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Colin Harris’ skiercross national title tops Summit County success at USASA Nationals

Copper Mountain youth skier Colin Harris’ victory in the boys 10-11 skiercross competition highlighted a bevy of top-five finishes for Summit County locals at this week’s freeski events at the United States of America Snowboard and Freeski Association National Championships, hosted at Copper Mountain Resort.

On Wednesday, Harris crossed the finish line of the skiercross course in 53.06 seconds, just under 10 seconds faster than second-place finisher Nathan Wanke of Boise, Idaho. Wednesday’s victory wrapped up a standout three-day showing for Harris, who on Tuesday took 10th place in the 10-11 boys slopestyle competition, earning a score of 82.00. That followed a Monday on the halfpipe where Harris took eighth place in the 10-11 boys halfpipe competition, with a score of 74.67.

Breckenridge skier Axl Bonenberger also excelled this week across different freeski competitions, namely during Tuesday’s freeski 12-13 boys slopestyle competition. Bonenberger’s score of 99 on the Copper Mountain slopestyle course was just one point behind champion Fin Melville Ives’ score of 100. Melville Ives hails from Wanaka, Otago in New Zealand, meaning Bonenberger was the highest-scoring American in the competition. Bonenberger’s score of 98 earned him a podium via a third-place finish in Monday’s 12-13 boys halfpipe competition. Additionally, Bonenberger took 12th place in Wednesday’s 12-13 boys skiercross competition.



Cara Harris of Copper Mountain earned a second-place finish at the USASA National Championships, with a time of 67.87 in Tuesday’s 8-9 girls skiercross competition. Harris also podiumed with a third-place finish and score of 81.67 in Sunday’s 8-9 girls slopestyle competition. At Wednesday’s 8-9 girls halfpipe competition, Harris’ score of 78.33 was good enough for a sixth-place finish. And at Monday’s 9-and-under girls rail jam, Harris’ mark of 855 earned her fourth place.

Other podium-placers at this week’s freeski competitions at USASA National Championships included Jaiden Brickson of Breckenridge, who won a championship in the 18-22 women’s slopestyle competition (score of 55.00), Noah Gionfriddo of Frisco, who took third place in the youth 14-15 boys slopestyle competition (98.00), and Keystone skier Andrew Thisted, who earned third-place in the 7-and-under boys slopestyle competition (53.00).



Though they may not have made it onto the podium, a strong group of Summit County skiers finished in the top five in an array of competitions this week, including Thomas Veeneman’s score of 96.00 and fifth-place finish in the 12-13 boys slopestyle competition. In the freeski open class women slopestyle competition, Lauren Bendixen of Keystone finished in fifth place with a score of 96.00. In the grommet 8-9 girls skiercross competition, Arabella Agee of Dillon skied to fourth place with a score of 61.10. And in the 10-13 girls rail jam, Alex Thisted of Frisco was awarded a score of 970, a fifth-place finish.

RESULTS

United States of America Snowboard and Freeski Association 2019 Nationals Championships at Copper Mountain Resort

Top-15 Summit County finishers

Slopestyle

Freeski 14-15 boys

3. Noah Gionfriddo, Frisco, 98

Freeski 12-13 boys

2. Axl Bonenberger, Breckenridge, 99

5. Thomas Veeneman, Breckenridge, 96

Freeski grommet 8-9 boys

7. Beckham Richmond, Keystone, 75

Freeski menehune 10-11 boys

10. Colin Harris, Copper Mountain, 82

15. Asher Cockrell, Dillon, 73

Freeski open class women

5. Lauren Bendixen, Keystone, 96

Freeski 12-13 girls

10. Alex Thisted, Keystone, 73

Freeski 8-9 girls

3. Cara Harris, Copper Mountain, 81.67

Freeski 18-22 women

1. Jaiden Brickson, Breckenridge, 55

Freeski 10-11 girls

6. Avery Thisted, Keystone, 70.67

8. Emma Grippi, Frisco, 68.67

Freeski 7-&-under boys

3. Andrew Thisted, Keystone, 53

Halfpipe

Freeski 8-9 girls

6. Cara Harris, Copper Mountain, 78.33

8. Arabella Agee, Dillon, 65.67

Freeski 10-11 girls

12. Emma Grippi, Frisco, 60.67

Freeski 12-13 boys

3. Axl Bonenberger, Breckenridge, 98

Freeski 10-11 boys

8. Colin Harris, Copper Mountain, 74.67

12. Evan Wischmeyer, Dillon, 64

Freeski open class women

6. Lauren Bendixen, 65.67

Freeski 14-15 boys

7. Noah Gionfriddo, Frisco, 80.33

13. Braden Platt, Silverthorne, 65.33

SKIERCROSS

Freeski 12-13 boys

10. Walker Robinson, Frisco, 53.25

12. Axl Bonenberger, Breckenridge, 59.64

15. Daniel Hough, Dillon, 57.03

Freeski 10-11 boys

1. Colin Harris, Copper Mountain, 53.06

10. Jamison Lee, Silverthorne, 57.17

Freeski 8-9 girls

2. Cara Harris, Copper Mountain, 67.87

4. Arabella Agee, Dillon, 61.10

Freeski 10-11 girls

10. Avery Thisted, 57.14

Rail jam

Freeski 9-&-under girls

4. Cara Harris, Copper Mountain, 855

Freeski 10-13 boys

8. Daniel Hough, Dillon, 1135

Freeski 10-13 girls

5. Alex Thisted, Keystone, 970

9. Emma Grippi, Frisco, 710


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