Chevrolet JOs: Rocky J3's open with DH

Finishing off 2 days of outstanding downhill training the Rocky/Central J3's were ready for the challenges of the Tiehack downhill on Racer's Edge at Buttermilk in Aspen, Colorado.  Junior Olympics haven't been in Aspen for over 20 years and the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club, AVSC, started the event off with a bang.

ASPEN, Colorado — Finishing off two days of outstanding downhill training, the Rocky/Central J3's were ready for the challenges of the Tiehack downhill on Racer's Edge at Buttermilk in Aspen, Colorado.  Junior Olympics haven't been in Aspen for more than 20 years and the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club, AVSC, started the event off with a bang.
    On Monday evening the streets of Aspen closed down for a parade that started at Wagner Park and ended at Gondola Plaza at the base of Aspen Mountain that kicked off the opening ceremonies. Individual teams were announced as they entered the plaza. The athletes first heard from Mark Cole, the executive drector of AVSC, then Mike Kaplin, president and CEO of Aspen Skiing Company. Then Klaus Obermeyer, who did some Austrian yodeling, entertained the athletes, parents and coaches. Four-time Olympian Casey Puckett finished off the speakers and asked the athletes to do three things, first compete to the best of their abilities, show good sportsmanship and lastly to have fun. A huge fireworks display finished of the ceremony.
    Tuesday started the competition with downhill first on the agenda. The men started first. Cooper Cartmill, independent racer from Beaver Creek, Colorado, won the boys event with a time of 1:20.89.  Cooper was smooth and precise. The Tiehack downhill has all the elements of a great downhill: fast gliding turns at the top, big air off of waterfall, tough challenging turns through a lot of terrain. The athletes were definitely put to the test and they stepped up and skied fantastic. In second place, Luc Henri Chevalier from Team Summit was second, just .20 behind Cartmill, and finishing off the podium was first-year J2 Conor McDonald, also from Team Summit.
    On the girls side, Tracie Kroneberger from Team Winter Park, fresh back from her trip to the Topolino Games, smoked the field by more than a second to for the win with a time of 1:24.81.  Lauren Samuels from Team Gilboa was second with a time of 1:26.07 and finishing off the podium was Abby Ghent from Ski and Snowboard Club Vail with a 1:26.34.