Freestyle Nationals: Bahrke and Kashima grab dual moguls titles

Moguls skiers Shannon Bahrke and Sho Kashima lit up their hometown today, winning U.S. dual moguls titles at the Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships in Squaw Valley, Cali near their hometown of Tahoe.

“It was amazing. It’s been such a long season and I just had no energy, and to be able to pull that off and run after run ski really well was great,” Bahrke said. “I skied this for my coach that passed away last year in a plane accident – Clay Beck. It was great to have his family here and I felt him with me the whole time. It was cool to do it for him and win the competition at home for him.”

Bahrke grabbed her sixth U.S. title ahead of U.S. Ski Team teammates Emiko Torito in second and Michelle Roark, Friday’s singles title winner, in third. 

“I skied probably the four hardest duals I have skied all year. Every dual was very hard and they were all really close,” Bahrke said. “It was great to have such a good field out here and have all the women ski well.”

Bahrke has seven career World Cup victories to her name, she tallied six World Cup top-ten finishes this year.

The title came down to the final run between good friends Bahrke and Torito. “I feel seriously competitive with her, but she’s probably my best friend on the team. It’s cool to be up against your friend, it’s fierce,” Torito said. “It was a really good dual and it was a great day of competing. Squaw has been unreal. They know how to host an event.”

The U.S. Ski Team’s Landon Garnder and Bryon Wilson, Friday’s singles title winner, joined Kashima on the podium in second and third, respectively.

Kashima notched his second career U.S. duals title in front of a healthy cheering section of friends and family. “It was fun to ski well in front of my family and friends. It feels great. It’s the last competition for us and it’s good to end things off with a win and finish the season strong,” Kashima said.

Today’s contest was the final event of the Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships and puts a lid on the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team’s season. They will now turn their focus to next year’s big show, the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2009 SPRINT U.S. FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Squaw Valley, CA – March 29, 2009
Dual Moguls

Men
1. Sho Kashima, South Lake Tahoe, CA
2. Landon Gardner, Missoula, MT
3. Bryon Wilson, Butte, MT
4. Jeremy Cota, Steamboat Springs, CO
5. Michael Morse, Duxbury, MA
6. Dave DiGravio, Farmington, ME
7. Reed Snyderman, Winchester, MA
9. Wade Parkinson, Ridgway, CO
10. Michael Degrandis, Solon, OH

Women
1. Shannon Bahrke, Tahoe City, CA
2. Emiko Torito, Denver
3. Michelle Roark, Denver
4. Eliza Outtrim, Steamboat Springs, CO
5. Heather McPhie, Park City, UT
6. Shelly Robertson, Reno, NV
7. KC Oakley, Piedmont, CA
8. Lane Stoltzner, Telluride, CO
9. Laurel Shanley, Squaw Valley, CA
10. Jillian Vogtli, Ellicotville, NY

Moguls skiers Shannon Bahrke and Sho Kashima lit up their hometown today, winning U.S. dual moguls titles at the Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships in Squaw Valley, Cali near their hometown of Tahoe.

“It was amazing. It’s been such a long season and I just had no energy, and to be able to pull that off and run after run ski really well was great,” Bahrke said. “I skied this for my coach that passed away last year in a plane accident – Clay Beck. It was great to have his family here and I felt him with me the whole time. It was cool to do it for him and win the competition at home for him.”

Bahrke grabbed her sixth U.S. title ahead of U.S. Ski Team teammates Emiko Torito in second and Michelle Roark, Friday’s singles title winner, in third. 

“I skied probably the four hardest duals I have skied all year. Every dual was very hard and they were all really close,” Bahrke said. “It was great to have such a good field out here and have all the women ski well.”

Bahrke has seven career World Cup victories to her name, she tallied six World Cup top-ten finishes this year.

The title came down to the final run between good friends Bahrke and Torito. “I feel seriously competitive with her, but she’s probably my best friend on the team. It’s cool to be up against your friend, it’s fierce,” Torito said. “It was a really good dual and it was a great day of competing. Squaw has been unreal. They know how to host an event.”

The U.S. Ski Team’s Landon Garnder and Bryon Wilson, Friday’s singles title winner, joined Kashima on the podium in second and third, respectively.

Kashima notched his second career U.S. duals title in front of a healthy cheering section of friends and family. “It was fun to ski well in front of my family and friends. It feels great. It’s the last competition for us and it’s good to end things off with a win and finish the season strong,” Kashima said.

Today’s contest was the final event of the Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships and puts a lid on the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team’s season. They will now turn their focus to next year’s big show, the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2009 SPRINT U.S. FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Squaw Valley, CA – March 29, 2009
Dual Moguls

Men
1. Sho Kashima, South Lake Tahoe, CA
2. Landon Gardner, Missoula, MT
3. Bryon Wilson, Butte, MT
4. Jeremy Cota, Steamboat Springs, CO
5. Michael Morse, Duxbury, MA
6. Dave DiGravio, Farmington, ME
7. Reed Snyderman, Winchester, MA
9. Wade Parkinson, Ridgway, CO
10. Michael Degrandis, Solon, OH

Women
1. Shannon Bahrke, Tahoe City, CA
2. Emiko Torito, Denver
3. Michelle Roark, Denver
4. Eliza Outtrim, Steamboat Springs, CO
5. Heather McPhie, Park City, UT
6. Shelly Robertson, Reno, NV
7. KC Oakley, Piedmont, CA
8. Lane Stoltzner, Telluride, CO
9. Laurel Shanley, Squaw Valley, CA
10. Jillian Vogtli, Ellicotville, NY