Nissan "Tram Face" on Silverado – I Was Out Hucked!

The Freeride World Tour tried for the second year in a row to hold the third stop of the tour on the Tram Face in Squaw Valley, California. It almost happened, but a small pocket of snow was triggered by someone from the media and the competition was immediately cancelled. The competition was moved from the Tram Face to Silverado. Silverado is an in-bounds venue. It is not what I would consider a FWT worthy venue, but it was the best venue for the competition due to the circumstances.

Silverado - Compeition Venue for the Nissan Tram Face Freeride World Tour

There are multiple reasons why Silverado is not worthy of being a Freeride World Tour venue. The two main reasons are that Silverado is too short and it does not have enough features to demonstrate creativity or variety in the lines competitors choose to ski. Essentially Silverado is a big air competition. Who ever can land the biggest air of the day, wins the competition.

Jaclyn Paaso definitely won the big air competition for the women. She most likely won for the men as well. She took the largest air of the day for all of the competitors. It was impressive.

Henrick Windstedt had the biggest and cleanest air for the men.

Awards Ceremony

I hucked myself into fifth place women. I skied really well putting together a line that included three airs: a 20ft, 30ft, and 15ft. It is not often that a line with three large airs would be a fifth place finish. The women skied exceptionally well. All of the women chose lines with huge airs and almost every single female stomped her line. It was a good day for women skiing.

The third stop really shook things up in the rankings for the overall of the Freeride World Tour. Jaclyn Paaso is now leading the tour followed by Ane Endrud and myself. The last stop of the tour will be held in Verbier on the notorious Bec de Rosses.