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Shannon Bahrke, a Tahoe City native, will compete in women's moguls in the 2010 Olympics. Photo courtesy of Shannon Bahrke |
CommentsOlympics 2010: Shannon Bahrke
Third and final Olympics for freestyle skier
By Olivia DwyerPublished: February 11, 2010
** UPDATE **
Shannon Bahrke won the bronze medal in the women's moguls competition in at Cypress Mountain in Vancouver on Feb. 13. Hannah Kearney of the United States won gold, while Canada's Jennifer Heil took silver.
Shannon Bahrke took home silver at her Olympic debut in Salt Lake City in 2002 in women’s moguls. But that was just the beginning, as Bahrke has battled injuries and evolved with the sport to remain among the elite. She traces this toughness back to the days when her coaches at Squaw Valley would roll out a fence along KT-22’s West Face and send her down on training runs. Here, she tells Tahoe locals what to expect from one of their own in Vancouver.
Moonshine Ink: What are you most excited about experiencing at the Vancouver Olympics?
Shannon Bahrke: What I’m most looking forward to is walking into the Opening Ceremonies. There is no other feeling like it in the whole world; it’s just completely, 100 percent — you did it. I’ve never done anything in my life so rewarding.
MI: This is your third trip to the Olympics. What does it take to stay competitive with the world’s best over time?
SB: So much has changed. When I first started with the U.S. Ski Team you couldn’t go inverted. Now, you can do backflips.
It takes a lot of guts. I’ve worked extra hard. It’s perseverance. I sat out two and a half years with injuries. I’m really lucky to have had peaks and valleys because the valleys make the peaks so much more meaningful.
MI: What is your strategy for the Olympics?
SB: I’m going to go as fast as I can, as big as I can, and then throw the biggest backflip I have the balls to do. There’s no better feeling than going off and floating upside down in the air for a few seconds.
MI: Your event takes place on the first day of Olympic competition. Does this add pressure?
SB: Being on the first day is easier than being later. I myself really like to après ski, so the longer I can do that the happier I am. We don’t have to train under the spotlight of the Olympics. It’s closer to the World Cup fashion that we’re used to.
MI: What should people expect from the American team in women’s moguls?
SB: The last World Cup that we had the Americans swept 1-2-3-4, which is a pretty good precursor. We have the ability … the team is so strong it’s unbelievable. We’re really going to give a podium sweep a run for the money.
Read an interview with Nate Holland, a Squaw Valley rider seeking gold in snowboardercross. See the full guide to following local athletes on TV here.
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