Action County: Brian Connelly

Click to Enlarge Browse and Buy Summit Daily Photos Summit Daily/Eric Drummond Skiercross pro Brian Connelly of Wildernest flies over a roller last week at Arapahoe Basin. Get Sports Feeds

Adam Boffey
March 26, 2008

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Brian Connelly's skiercross career didn't start so hot.

The local racer, who saw the sport on TV one day in 2000 and promptly drove to California to compete in an X Games qualifier, fractured his wrist on his very first training run.

"I didn't handle the airs correctly," Connelly recalled during a recent interview. "I think I was just too overzealous because I was excited. I thought the course was sweet and just started running everything."

As the Wisconsin native's broken bone healed, his ambition grew, and the following season he was ready for another crack at the up-and-coming sport that is now on the docket for the 2010 Olympics.

Connelly grew up an alpine racer who went on to compete in the now-defunct Men's Pro Tour before he was enticed by what he considers a more multi-dimensional form of competition.

"It's more exciting to watch," he said. "There's a lot more things going on than just going fast on snow. ... And it allows a slower guy to draft or to catch up. A guy who was a second and a half back in time trials could definitely (contend for victory)."

As far as being a contender, the 38-year-old of Wildernest seems to be getting more formidable with age - he had the best result of his career two weeks ago at Sun Valley, Idaho, where he qualified for the finals at the third and final Jeep King of the Mountain Tour stop.

Connelly grabbed the 32nd and final spot (in individual time trials), which put him into a four-man heat with top qualifier Tomas Kraus, the Jeep series winner and reigning World Cup champion.

Connelly's brush with the big boys proved to be brief after he fell and took fourth in the heat (the top two advanced), but ask him and he'll tell you that doesn't matter.

It was advancing past the qualifying round that made the trip to Idaho so memorable.

"Tile setters out of Wisconsin don't usually beat World Cup leaders," Connelly said. "But it's fun to make them earn (their results)."

Connelly will wrap up his season next week at the United States of America Snowboard Association (USASA) nationals hosted by Copper Mountain, but what then?

"I'm kind of fired up again," said Connelly, an expecting father with his wife Sarah. "I never know when I'm going to quit. I thought I was going to quit with the baby coming, but other people race with kids. It's like walking away from the craps table. You walk away when you're losing, not when you're winning."



How do you train for skiercross?

There are no skiercross courses to train on (in this geographical area). You have to be good everywhere on the mountain - running bumps, high-speed stuff and skiing the park."



Do your physical dimensions (6-foot-2, 208 pounds) give you an advantage?

"Bigger guys have a tendency to do better just because of the weight and gravity issue. It also helps if you're in any kind of conflict in the corner where you just have to own your space."


How great is the fear factor?

"Having other people ski in your line is the scariest, most dangerous part. Sometimes guys will be right behind you and having their ski equipment on your tails is unnerving. In corners, maybe a hand comes out and touches your hip as you're about to hit a 60-footer, so it's a little nerve-racking in that aspect. But once it's underway, you're really just kind of running with the pack and focusing on getting up to the front."



How have you fared as far as injuries?

"I've had about eight-to-10 knee surgeries, (including) two reconstructives and two cartilage rebuilds. ... One of them hurts pretty much every day, but the other one feels great, so that's fair, I guess."