Young Sisters skiers ace freestyle competition

When you are watching a future X Games or Winter Olympics, keep your eye out for the names Anson Ricker and Keaton Green.

Last week, the two Sisters Middle School students returned from the U.S.A. Snowboard and Freeski Association's National Championships in Copper Mountain, Colorado, both placing in the top 10. Ricker, 14, took second place in the overall 13-15 freestyle ski division, and Green, 12, placed eighth in the 10-12 boys division.

Freestyle skiing involves tricks, flips, and ramps that can have between 50- and 60-foot gaps, said Doug Green, Keaton's dad. Both boys competed in slope style, halfpipe, and skier cross events for their age group. In slope style, skiers perform different tricks while getting the highest amplitude off jumps. Halfpipe skiing is performing tricks while skiing down a halfpipe, and skier cross is a timed race that incorporates various terrain features found in freestyle skiing.

"Racing is monotonous. You do the same thing every run. With skiing (freestyle), when you land a new trick that feeling is really good," Ricker said.

The boys spent their winter qualifying at regional events and accumulating enough points and podium finishes for their invitation, said Doug Green. This year was Keaton Green's second trip to the national event. He and Ricker are both members of the Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation.

Their four days of competition in Colorado each started between 7 and 8 a.m., when they headed to the mountain and practiced for an hour before their event. His age category had 80 invitees. After the first run, competitors checked their scores, then got in line again for the second run. Athletes were scored on a point range of one to 100 based on spins, tricks, rotations, style and confidence. Ricker said having a good landing shows confidence.

The weather turned stormy during the slope style event. Only half of the athletes, including Ricker, finished their second run before officials halted the competition. Ricker had performed a great double flip, Debbie Ricker, Anson's mother, said. But because the other skiers weren't allowed to finish, judges didn't count scores from the second run.

Placing at this national event can be a stepping stone to other elite skiing competitions. Anson said he likes the idea of traveling the world and competing at bigger events. Both boys agree that getting free gear and sponsorships and having people know their names are good perks, too. They are sponsored by Sikday, an apparel company owned by Doug Green. Ricker is also sponsored by Skjerssa's and Madâ¯Owl.

Ricker and Green both started skiing at Hoodoo Mountain Resort when they were 2 years old. They met several years ago and became good friends. The ski season is "pretty intense" for the boys and their families, as both Ricker and Green spend between three to five days each week at Mt. Bachelor, said Debbie Ricker. They both attend Sisters Middle School until 11 a.m. and often head to the mountain after classes. To complete their class day, Ricker is homeschooled and Green takes online courses. Both skiers have been dedicated and are able to keep a 4.0 grade point average, she said.

Training for future events doesn't stop once the snow melts. Ricker and Green will be flipping tricks on the trampoline and at a foam pit in Bend as well as on rails set up in their respective backyards. They also will be able to get some summer skiing in during camps at Mt. Bachelor, Mt. Hood, and Tahoe.