Local skier mines gold in Grande Prairie

27 January 2010 by Bruce Campbell - Sports Editor, www.westernwheel.com

An 11-year-old skier has twisted and turned his way to the top of the podium.

Davis Clement of Millarville won three gold medals in the under-12 division at a provincial freestyle competition in Grande Prairie Jan. 16-17. He won gold in the moguls, slopestyle and aerials competition.

Davis Clement stands on top of the podium at a provincial freestyle meet in Grande Prairie earlier this month. Moguls are Clements's favourite event.Moguls has the athletes point their skis practically straight downhill and their knees are pumping up and down like car pistons as he or she carves their way through knee-high bumps just inches apart from one another. A pair of jumps is also thrown in on the course.

The competition, which includes two runs, is judged on turns, speed down the hill and the degree of difficulty on the jumps."Moguls is a little trickier than the other events," Clement said.On Clement's second-run in Grande Prairie he crossed his skis at the back on the first jump, on the second jump he completed two revolutions for a 720."You usually have a safe, easy run your first one," Clement explained. "Then you step it up on your second run."He finished 17^th out of the more than 60 skiers competing in moguls and first in his age group.He also finished first in Big Air, which has the skiers going over a big jump and complete tricks in mid-air before sticking the landing.Clement was going in circles on his final jump in Big Air, but in this competition that is a good thing.He successfully landed a 1080 - that's three revolutions - while flying in the air.On his first jump he did a Cork 7, in which he is virtually level with the ground and then does two revolutions.(It is against the rules for skiers in Clement's age class to do any jumps where they are inverted, such as flips).Clement completed the triple crown by winning the slopestyle competition, which has competitors doing tricks on rails and small jumps similar to what is done in snowboarding or at a skateboard park.

He said he is able to overcome any fear factors thanks to plenty of practice including work on a trampoline before trying a stunt with skis attached to his feet.  He is hoping his training can help him land in the 2018 Olympics.  Clement skies for the Castle Mountain Freestyle Club in Pincher Creek. Castle Mountain will host the next provincial competition Jan. 30-31. The skiers are vying to qualify for the Junior Nationals to be held in Nova Scotia later this winter.  Clement qualified for Nationals last year in Vernon, B.C.

For information about the upcoming provincial competition go to www.castlemountainfreestyle.ca