Honda Ski Tour Blog
Jan 18 2007 / Sun ValleyKitt Doucette blogs from one of the coldest places in America this weekend, Sun Valley, ID
Sunday January 14, 2007
11am…Good morning, actually it’s a bit closer to afternoon but the lat34 and Redbull late night party kept it rocking until the wee hours of the morning…I bet more than a few people saw the cold sun rise this morning in Sun Valley. Thanks to Doug Ellsley for opening up his swank loft to lat34 and Redbull. It was pretty full on last night. Don Carlos brought good vibes and sick beats to Whiskey Jaques, Hinder and Three Days Grace brought the streets to life, the Swollen Members kept the Next Stage rocking and the bonfires kept everyone warm…except for that one guy who tried to jump it, I think he might’ve gotten a little too warm. So I’m off to breakfast before the halfpipe fires up this afternoon.
|
||||||||||
1:15pm…everything and everybody are moving a bit slowly today but the boys are in the pipe and going big as they work their way towards the finals tonight. The crowd is also growing as people are hiking up the hill and standing around stomping their feet to stay warm in the shade. The big news is Peter Olenik, whose busting some sort oof double flip on his first hit…definitely bringing the most ooohhhs and ahhhhhs from the crowd.
2:30pm…The momentum is starting to build as talk of the fashion show at 5 has the crowd buzzing. I just met Frank Wells, the man who creates the pipe and jumps for the ski tour, X-games and the New Zealand Snow Park…the guys a bad ass (read the exclusive interview here) and was excited to see so many people hiking up to heck out the action. The real action today is going to start with the fashion show, then at the pipe for the finals before Kipp’s blowout party at his house complete with snowmobile freestyle!
3:30pm…Everybody is awaiting the announcement about who will be in the finals, the pipe is empty for the first time today and I think everybody is here at Apples, a local bar at the base of Bald Mountain, with me. The bongo drums are wailing and everybody is trying to get something to eat before the finals. So the party is back on as the weekend is reaching critical mass…the halfpipe finals tonight will definitely be one hell of a show.
4:45pm…So the fashion show has been postponed until after the finals so I have some much needed downtime on my hands to warm up and get some food before the Halfpipe finals start in an hour…I might just try to take a little nap as well since the VIP mansion party is happening tonight hosted by none other than Tommy Lee! The party just keeps on going here at The Honda Ski Tour and I can’t wait to see if Peter Olenik
7:30pm…Damn it's cold! My feet are freezing but the halfpipe finals just finished in grand fashion. Simon Dumont locked the competition down with his first run. He really was on another level. All the guys went big and gave the crowd plenty to cheer about but Dumont separated himself with his amplitude, hardly checking his speed at all as he came into his first hit and going well above the 15 fooot flags. Matt Phillipi flew into second with big 1260's up top and an amazingly smooth flare at the bottom. Kiwi Jossi Wells rounded out the podium with a series of inverted spins that I losttrack of the rotations. So Dumont in first, Phillipi in second and wells in third. The fashion show is just about to start so we'll see what the ladies on the runway have to offer.
8:10pm…The music is starting to pump as everyone gets warm and a bit loose for the fashion show. The lodge is packed full and the dancing has already begun yas everyone, myself included, is happy to be inside the lodge. Now the first wave of local talent and beautiful girls are on the stage, shaking it with smiles on their faces. WOW, the ladies of The Honda Ski Tour just hit the stage in outfits I can only describe as goldfinger goes to the beach by way of the mountains…definitely leaves an impression. Now the local ladies are back in tutus, or something like a tutu, over stretch fitness pants.
The crowd is screaming their heads off…although I'm not sure exactly what their screaming at…now I know, the HST girls are back on the runway, wearing very little.
8:30pm…the fashion show is wrapping up and all the VIP's are heading back to shower and get ready for tonight's VIP mansion party. If I said I wasn't excited about the party I'd be lying through me teeth.
So check out the photos and hear the stories tomorrow morning…but not too early.
------------------------------------------
Saturday January 13, 2007
10:45am…There’s an old movie called Sun Valley serenade…none of you have probably heard of it but the title line on the movie poster goes “It happened in Sun Valley.” For years that was the case, the grand dame of ski resorts, the oldest resort in the U.S was becoming just that…old, past tense. Well, right now it’s happening here in Sun Valley in a way that it hasn’t happened for close to twenty years.
