ELYSE SAUGSTAD WON SQUAW VALLEY FWT FIRST ROUND!
01/03/2009
The first stage of the Nissan Tram Face Squaw Valley USA took place  on the impressive Silverado face with excellent conditions. The 53 riders qualified for the only North American stage of the Freeride World Tour amazed the crowd under the California sun. Before launching the second day of competition on the mythical Tram Face at the beginning of the week, the athletes and organizers are anxiously awaiting the snowfall predicted this weekend: everything will then be perfect to mark a page in the history of freeride!
The women truly impressed the spectators present at the bottom of the face, especially the Freeride World Champion 2008 and Salomon skier, Elyse Saugstad. She won the women’s ski competition hands down with a fast run that could have competed with the men. Marja Persson from Sweden took second taking a similar line as Elyse. She was followed by Jen Ashton from Canada who went for the steepest area of the face taking third.

With the most original and risky line of the day topped off with an incredible jump, the Swede Reine Barkered surprised everyone taking first ahead of the favorites Henrik Windstedt also from Sweden, Freeride World Champion 2008, and Aurelien Ducroz from France, second at the Nissan Russian Adventure, who took the same line. Salomon skier Cody Townsend, the rider from Squaw Valley and great favorite, took fourth with just a few points from the podium. Impatient to take on the Tram Face, Cody has already proclaimed “the Tram Face will separate the men from the boys!”
Salomon swedish Skier Kaj Zackrisson unfortunatly fall at the end of this first run but proved with an impressive run that he will be amongst the favorites for the second run!
All those from the Freeride World Tour and Squaw Valley USA are now preparing for day 2 that should take place either Monday or Tuesday on the mythical Tram Face!