Winners

The US Grand Nationals kicked off Friday with fireworks, a torch parade, and a very unique event: acro skiing under the lights. (Acro was formerly known as acrobatics, and was called ski ballet originally.) The die-hard crowd filled the bleachers as temperatures dropped and precipitation that had been falling as rain here for the past several days finally turned to snow.

This event is one of flair, freedom and expression. Athletes' 90-minute-long routines are judged on artistic impression and technical merit — much like ice skating. It requires an incredible amount of flexibility, strength and balance. As last year's World Champion Ian Edmondson, USA, simply put it, "For me, acro combines music and movement." Edmondson, 42, won the acros, his 11th World Cup victory, ahead of Switzerland's Konrad Hilpert and Canada's Mike McDonald.

World Cup Ballet Champion in '82, Edmondson was winning gold medals before some of the current US Ski Team members were born. He retired after that success, but came back to skiing 10 years later. "I couldn't find any other activity where I used every part of myself," he explained. By '97, 15 years after his World Championship, he won his next World Cup event.

Edmondson grew up outside of Detroit, Michigan, practicing on golf courses and, for a little excitement, using hay bales as kickers. He convinced his dad to send him to camp to learn freestyle — a sport that was still evolving at that time. Edmondson said of the early days of acrobatic skiing, "It was our modern art. We were inventing it as we went along."

	Hilpert

Russian Wins with Middle Eastern Music
The Russians dominated the women's event, taking the top three spots on the podium for a sort of hat trick. Last year's winner here, Elena Batalova, performed to Middle Eastern music and wore a belly-dance style suit. "I love coming to this area to ski because it is so beautiful and the crowd is so wonderful. I won last year, so I am glad I won again this year."

Batalova said she plans to retire next year, but says she is still uncertain about what she'll do as she moves away from skiing.

Sharing the podium with her were her teammates Natalia Razumovskaya — a Russia soldier — in 2nd and Oksana Kushenko, 3rd.

The Sprint US Grand Nationals continues Saturday with the mogul competition and concludes Sunday with the aerials.

— Michelle Quigley, observing the lunacy for MounainZone.com

Event Schedule
Saturday, Jan. 22: Mogul day. Qualifying from 11am-2pm, finals from 2pm-4pm. The aerialists will also be training next to the bump run during the day.

Sunday, Jan. 23: Aerials. "B" seed competitors from 9am-11am, "A" Seed from 1pm-3pm, awards ceremony to follow.