STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO (March 29, 2015) – After taking second and third place in the moguls competition, Nessa Dziemian (East Hampstead, NH) and Tom Rowley (Long Beach, NY) battled their U.S. teammates to take the title of dual moguls national champions at the USANA U.S. Freestyle Championships in Steamboat Springs, CO. World Cup winner K.C. Oakley (Piedmont, CA) was second for the women followed by Mikaela Matthews (Frisco, CO) in third. Olympic bonze medalist Bryon Wilson (Butte, MT) and Joe Discoe (Telluride, CO) finished second and third for the men.
As the field narrowed after each round of duals, it became a battle of U.S. Freestyle Ski Team athletes. Rowley went up against teammates Troy Murphy (Bethel, ME) and Discoe before taking the win. Dualing against teammates can be tough, but it also brings out great skiing from the competitors.
“It’s fun to ski against my teammates,” said Rowley. “It’s challenging. Our team is good and fast, so you have to bring up the intensity when you dual them.”
Rowley has been on a roll the second half of the season, landing on the podium at World Cup finals and taking home World Cup Rookie of the Year. The national title was a great ending to Rowley’s 2015 season.
“It was a good weekend,” said Rowley. “I’m hoping to continue to ski well next year, build off the success this year and get some wins.”
Dziemian claimed the title in a very similar fashion, holding her own through five rounds of duals against veterans on the national team.
“It’s really fun to ski against the older girls,” said Dziemian. “They’re really good competitors and really good role models to look up to. It’s really neat to finally be skiing against them consistently round after round. “
Dziemian, who was the 2015 overall NorAm tour winner, skied strong and consistently all year. The conditions today gave her a chance to push the limits.
“The course was really fun,” said Dziemian. “It was slushy again, so I knew that it was a good day to jump big and ski fast. I was really proud of my skiing, and I’m hoping to bring that along through next year.”
HIGHLIGHTS
- In the last event of the 2015 season, Nessa Dziemian and Tom Rowley took home the dual mogul U.S. national titles at the USANA U.S. Freestyle Championships.
- K.C. Oakley, Mikaela Matthews, Keaton McCargo (Telluride, CO), Sophia Schwartz (Sun Valley, ID), and Ali Kariotis (Tiburon, CA) also represented the national team, finishing second, third, fourth and 17th.
- On the men’s side, Bryon Wilson finished second, Joe Discoe third, Jeremy Cota (Carrabassett Valley, ME) fifth, Troy Murphy sixth and Sho Kashima (South Lake Tahoe, CA) eighth.
- Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT), who historically has not competed in dual moguls at nationals, stood in the crowd and cheered on her teammates.
Women’s Results
Men’s Results
QUOTES
Nessa Dziemian
The course was really fun. It was slushy again, so I knew that it was a good day to jump big and ski fast. I was really proud of my skiing, and I’m hoping to bring that along through next year.
It’s really fun to ski against the older girls. They’re really good competitors and really good role models to look up to. It’s really neat to finally be skiing against them consistently round after round.
Tom Rowley
It’s fun to ski against my teammates. It’s challenging. Our team is good and fast, so you have to bring up the intensity when you dual them.
It was a good weekend. I’m hoping to continue to ski well, build off the success this year and get some wins.
