Tuesday, April 7, 2009
ESPN's Sisters of Steep
ESPN recently wrote an article on the Ladies of Big Mountain Skiing... And Porters Team Riders Michelle Parker, Elyse Saugstad and Jamie Burge were all listed. Way to Go Ladies
Below is the Article by ESPN.
There's something about a girl who can beat you down the mountain with a smile on her face. Ready to be intimidated? The following six ladies are doing this on the daily in dizzying chutes, strict no-fall zones and terrifying avalanche run-outs ... and with just as much style, speed and aplomb as their male counterparts. Gentlemen, please allow us to introduce you to the Sisters of Steep.
Elyse Saugstad
The North American ski industry tends to judge its riders by their filming exploits, but the Europeans let results do the talking. That's why Alaska native Elyse Saugstad earned so much respect in 2008 when she won the Freeskiing World Tour: For five brutal tour stops, her competition was mostly Euros. One such stop was the Nissan Xtreme Verbier in France, and with 20,000 spectators and the bulk of European media watching. Saugstad took a no-holds-barred approach to several no-fall-zones and earned a big win. "Elyse is out there in the comps sending the guys' lines as big as the guys do," says Rachael Burks, one of Saugstad's biggest fans. "I talked to French pro skier Thomas Diet and he was like, 'Elyse not only skied my line, but she did it better than I did.' And that is coming from a French guy!" (Photo: Ian Coble)
Michelle Parker
Bringing park skills into the backcountry isn't a new concept -- just read any interview with Pep or Tanner circa 2003. Still, it wasn't until 21-year-old Michelle Parker came along when women really started to get the hang of it. Parker, who recently finished second in slopestyle at the Dew Tour at Northstar, has shown that she can ping-pong effortlessly between both disciplines -- elevating one with the other -- with a similar finesse and ease. (Photo: Hank de Vre)
"I think Michelle has big things ahead," says Matchstick filmmaker Scott Gaffney. "We [MSP] are filming with her this year, and it really won't take many days for her to put together a segment that'll floor people and leave them thinking, 'Where did she come from? A girl who can zero spin a 50-foot table and fearlessly rip big mountain terrain?' That makes for a very unique package."
Jamie Burge
Jamie Burge first made a name for herself as the girl who hucked road gaps and threw backflips off the Palisades at Squaw Valley (open up a ski magazine a few years back and there's Burgie sending it over a moving train on Donner Pass). Still, her career has been a roller coaster of ups and downs where Powder Award nominations are followed by blown ACLs. One thing remains constant: her what-you-see-is-what-you-get persona. There is no sucking up to please sponsors or smiling pretty for powder shots. Burge is the girl next door who rips ... and who is frequently banned from the seediest bar in Tahoe. (Photo: Bill Stevenson)
Below is the Article by ESPN.
There's something about a girl who can beat you down the mountain with a smile on her face. Ready to be intimidated? The following six ladies are doing this on the daily in dizzying chutes, strict no-fall zones and terrifying avalanche run-outs ... and with just as much style, speed and aplomb as their male counterparts. Gentlemen, please allow us to introduce you to the Sisters of Steep.
Elyse Saugstad
The North American ski industry tends to judge its riders by their filming exploits, but the Europeans let results do the talking. That's why Alaska native Elyse Saugstad earned so much respect in 2008 when she won the Freeskiing World Tour: For five brutal tour stops, her competition was mostly Euros. One such stop was the Nissan Xtreme Verbier in France, and with 20,000 spectators and the bulk of European media watching. Saugstad took a no-holds-barred approach to several no-fall-zones and earned a big win. "Elyse is out there in the comps sending the guys' lines as big as the guys do," says Rachael Burks, one of Saugstad's biggest fans. "I talked to French pro skier Thomas Diet and he was like, 'Elyse not only skied my line, but she did it better than I did.' And that is coming from a French guy!" (Photo: Ian Coble)
Michelle Parker
Bringing park skills into the backcountry isn't a new concept -- just read any interview with Pep or Tanner circa 2003. Still, it wasn't until 21-year-old Michelle Parker came along when women really started to get the hang of it. Parker, who recently finished second in slopestyle at the Dew Tour at Northstar, has shown that she can ping-pong effortlessly between both disciplines -- elevating one with the other -- with a similar finesse and ease. (Photo: Hank de Vre)
"I think Michelle has big things ahead," says Matchstick filmmaker Scott Gaffney. "We [MSP] are filming with her this year, and it really won't take many days for her to put together a segment that'll floor people and leave them thinking, 'Where did she come from? A girl who can zero spin a 50-foot table and fearlessly rip big mountain terrain?' That makes for a very unique package."
Jamie Burge
Jamie Burge first made a name for herself as the girl who hucked road gaps and threw backflips off the Palisades at Squaw Valley (open up a ski magazine a few years back and there's Burgie sending it over a moving train on Donner Pass). Still, her career has been a roller coaster of ups and downs where Powder Award nominations are followed by blown ACLs. One thing remains constant: her what-you-see-is-what-you-get persona. There is no sucking up to please sponsors or smiling pretty for powder shots. Burge is the girl next door who rips ... and who is frequently banned from the seediest bar in Tahoe. (Photo: Bill Stevenson)
Labels: Big Mountain Skiing, Elyse Saugstad, ESPN, Jamie Burge, Michelle Parker
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Its nice to see sexy women killing it!