CRMS Telemark Team Alumni Nick DeVore takes the World Telemark Freeskiing Title and 18 year old Jake Sakson gave both Nick and reigning champion Dylan Crossman a run for their money by by winning the prelims, finishing 4th in the finals, and winning the super finals - resulting in a 3rd place finish over all in the innagural World Telemark Freeskiing Championships at the Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska.
Jay Beyer Photo from nickdevore.comJake's performance followed a 4th place finish at the Telemark Freeskiing Nationals a week earlier in Crested Butte.
As news trickled in from Alaska over the course of the two day competition, we could hardly sleep. The time difference made it all the more difficult, as midnight became the telephone rally and the only other news came from cell phone text messages:
From Max Mancini: "Jake is in first place going into the finals!!! His line was by far the sickest of the day one. Do u think I can get his autograph?"
From Josh Madsen: "Jake in first after day one... crushing it!"
At midnight after day two we finally connected with Jake to hear the final story. The day one venue had been on a closed slope that, for some reason, athletes could not scout. Snow conditions ended up bizarre and Jake's line result in a billy goat over an Arete on to a 50 degree slope and then a kick turn above an 80 foot cliff, allowing him to navigate over to a 50 foot cliff and a stunning finish.
The kickstep above the 80 footer.
Jake, somewhere in the mix of his prelim-line.Jay Beyer Photo from nickdevore.com
Airing 50 feet out into the finish apron.Regarding the line, Jake said, "This was terrifying. I am not religious per se, but afterwards I crossed myself. It was icy and treacherous."
He went on to ski two strong lines in the finals and super finals.
Day 1 Top 4 Results:
Sr Men
Bib Score
57 Sakson, Jake 38
68 Crossman, Dylan 36.8
41 Robinson, JT 36.4
33 DeVore, Nick 33.6
The CRMS Telemark Team and the CRMS community as a whole sends Jake its warmest congratulations for this monster achievement!
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