Caymanian skier Dean Travers did well in the Winter Junior Olympics.
In zero degree, but clear conditions at Winter Park Colorado, 92 of the fastest 11 and 12 year old skiers in North America gathered before Easter weekend for four days of Junior Olympic Downhill Skiing Competition.
Undaunted by the famous Winter Park’s steeps, Travers, 11, who had secured his place in the Junior Olympics by qualifying in 16th place in the Rocky Mountain Qualifying Competition at Crested Butte, again surprised his coaches and the competition by coming from the back of the pack and claiming third and fourth fastest times in the two Super G training runs.
There was therefore considerable excitement as race day dawned as the unknown Caymanian faced a hard, icy and steep course.
Good fortune resulted in clear and cold conditions. Less so, in that Travers was seeded to start 40th and faced therefore something of a downhill struggle as the top 10 seeds claimed the first 10 top positions and therefore a cleaner faster course.
In the event this proved costly as Travers hit a fresh and deep rut at the fourth gate which caused his hip to hit the ground.
Catastrophe was averted as Travers rebounded from what could have otherwise been a race-ending crash but the maneuver cost precious time. Relying on excellent technique and a fearless disposition, Travers regained his form and by the mid section was clocked as the day’s fastest skier at 50mph.
He skied the bottom steeps with perfect form and maintained glide speed over the flats tucking the final section and regaining precious hundredths crossing the line in a commendable sixth place and less than a second and a quarter behind the gold medal position.
Regrettably, further success did not follow in the two Giant Slalom races. Dean’s evident ability to generate speed from his skis proved something of a disadvantage on a steep tight and highly technical course, although his second and more spectacular crash not only removed two inches from the top skin of his ski, but made the highlight film later shown at the awards banquet.
However, a commendable 27th in the Slalom on the final day against the very fast and specialist teams from the Mid-West raised Travers to an overall 16th place in the 2008 J4 Winter Olympics in his first season of ski racing.
As a result he has been awarded Most Promising Downhill Racer by the Aspen Valley Ski Club. Dean said of his first season of ski racing: ‘I just want to go fast.’
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