And the winners are!!!!

11-14 Females
Erin Kempt
Mackenzie Epperson-Valum

15-17 females
Alex George
Ashley Edgette
Haley Honens

11-14 males
Tashi Miller
Leo Aherns
Miles hones

15-17 males
North Parker
Galen Riggs
Micheal Bockneck

There’s not many contest out in the free skiing world that reward teenaged kids for ripping big mountain lines. Usually the contests consist of halfpipe, big air, rail jams, and terrain parks. So when Teton Gravity Research’s Dave Hudacsko began working for Grand Targhee’s marketing department, his first order of business was to organize a one of a kind contest. Naturally the first person that he called to help him out was local Jackson Hole freeride team head coach and IFSA competitor Rob LaPier and the Targhee Tee Off was quickly created a mere three weeks before the first grom dropped in.
By emulating the IFSA big mountain events, Grand Targhee was able to show that the little groms can rip like the big boys. “The idea came from a combination of seeing great terrain, skiing it, having an open mind and working with Andy Williams and Rob Lapier to make it come together.” Says Dave while standing on top of a cornice sending one kid down at a time for course inspection.

Day one was an eye opener for many kids as they started off their hikes up the North face of Peaked Mountain. Wait, they had to hike? “That’s the way freeskiing goes, you need to earn your turns.” Dave said with a big smile on his face while watching a line of thirteen to seventeen year old kids slowly creep up the boot pack.
In the back of my mind I couldn’t help but think this is a little dangerous for kids this young? But once the competitors’ start throwing down, it just became an afterthought. By the end of the super finals on day two, all the spectators were blown away by the kids abilities.
“Between the coaches, the parents and the competitors this event really built my confidence with how well the groms educated themselves on the terrain, the snow conditions, their energy levels after the hike, no competitor was injured beyond a couple of minor dings. This says to me that the lines chosen through the terrain offered was a perfect fit for the ability of the field of competitors.” Dave explains after the winners are given more prizes than they can carry.
All and all everything seemed to go off without a hitch, but just in case there were any Dave made sure to grab the microphone after the awards and offer up about 50 of his business cards to anyone that was willing to give information on how their contest experience went.
“I would like to get feedback from parents, groms and coaches first. My point is that I don’t want to start fixing something that operated so smooth.”
Of course, in the future Targhee is planning on bring the event to a new level and that all starts with help from you! “I would like to make it more of a scene from the spectator’s point of view in having a live DJ near the finish area (possibly getting music requests from competitors to play during their run) as well as have a grill going with beverages and energy bars available.”
Sick terrain, bluebird conditions, and ripping kids hucking their meat. Throw in a DJ and some on slope eats and I’ll be there for sure!