The Athletes
HADLEY HAMMER
“Cowboy”
SPONSORS: Mountain Athlete, Marmot, Smith Optics and Helmets, Line Skis, GU Energy, Runa, AION, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, backcountry.com
FAVORITE TRAINING CYCLE: I enjoy each of the training cycles. Work Capacity because it tests my mental strength and I have an odd love of sprinting, Strength because it fills you with confidence knowing how much your body can lift, push, pull, and of course Sport Specific because it means skiing is right around the corner.
CAREER HIGHLIGHT: This years highlight was at the Freeride World Tour stop in Snowbird Utah. It ended up being my lowest score of the season and I missed qualifying for the finals in Verbier as a result…but I felt like I had finally found a line that challenged me and showed my growth of the past three years.
WEBSITE: http://hammerski.wordpress.com/
SAM SCHWARTZ
“Jovi”
SPONSORS: Mountain Athlete, K2 Skis, Discrete Headwear, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
FAVORITE TRAINING CYCLE: Stamina and Work Capacity both really get into your head and provide a huge mental challenge. Mental game is one of the most important things in skiing.
CAREER HIGHLIGHT: 1st Ski Men Junior World Championships at Snowbird in 2013, 1st JFT in North America 2013, and any time being upside down on skis.
Crystal Wright
“Bunny”
SPONSORS: Mountain Athlete, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Arc’teryx, Pro Bar, Scott
FAVORITE TRAINING CYCLE: My favorite type of training is Work Capacity, because I push myself more then I ever think my body can work.
CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Winning the Freeskiing World Tour in 2014. Angel Collinson and I were tied for the over all title and it came down to the finals run. I ended up winning the final stop and the overall title so it was a pretty amazing feeling!
Tess Wood
“Riggens”
SPONSORS: Mountain Athlete, Salomon
FAVORITE TRAINING CYCLE: I like the sport specific workouts we do because that is when my motivation is highest. I like to see and feel the direct correlation of an exercise to a movement I’d make on snow. Some of the jumping and hopping exercises I feel are my weakness, so it’s fun to see myself getting better at something (especially something so obviously applicable to skiing)
CAREER HIGHLIGHT: My 6th place finish in Crystal. I was close to home, both my parents got to see me compete, it was my best finish yet and it was really exciting and motivating to start the season off with such success.
Griffin Post
“Dragon”
SPONSORS: Kästle Skis, The North Face, SmartWool, Smith Goggles and Helmets, Backcountry.com, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Lange Boots.
FAVORITE TRAINING CYCLE: Sport specific because you know that the season is right around the corner and all the other training you’ve been doing is about to pay off.
CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Every year it just gets better.
WEBSITE: www.griffpost.com
Monica Purington
“Marine”
SPONSORS: Mountain Athlete, Rossignol, Smith Optics, Backcountry.com, Discrete Headwear, Bridgedale Socks, CW-X, United By Blue
FAVORITE TRAINING CYCLE: Work capacity because I think it is the most mentally challenging cycle and my mental game needs the most training.
CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Having the opportunity to film with Hadley Hammer, Sasha Dingle and Aj Cargill last season at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
WEBSITE: www.monicapurington.com
Forrest Jillson
“Ranger”
SPONSORS: Volkl skis, Marker bindings, Mountain Athlete, backcountry.com
FAVORITE TRAINING CYCLE: Sport Specific Training near the end of the fall as we transition into our Season. Quadzillas are one of the most demanding exercises I’ve ever done but they get the job done and require some serious preparation both mentally and physically. They help make it very satisfying during the winter when I can ski all day for a month straight with no fatigue or soreness afterwards.
CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Standing at the top of the Podium at Big Sky was the most rewarding but when I think about it my favorite memory and highlight for me would be skiing with Kent Krietler (skiing hero since I can remember). While riding Sublette I pointed out 2 very spicy zones that I had only skied once in my life but they looked like they were skiable and he expressed interest in skiing them. So at the end of the day we went for them and while standing at the top of the line I managed to get my skiing idol to admit that he was the most gripped that he had been in awhile. After we skied the 2 lines he said that those were 2 lines he’s been looking at for years but never had the chance ski. Major success in my book. Ten years ago Kent was opening up movies for TGR because of the his dominant style in the terrain park and on big AK lines, he had a lot to do with progressing the sport by bringing tricks to big, backcountry lines.
WEBSITE: www.forrestjillson.com
Morgan McGlashon
“Ulysses”
SPONSORS: Mom and Mountain Athlete
FAVORITE TRAINING CYCLE: Sport Specific because it usually happens when ski season is getting super close so there is an awesome vibe in the gym as everyone gets stoked for it to snow.
CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Climbing and skiing the Grand in May with my good friend Sawyer Thomas and his bad-ass dad Charlie
Iris Lazz
FAVORITE TRAINING CYCLE: Strength because I love the mental discipline of having to focus on form when the weight is more then you thought you could do. I also really like work capacity even though it feels like my weakness because I’m the slowest but again I like to do each movement with correct form, and set a pace that is mentally challnging enough to strengthen me but within my limits enough that I can finish the whole work out nonstop.
SPONSORS: O’Neill, Jones Snowboards, Smith Optics, Runa, Mountain Athlete, Celtek
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: All 3 NorthFace Masters First places that earned a real Katana for a trophy.
WEBSITE: www.irislazz.com
Liza Sarychev
SPONSORS: Flylow, DPS skis, Mountain Athlete, I/O Merino, Smith Optics.
FAVORITE TRAINING CYCLE: My favorite cycle is the sport specific cycle because I can feel my ski muscles engage. It’s fun to feel my quads burn the way they do during fast tram laps!
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Getting to film for Norrona’s “Lyngen” edit in the Lyngen Alps of Norway. That trip took me out of my comfort zone on so many levels. From winter camping, to crossing bergschrunds, to technical and roped ascents; it was all very new to me.
WEBSITE: www.lizasarychev.com