Plastic boots surfed sleek alpine decks today and the riders only turned to smack a gate and spray a spectator's face during the parallel giant slalom that ran the slopes of Breckenridge, Colorado. Early on, the sun burst and the Lycra-clad didn't seem to stop. Scary speeds, tight turns and a stiff slope sent a few riders skipping for the fences, forcing onlookers to flock for the woods, hoping to avoid disaster.
One older gentleman was pegged, much like a deer in headlights and took a sharp edge to the shin. Being the brave and bold type (or maybe he was in shock,) he popped up quick and gave me the, "That really didn't hurt," look. Owwweeeeee brother...maybe he was an ex-Marine.
"I thought he was dead," said a course marshal, as he attempted to scare more curious spectators away from the fall line.
Things got real slick when the sun dropped and the shadows loomed, and just as the chill kicked me, Stacia Hookom and Jasey Jay Anderson towered over all atop the Chevy Trucks Grand Prix podium.
Stacia worked the course over and reeled in her latest and greatest catch. She was proud and patient, smiling all the while as I asked her silly questions about today's battle. "I don't even know what 10,000 dollars looks like! But it's all going to taxes," she admitted when I inquired about the coin she'd just pocketed.
She went on to admit, "I like the giant slalom better because it's a true race against the clock, but the
parallel giant slalom is more about consistency and endurance, because you take so many runs. I've been conditioning really hard and it's paid off."
Seems that hardbooters don't get much love these days...
Melissa Barclay lost to Stacia in the finals, but not by much as she slid into 2nd. Lynn Ott took 3rd after outrunning Claire Cetera in the consolation finals.
For the sixth time, Jasey Jay took the two steps of fame to the top of a Grand Prix podium. While he too prefers the giant slalom to the parallel giant slalom, he paid his competition no attention and outran Jeff Greenwood in the final heat for 1st in the men's division. Greenwood was smooth and solid all day, but in the final heat he struggled with a few of the last gates and couldn't reel Anderson in for the win.
Third was all Jerome Sylvester today and he was jolly about that — as he should be.
It seems most riders agree the parallel giant slalom is more of a spectator sport and the giant slalom is a race against time, but the added attention the parallel disciplines draw helps them earn their dollars and make a living railing the gates. Seems that hardbooters don't get much love these days and they appreciate the attendance.
Tomorrow, things slow down a bit. Big air exhibits, but not until well after cold, I mean dark. Let's wait for the landing to get real icy, then ask them to throw down. After that it's Saturday night, and well, you know what that means. Sunday spells pipe...I'll be there...you?
— Lucas Kane, for MountainZone.com
