The weather improved for the final day of the 2009 Subaru World Freeskiing Championships at Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska, enabling the competitors to get up onto The Headwall and into some big Alaskan lines. After a long day of waiting, the skies cleared and the sun came out for the final stop on the 2009 Freeskiing World Tour (FWT). A total of 39 competitors qualified for the invitation only event, and in the end, Tim Dutton of Squaw Valley, California, and Rebecca Selig of Snowbird, Utah, stood atop the podium.

Alyeska Resort once again delivered the powder, with over 11 inches of fresh snow falling in the last 24 hours. Alyeska Ski Patrol flew in a helicopter to the top of The Headwall to prepare for today’s event, keeping a close eye on the snowpack after triggering avalanches during their control work. The goal of the Subaru Freeskiing World Tour is to showcase the best terrain of each host resort, but consideration is always given to weather, safety, and snow conditions. Once patrol gave the green light, competitors hiked up the boot pack of the 1,000-foot vertical face for their inspection run, getting a chance to scope their lines on the way up. Clouds were intermittent during the inspection, but blue sky pushed in, allowing the helicopter to shuttle the competitors back up to the top of the venue for their final runs. “The heli ride was awesome,” said Crystal-Rose Lee, “I got to sit in the front seat with Crystal Wright.” Wright also said the lift to the top got her “fired up”.

The four competition judges use five categories to decide the winner of FWT events: line choice, fluidity, control, aggression/energy and form/technique. Line choice is the first score the judges decide, and all following scores are directly related to that line choice score. Each category is worth 10 points, with a total possible score of 50 points.

A total of 9 women competed in the final, leading off with some incredible runs. Rebecca Selig dropped straight into an area of exposed rock known as the Wedge, skiing confidently to win her first event on the Subaru Freeskiing World Tour and $3,500 in prize money. “For some reason, I knew I was going to win.” She said with a smile, “This place was just meant to be.” Tour leader Crystal Wright of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, finished second for the women, attacking the fall line and hitting three big airs linked together with smooth turns. “I’m stoked,” she said, “I don’t care how I placed, I did this for myself.” Last year’s champion, Crystal-Rose Lee from Whistler, British Columbia, ended up in third place with a fluid line, moving well from feature to feature while holding on to her speed. Ariana Stufano also from Whistler, British Columbia, was awarded The North Face Young Gun Award, which recognizes young talent in Freeskiing, for fluid style and consistent performances.

A total of 29 men rode the helicopter up to the start venue, reversing the order of the finish from Day One, and Tim Dutton emerged on top. Coming off his win in Kirkwood at the Subaru North American Freeskiing Championships, Dutton sent an aggressive line, airing over rocks and skiing confidently through exposure and scored the points he needed to become the World Freeskiing Champion along with the $5,000 prize money. Lars Chickering-Ayers of Vermont ended up in second after picking his way through the rocks at the top of the run and straight lining through the chowder. Frenchman Julien Lopez placed third, blazing through the exposure on the top and pulling a huge air off a cliff while making it all look so easy. Near the Subaru finish arch he pulled a backflip for the appreciative crowd.

Making headlines all season long, consistency paid off for both Crystal Wright and Julien Lopez as they won their first FWT overall titles respectively.

Dylan Crossman of Alta won the Backcountry.com Sickbird Award for his fluid jump turns through tight, exposed rocks with controlled high-speed exit. The coveted Backcountry.com Sickbird buckle is an award, which is given out at the end of each FWT event, to the athlete with the most spirited run. These runs usually include super-human talent and agility.

The John Nicoletta Freeskiing Scholarship will be presented this weekend. The $3,500 award will go towards the skier that best represents John’s focus and dedication to the sport of Freeskiing.

Thousands tuned in to watch Mountain Sports International’s live webcast of the Subaru Freeskiing World Championships from Alyeska, on www.freeskiingworldtour.com, www.newschoolers.com, www.backcountry.com, www.powder.com, www.espn.com, www.doglotion.com and www.theskichannel.com. Live coverage of the best freeskiing in the world can be viewed from the comfort of your desk chair. MSI’s content creation team will be producing and posting same-day, world-class photography on its newly redesigned website, www.freeskiingworldtour.com and media partners www.powder.com and www.skipressworld.com

With over 14 inches of snow falling at Alyeska Resort in the last 24 hours, competitors had to manage soft conditions and variable visibility in their one charge at “The Knuckles” a 1,000 foot vertical run off Alyeska’s North Face. Approximately 55 Freeskiing World Tour (FWT) competitors were invited to the Subaru Freeskiing World Championships at Alyeska Resort, Alaska, based on points earned throughout the season. Without an abundance of exposed faces, contestants still put on a spectacular show. In the end, Rebecca Selig of Utah and Tim Dutton of Squaw Valley, California, took the lead going into tomorrow’s final rounds.

