday when gymnast-athletes launch off White Owl’s massive 11.5- to 13.5-foot kickers and reach 40 to 55 feet in the air. Look for Park City local and 11-year veteran Ashley Caldwell to lead the American air force. The 2017 World Champ is the only woman to ever land “The Daddy,” a quadruple-twisting triple flip (a full, double full, full).
Reigning Olympic champ Hanna Huskova of Belarus and silver medalist Fanyu Kong of China will be competing along with the men’s current Olympic title holders including Ukraine’s Oleksander Abramenko (gold), Zongyang Jia China (silver), Russia’s Maxin Burov (bronze).
The competition wraps on Saturday with the fan-favorite dual moguls. World Championship medalists Kauf and U.S. teammate Tess Johnson will look to repeat last season’s success.
PRO TIP: Up your spectator game with Deer Valley’s Freestyle Feast VIP experience, available for both mogul competitions and aerials. Tickets offer special access to the on-hill events, a gourmet buffet, beverages in the VIP tent and a commemorative gift. Tickets are $200 per person per event, and quantities are limited. Call 435-645-6510 for more information.
HOW TO WATCH:
Thursday, Feb. 6
1:40-2:50 p.m. Women’s moguls qualifications
4-5:20 p.m. Men’s moguls qualifications
7:30-8:45 p.m. Moguls finals
8:50 p.m. Awards
9 p.m. Fireworks
Friday, Feb. 7
2:15-2:55 Women’s aerials qualifications
4:45-5:30 p.m. Men’s aerials qualifications
7:30-8:20 p.m. Aerials finals
8:30 p.m. Awards, fireworks immediately following
Saturday, Feb. 8
4:45-6:30 p.m. Men’s and women’s dual moguls preliminary round
7:30-8:50 p.m. Dual moguls finals
8:55 p.m. Awards, fireworks immediately following
For a detailed competition schedule and TV times, visit https://usskiandsnowboard.org/news/one-month-out-deer-valley-intermountain-healthcare-freestyle-internationalor https://www.deervalley.com/things-to-do/activities/world-cup.
For more on the U.S. Freestyle Team, visit https://usskiandsnowboard.org/teams/freestyle.
