Team Takes Audis to the Ice
ARE, Sweden (March 9) - U.S. Freestyle Ski Team athletes wrapped up a successful moguls weekend in Are, Sweden with some ice driving on a frozen lake. Team members including Kayla Snyderman (Winchester, MA), who was on the podium a day earlier, and her teammates got behind the wheel of an Audi to test the performance of the cars and have some fun.
"Everyone enjoyed their time on the track and especially enjoyed driving the Audis," said Moguls Coach Garth Hager, a former national Team athlete. "It was a great day-off activity. As always the crew got competitive. It was also Kayla Snyderman's first experience driving a manual transmission. She did surprisingly well."
Team members were especially impressed with Audi's ESP electronic traction control. "It really controls the car when you slide and allows you to follow the track," said World Championship medalist Michelle Roark. ""I wish I had one!"
As much as they were impressed with the ESP feature, most of the athletes liked sliding around a bit more. "Obviously driving with the ESP disengaged was a bit more exciting on the ice," laughed Hager. "But we all saw the clear advantage for safe, effective snow driving with it was in use. Thanks to Audi for letting us experience the A6 sedan on the ice track here in Are."
Among the U.S. Ski Team athletes participating were Roark, Snyderman, Dave Babic (Washington, VT, Emiko Torito (Denver), Jillian Vogtli (Elicotville, NY), Jimmy Discoe (Ridgway, CO), Pat Deneen (Cle Elum, WA), Bryon Wilson (Butte, MT), Landon Gardner (Missoula, MT), and Shelly Robertson (Reno, NV),
It was a productive weekend on the nearby competition hill, too. Along with Snyderman, Torito scored her third straight podium. And Nate Roberts (Park City, UT) was second for the second straight week.
The team now heads for Valmalenco, Italy for this week's final moguls event of the season. They are in Park City, UT later in March for the Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships.
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