“Today’s event was a testament to what the sport of Freeskiing is all about,” said Head Judge and International Freeskiers Association (IFSA) President Jim Jack. “After facing all the tough venues of the rest of the tour, it’s great for these skiers to be able to send it in a free spirited way. There is a lot of positive energy in this group. Alaska is a goal for a lot of the skiers, and it’s rewarding for them to end the tour on some of the biggest, coolest mountains in North America.”

The first day of competition in the 2009 Subaru Freeskiing World Championships at Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska, began on a somber note. On Saturday morning the competitors, along with Mountain Sports International (MSI) and IFSA staff, rode the tram to the top of the mountain and gathered together to share their memories of their fallen friend, John Nicoletta, who died one year ago in the finals of the 2008 Freeskiing World Championships at Alyeska.

“I still hear John when I stand still and listen to the wind,” wrote Andy Sabatier, a close friend and fellow competitor of John’s who was not able to attend the Alaska event, “Let us take today as a reminder to look around at our own lives, and celebrate that which we have and toast that which we have lost.” After other friends shared fond memories of John, the group clicked in and skied the run together in his honor.

A field of 10 women took control of the venue first, and they did not disappoint. Rebecca Selig attacked the expansive terrain and skied an aggressive line to take the top spot after the completion of Day 1. Sitting in second is Karine Falck-Pederson from Norway, who chose a different line than the four women to start before her, taking air over a bush band at the top and charging the heavy powder all the way to the Subaru finish arch at the bottom. “I’m here to have fun,” she said, “and I have more fun when I’m skiing fluid turns than hucking off a rock or cliff band.” In third is Jacqui Edgerly from Aspen, Colorado. She was the first woman to hit the snow today, working every feature of the long, steep terrain in the flat light, enjoying the powder turns on the way down.

A total of 29 men comprised the invitation-only field of today’s Day 1 run. Tim Dutton is getting comfortable with first place after winning the North American Championships at Kirkwood in March. Today he worked every feature he could to send the strongest line of the day. “The snow and venue are awesome,” he said, “I’m happy to be in Alaska and am excited about tomorrow.” Lars Chickering-Ayers from Mad River Glen, Vermont, followed Dutton in second place, starting first for the men and skiing a fast line with fun airs. Luke Nelson from Fernie, British Columbia, took third place. Garrett Altmann, an Alaskan local and University of Alaska Fairbanks student was nominated for the coveted Backcountry.com Sickbird Award for his cross step front flip on the lower Ragdoll rocks.

Tour leader Julian Lopez was not excited about the venue prior to his run, preferring cliffs, drops and airs to the sprawling real estate and deep powder on the North Face, but on his way up the tram he spotted the kicker he needed to pull off a crowd pleasing back flip. “I wasn’t inspired before my run, but I knew I had to get the job done,” he said, “I took a break at the top and a moment to breath, speaking with John and Neil Valiton in my head. Now I am happy and I hope they are too.”

No competitors from today’s field will be cut, so look for tour leaders Lopez and Cliff Bennett, and Crystal Wright for the women, to do what they do best.

Last year’s World Freeskiing Champion Crystal-Rose Lee will go into the finals feeling confident and ready to show what she can do on this mountain. “My goal is to ski smart, but to progress and celebrate the sport at the same time. A clean run today made me feel good about tomorrow.” Tomorrow’s venue, weather permitting, will be on the Headwall starting at 11:00am AKST.

Mountain Sports International will present a live webcast of the Subaru Freeskiing World Championships from Alyeska, on www.freeskiingworldtour.com, www.newschoolers.com, www.backcountry.com, www.powder.com, www.espn.com, www.doglotion.com and www.theskichannel.com. Live coverage of the best freeskiing in the world can be viewed from the comfort of your desk chair. MSI’s content creation team will be producing and posting same-day, world-class photography on its newly redesigned website, www.freeskiingworldtour.com and media partners www.powder.com and www.skipressworld.com