The Daron Rahlves Banzai Tour started out this year beautifully at Alpine Meadows. Sunny weather and a really challenging course down the Beaver Bowl, which was amazing.
Conditions were right on the edge of what’s safe and what’s not. I think it really pushed all of the skiers and riders in the Banzai on Beaver Bowl to their highest performance. At that level of terrain and challenging conditions, I think it brought out the absolute best in all the skiers. Everybody had to ski as hard as they possibly could.
Unfortunately, I missed the second stop of the Banzai Tour. I was out at the Winter X Games and World Championships for Ski Cross. So, coming into the last stop, I was excited and really wanted a chance to go against Daron Rahlves in the super final, and got off to a good day in qualifying, coming in second.
It was nice and sunny on qualifying day, and then, come race day, somebody invited all the fog and a nice snow storm in. It was quite amazing racing; four skiers at a time down a moguls run with white-out conditions. I found it rather exciting and one of the more unusual and extreme races I have ever done in my life.
I had a great day going, won all my heats, and came into my final round. It was time to put the best run I had out there.
I got off to a good start, but then got tangled up in the first corner, and, from there, just battled my way back through and was able to come down in third place – a little disappointed.
I really wanted a chance to make it into the super final, but nothing to put your head down about. I got third place.
I want to thank Daron Rahlves for an amazing series, and I can’t wait for the series to get off again next year. Hopefully, we’ll kick it off again at Alpine Meadows – Beaver Bowl Banzai 2012.
