THE HOG OF ALL TOWN DOWNHILLS

SVENSRUD CROWNED TOWN DOWNHILL KING

The Snow King parking lot was the place to be yesterday, March 13, for the 23rd annual Jackson Hole Town Downhill, a benefit for the Jackson Hole Ski Club. Tailgates were down, mutts ran rampant, kids wrestled in ski gear and locals didn’t hesitate to crack open the Buds before noon.

Though grill smoke and a mellow vibe emanated from the finish area, it was all about speed suits, fast wax and line selection at the top of Grizzley run on Snow King Mountain. After all, this was no Front Range spring fling littered with costumes and beads, this was the “Mini-Hahnenkamm” and the stakes were high—a thousand dollars was on the line. And for ski town residents going into shoulder season, that’s enough to lay it all on the line.

Local Jackson Hole Ski Club coach and four-time Town Downhill champion, Sean Clark, and former U.S. Ski Team member and University of Wyoming student, Geoff Stephenson (who has won the event twice before) battled it out on their first and second runs before Stephenson nipped Clark by three one-hundredths of a second to take second overall. But, it was former U.S. Ski Team member and Bozeman, Montana resident Travis Svensrud—who maintained a lead throughout the entire event, including the training run—who reached up to 61 mph on the second and final run of the day to win by over a second, winning the overall by more than two seconds.

“It was all about The Chute,” said Driggs resident and frequent local competitor, Pete Jenkins, whose construction truck was transformed into a wax room, BBQ kitchen and après deck for the event. “The first section of the course is deadly. It’s all fall-away—but if you can nail it, you can nail the race,” he added while tapping a keg.

Tommy Moe trailed champion Travis Svensrud by two seconds in Saturday’s training run, but still finished in second position. The former Olympic gold medalist did not compete in the finals due to illness.

Eight Jackson women charged the intimidating course, but none as fast as Crystal Wright, a former racer for the Jackson Hole Ski Club, who took first by over ten seconds. Also making strong showings were Shari Byerly and Catherine Lutz, who took second and third place respectively.

James Kennedy shredded Grizzley in a minute thirty-four, to win the snowboard division, while Adam Riley, who competed in the alpine and telemark divisions as well (and is the first competitor in the event’s history to do so), nabbed second. Jesse Johnson, the first snowboarder to run The Chute, took third.

There was tight competition in the telemark division. It came down to hundredths of seconds, but in the end, John Jennings was declared king of the freeheelers. Chris Romaine came in a close second, followed by Taug Boschen in third.

Jamie MacKay skied a solid run in a 58.07 seconds to win the men’s amateur division. Not far behind, Adam McCool, the only skier who has competed in all 23 Jackson Town Downhills, took second, followed by Patrick Harrington in third.

Sunny skies and mild temperatures appeased spectators, while low overnight temperatures maintained a bombproof course for competitors throughout the day.

“That was the toughest downhill course I can ever remember,” said Snow King Ski Area Manager Jim Sullivan, a perennial competitor. “It was like glass, not a scratch on it.”

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Final Results

Men’s Pro Division
1. Travis Svensrud 57.02, 55.78, 1:52.80
2. Geoff Stephenson 57.91, 57.16, 1:55.07
3. Sean Clark 57.72, 57.38, 1:55.10
4.Pete Jenkins 1:01.53, 59.46, 2:00.99
5. Jason Rolfe 1:04.77, 1:03.06, 2:07.83

Men’s Amateaur Division
1. Jamie MacKay 58.07
2. Adam McCool 58.89
3. Patrick Harrington 59.26

Women
1. Crystal Wright 54.11
2. Shari Byerly 1:04.41
3. Catherine Lutz, 1:14.80

Telemark Division
1. John Jennings 1:05.58
2. Chris Romaine 1:05.67
3.TaugBoschen 1:05.70

Snowboard Division
1. James Kennedy 1:34.34
2. Adam Riley 1:38.88
3. Jesse Johnson 1:44.58