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Utah media had the opportunity to train side-by-side with U.S. Freestyle Ski Team athletes Thursday at the Utah Olympic Park in Park City, UT. None made the team, but they all had fun.

"It was a humbling experience and I really gained a respect for these [athletes] and what they do and how hard they train and how hard they work," said Ty Perry, a reporter for Salt Lake City's KUTV2 (CBS). "It was a little embarrassing watching them fly in the air and do all these tricks, and I can fall off the end of the ramp."

The journalists were subject to a morning of water ramp training with Freestyle Lives Year-Round (FLY Freestyle), a USSA club based in Park City. The group was led by FLY Summer Program Manager and U.S. Freestyle Ski Team moguls skier Tim Preston (Campton, NH).

"It was a good time. They were all enthusiastic and it was fun to have the reporters experience the water ramps rather than just asking about it. They got the athlete's perspective," Preston said. "I think, in terms of being able to write about what we do, it's pretty cool that they all stepped up and went off the jumps. Now they know what it's like and they know that it's possible to go up and try it as well."

To start the day, the soon-to-be aerialists pulled on wet suits and headed poolside where they practiced jumping by bouncing on a trampoline into the pool. While they watched the national team train on bigger jumps, participants were geared up with boots and skis, to practice skiing down hill on plastic before heading to the pool for actual jumping.

Seated poolside, a group of U.S. Freestyle Ski Team athletes including Olympian Jana Lindsey (Black Hawk, SD), Zac Amidan (Ogden, UT), Scott Kiesel (Waterville Valley, NH), and U.S championships medalist Scotty Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA), scored the journalists as they each jumped in order to award outstanding performances at the end of the day.

"They jumped great and I was very excited with everything that happened," Bahrke said. "What I wanted, as a judge, was to see something funny from the journalists. I just really wanted to see someone land on their stomach, and it happened a couple of times, which put a smile on my face."

"My main goal was to hurt myself - not really bad - but go hard and have a good time. Mission accomplished," said Perry, who took first place in the event.

"Ty stood out with his determination to hit the single ramp," Preston said. "In the beginning I didn't think he would be able to because he was a little wobbly, but he kept practicing and he made it off the single really well."

Jeremy Pugh, editor of Salt Lake Magazine, was the proud recipient of the "Overall Superman Award" thanks, in part, to his determination to try new things on the ramp.

"It was really exciting and really fun to try out. My last jump, when I felt like I at least kind of got the hang of it, I could see if I had more time I could have figured it out," Pugh said. "I think I'd love to bring my wife up here and put her through this."

The day wrapped up with an awards ceremony for the top jumpers and a lunch where athletes and reporters dined together and enjoyed a new-found common ground - water ramping.

Freestyle aerials competition makes its way back to Park City on a much bigger stage with the Visa Freestyle International World Cup, which takes place January 29-31 with aerials and moguls at Deer Valley Resort and ski halfpipe at Park City Mountain Resort.


OFFICIAL RESULTS

1. Ty Perry, KUTV Ch 2 (CBS) - score 23
2. Dana Greene, KTVX Ch 4 (ABC); Adia Waldburger, Park Record/sports, Jane Gendron, freelance writer - score 21
3. David Ryder, Park Record/photographer - score 20

Overall Superman Award to Jeremy Pugh, Salt Lake Magazine - score 19


The Utah Olympic Park in Park City is open to the public for water ramping and a variety of other exciting activities. To learn more click here.

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