I’m talking about The Honda Ski Tour…I’m talking about The Wailers playing an outdoor concert and bonfires in the middle of Main Street and live music in every bar. Last night was insane. The temperature was below freezing but that hardly dented the spirits of the party goers, both young and old. I saw twelve-year-old kids skanking next to sixty five year old ones as “Natural Mystic” lit up the town. Backstage the New Zealand company Ice Breaker was throwing a VIP party and, if you were one of the lucky ones, the Kiwi wine flowed like water and The Wailers were on hand taking in the winter vibe while racks of lamb adorned the tables…and this is just the beginning. All weekend long The Honda Ski Tour is keeping Sun valley Jumping. From the Skiercross today, complete with a Paul Mitchell Dark Horse Qualifier (local skiers are invited to throw their hat in the professional ring) and a night halfpipe jam in preparation for the competition on Sunday. So stay tuned as I run around like a chicken with its head cut off to bring you exclusive coverage. From the VIP lounge to the skiercross finish to the halfpipe, the après ski parties to the concerts (Hinder and Three Days Grace are the headliners tonight) I will be there and so will Lat34.
11:45am…I’m inside the VIP tent at Dollar Mountain, awaiting the start of the skiercross. Here’s what the course looks like. The course starts at the top of Dollar Mountain, one of the oldest ski specific mountains in the United States. After a quick start it snakes its way along the cat track for 10-15 seconds before dropping over into a series of banked turns with whoops after each one. The crux would have to be a fall-away turn, ultra narrow and already the site of numerous crashes. When there is more than one guy on the course it is that fall away turn that will separate the winners and losers. After the fall-away there’s a fairly benign gap, but if you had to scrub speed coming into it there would definitely be issues…then it’s a big left footer that leads directly into the biggest jump, right over a Honda. From there it’s a full on blitz to the finish over a series of camels and ending with a table top jump…definitely a spectator pleaser. One of the coolest things about the Honda Ski Tour skiercross here in Sun Valley is the inclusion of local skiers. The Dark Horse Qualifier is about to start, the crowd is amped, people are starting to show up, the ice carving competition has begun and even though a lot of people are moving a little slower due to all the festivities last night everyone is still smiling and excited to do it all over again!
1:15…The Paul Mitchell Dark Horse Qualifier just finished. Thomas Krause, after an all night flight from Europe moves through to the money round along with Justin glick from Colorado. The VIP tent is packed with people taking advantage of the open bar as the party like atmosphere here on Dollar ramps up. People are out in force today, kids are sledding and sliding all over the hill the skier cross finals are about to start so I’m back out there. Dark horse along with Jake Fiala
2:15…The first quaterfinal heat came through the finish line and Thomas Krause, the European dark horse advances along with Jason Fiala, one of the fastest qualifiers…there’s a bit of a hold up due to technical difficulties in the starting gate and the first casualty of the day was suffered…Biche Rudigoz, a local skier and 8th fastest qualifier, high-sided coming into the fifth turn and slammed into the next roller. He was taken down in a toboggan with an injured hip and feared internal injuries. Best of luck to Biche as he was definitely one of the crowd favorites here in Sun Valley. I’ve got my toe heaters in my boots and I’m ready to get back out there and see what happens next.
2:45…The Quarter finals are in the bag and the final 8 are pretty much who I expected. Jake Fiala, Casey Puckett, Thomas Krause, and Stanley Hayre are in the first semi-final heat and Zach Crist, Daron Rahlves, Lars Lewen and Travis Svensrud round out the second heat of four. The wind has started to pick up dropping temperatures back below zero as the crowd has started partying in earnest. Bloody Mary’s, Kaluha and coffe and Pabst Blue Ribbon seem to be the drinks of choice as everybody is stomping their feet in anticipation or just to keep warm.
3:15… After two smoking semi final heats here’s where we stand. Casey Puckett looks strong coming into the finals, Stanley Hayre, the biggest guy in the final at well over six feet and 220 pounds, along with downhill champion Daron Rahlves and Lars Lewen from Sweeden. The second semi-heat was the most exciting of the day with Daron Rahlves and Zach Dueling it out for second place. Zach passed Daron up top but Daron passed him back on one of the most technical turns in the course…almost sending Zach into the fence. Definitely the hometown favorite there were more than a few groans when Zach came down in third place and out of the finals.
3:30…What an amazing final! In Casey Puckett’s words “it was the most intense final I’ve ever been in.” All four racers were brushing shoulders coming into the first turn where Pucket came out the leader but Daron Rahlves was hot on his tail the entire time, it was almost as if their skis were touching as they banked around the turns at over 40 miles per hour. Then, coming into that fall-away turn I talked about Daron made his move but got tangled up and pitched into the fence, letting Puckett of the hook and putting Daron in fourth, but Stanley Hayre wouldn’t be denied and coming down the final straight away less than 1 ski length separated Puckett and Hayre. Blowing into the finish with a triumphant fist Pump Casey took the race and the new car along with 25 grand. Stanley Hayre made an impression coming in second and Lars Lewen finished in third. There were hugs all around as athletes and media converged on the finish corral to celebrate with Casey Puckett, The winner of The Honda Ski Tours first skiercross. The awards ceremony was done quickly with a lot of attention being given to Honda and the Sun Valley Resort thanking all the athletes for putting on such an amazing show. Well I’m off to the Halfpipe, they’re about to turn on the lights for a night session and that’s something I don’t want to miss…
Video
