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As I slide up to the red line and turn around to look for the chair, the lift attendant smirks and says, “Nothing like a contest to bring on a powder day!” Indeed, today was a powder-filled contest day for the competitors at the 2014 USASA Nationals. While riding that same lift, I watched halfpipe competitors straight-lining within a thin, smooth, tracked-out path directly to the pipe—every speed advantage counts when you weigh less than 100 lbs.

I settle into place on the pipe deck, and hear the announcer making a valid point that hadn’t crossed my mind: this pipe, with its wind and sideways blowing snow, was perhaps in better shape than the one that today’s celeb awards presenter, Maddie Bowman, won her gold medal in, in Sochi. I’m reminded, these youngsters have it good, competing on some of the world’s foremost stomping grounds. And it’s no surprise, then, that some of freeskiing’s great, young talent cuts its teeth here at Nationals.

Meanwhile on an equally snowy slopestyle course, open events were held this afternoon, with rising star Colby Stevenson taking the top spot for the men, and Nadia Gonzales coming up with the win on the women’s. Men’s 19 & up also threw down, with Alex Nolan triumphing.

Stevenson, 16, from Park City, Utah reps Armada, Oakley, Dalbello, Colesport, Marker, and the most important sponsor a sixteen year old could have: Davanza’s Pizza—an impressive slew of backing, but well deserved, at that. On his second and final run today, Stevenson put together a previously unpracticed run, including a switch 10 to switch right 10.

Gonzales, 24, hailing from Angel Fire, New Mexico and skiing for RAMP Sports, strung together a switch 270 onto the down box, clean slides on the next two rails into a right 3 to left 3 on the jump section. Her performance broke a spell of sorts, as Gonzales hadn’t stood on the top of a podium in some two years.

Following the contests today, we had a chance to speak with Olympic gold medalist Maddie Bowman, a veteran of the USASA circuit.

“It’s really cool to come back. I mean, I started here and I have a lot of memories here at Nationals,” she explained. “I remember when I used to do all three events and it was so much fun, and I just met so many great people. It’s cool seeing all the kids coming up making their own memories, and I’m hoping to see them at X Games and Dew Tour in these coming years.”

I certainly enjoyed watching the young and hungry make the best of the pipe and slope course today, despite the conditions; the winners, listed below, came out on top and Ms. Bowman was there to hand them their prizes and loan them her Olympic gold, for a brief moment, if only to give a glimpse at what it might feel like.

Slopestyle:

Men’s Open

1. Colby Stevenson – 88.83
2. Aaron Milligan – 82.50
3. Freddy Brideweser – 82.00

Women’s Open

1. Nadia Gonzales – 74.83
2. Gina Miele – 55.33
3. Sarah Kope – 52.83

Men’s 19 & Up

1. Alex Nolan – 74.67
2. Chris Stimpson – 69.67
3. Chris Hawks – 57.00

Halfpipe:

Men’s  16-18 y/o

1. Bobby Sontag – 84
2. Brendan Newby – 74.33
3. Joris Grintalis – 70.67

Men’s 13-15 y/o

1. Jaxin Hoerter – 94.67
2. Finn Bilous – 90.33
3. Miguel Porteous – 88.33

Women’s 16-18 y/o

1. Hannah Bergemann – 73.33

Women’s 13-15 y/o

1. Paula Cooper – 83.67
2. Zenya Simeon – 82.33
3. Hallee Ray – 81.67