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PARK CITY — It takes a special kind of athlete to fly into the air — whether its on skis or a snowboard — especially when their in a half-pipe with more than 15-foot high ice walls.
However, it’s the thrill of it all that keeps these skiers and snowboarders coming back time after time.
There were some falls during the competition at Park City Mountain Resort, but athletes say it's part of the sport.
The U.S. Snowboarding and Freeskiing Grand Prix brings some of the best winter athletes from across the world competing in events many people only pay attention to during the Olympics.
"The post-Olympics season has been great,” said Maddie Bowman, who won the gold medal in women's ski halfpipe in Sochi last year.
Bowman lives in Salt Lake City and loves when a big international event is held just up the road.
"It just makes competing that much easier and that much more of a good time to have everyone out here supporting us,” said Bowman.
Devin Logan is also competing in this Grand Prix.
She won the silver medal in women's slopestyle skiing in Sochi and agrees it’s great to compete at home after being in so many events across the world.
We sure haven't had a whole lot of snow, but Park City did an awesome job throwing together the pipe and the slopestyle course. I'm totally amazed, and this is probably one of the best pipes we've ridden all year.
–Maddie Bowman, won the gold medal in women's ski halfpipe in Sochi
"Being able to wake up in your own bed and come to the hill and feel so comfortable and then coming to compete, it really makes a world of a difference,” said Logan.
Snow conditions were a big concern coming into this event.
One of the biggest complaints from athletes during the Sochi Olympics was the snow.
However, athletes say Park City Mountain Resort seemed to figure it out.
"We sure haven't had a whole lot of snow, but Park City did an awesome job throwing together the pipe and the slopestyle course. I'm totally amazed, and this is probably one of the best pipes we've ridden all year,” said Bowman.
Workers at the resort spent weeks getting the conditions just right.
They had to turn on snow-makers to finish the courses, but it was important to do it the right way.
"We want to do it right for the safety of the athletes who are competing and certainly for the integrity of the events,” said Andy Miller, a spokesman for Park City Mountain Resort.
It’s the little attention to detail these elite athletes noticed right away.
"In Sochi, it was a little slow and mushy on the slope course, and here, the snow is holding up great and, yeah, couldn't complain,” said Logan.
The competition runs through Sunday and is free to see in person.
Here is a link to the event schedule.
Contributing: Stuart Johnson
