Seven Gorge area athletes were gold medalists at the April 8-11 USA Snowboard and Freeski Association Pacific Northwest Regional Championships at Mount Hood Meadows.
The four-day competition was the culmination of winter freeski and snowboarding events and drew 128 competitors from throughout the Northwest and Alaska. They qualified with their placing at a series of eight competitions that were held this winter. The event was interrupted by high winds, which prevented Meadows from opening on April 10. The halfpipe was shifted to the following day, when competitors in that discipline and rail jam enjoyed calm, sunny weather.
“Going into regionals, the athletes knew the runs they wanted to put down,” said Joe Johnson, freeride coach for Cooper Spur Alpine Team. “They had practiced and prepared all season long, especially the weeks leading up to regionals. Trying new tricks, perfecting old ones, and figuring out what they wanted to do in their competition runs was the focus.”
Regional champions included White Salmon’s Riley Eichner, 12, who placed first in snowboard boardercross in the girls age 11-12 with 1,050 points. Emily Durow, 7, of The Dalles was first in snowboard boardercross for age 7-8 girls with 1,030 points. Durow added silver medals in slopestyle and halfpipe and won bronze in rail jam.
Kegan Lockwood scored 1,100 points in the final day’s freeski rail jam, improvising for a championship performance in boys age 11-14. “I’m happy with what my runs were, and it was fun to compete against other skiers from around the Northwest,” Lockwood said. “I picked tricks that I knew I could land but added switching up tricks on different rails and sliding unnatural.”
Coach Johnson said: “Kegan had a huge variety of tricks spinning both to the left and right and skiing switch and forward. He skied with great consistency and landed several solid runs, which earned him the top spot in a field of 12 boys.”
Kellan Lockwood won the regional title in boys age 7-10 freeski rail jam with 1,040 points. He also was silver medalist in slopestyle, skier cross and half pipe. He said some pre-competition preparation helped his performance. “I spent a lot of time on the rails night skiing and hiking the trails with my coaches, working on swaps and spins out,” he said. “I had a lot more competitors in my age group this year and it pushed me to do harder tricks.”
Hood River’s Matt Picchiottino, ranked third in the nation, won the Snowboard Legend division for men age 40-49 with 1,010 points.
The Snowboard Rascal winner for girls age 6 and younger was White Salmon’s Avery Eichner. Seth Ingersoll of Hood River won the boys age 7-8 Snowboard Ruggie halfpipe competition with 1,010 points and also was bronze medalist in boardercross.
The regional championship was held in lieu of the USASA Nationals, which were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The PNW Regional Championships was a way for us to celebrate the season and the efforts of so many young athletes who worked so hard this year,” said Mike Mallon, USASA executive director. “While it was impossible to host our USASA National Championships … we felt a smaller regional model would serve a similar purpose. Meadows was an amazing host for all four events.”
2021 PNW Regional Championships Boardercross and Ski Cross
April 8-11, Mt. Hood Meadows
April 8, Boardercross, Gorge results:
Snowboard Grommet (9-10) Girls: 2. Lydia Ingersoll, Hood River, 930 points. Snowboard Menehune (11-12) Girls: 1. Riley Eichner, White Salmon, 1050 points. Snowboard Ruggie (7-8) Girls: 1. Emily Durow, The Dalles, 1030 points. Freeski Breaker (13-14) Boys: 5. Keegan Lockwood, Mount Hood, 730 points. Freeski Grommet (9-10) Boys: 2. Kellan Lockwood, Mount Hood, 930 points. Freeski Menehune (11-12) Boys: 3. Watou Pfriem, Hood River, 830 points. Snowboard Grommet (9-10) Boys: 3. Emmett Durow, The Dalles, 850 points; 5. Isiah Ingersoll, Hood River, 730 points; DNF Lukas Mayo, Mosier. Snowboard Legend (40-49) Men: 1. Matt Picchiottino, Hood River, 1010 points. Snowboard Menehune (11-12) Boys: 3. Caleb Ingersoll, Hood River, 860. Snowboard Rascal (6 & under) Boys: 2. Jonah Ingersoll, Hood River. Snowboard Ruggie (7-8) Boys: 3. Seth Ingersoll, Hood River, 820 points.
April 9, Slopestyle, Gorge results:
Snowboard Ruggie (7-8) Girls: 3. Emily Durow, The Dalles, 810 points. Freeski Grommet (9-10) Girls: 4. Kayla Friberg, Parkdale, 760 points. Freeski Grommet (9-10) Boys: 2. Kellan Lockwood, Mount Hood, 930 points. Freeski Menehune (11-12) Boys: 6. Jack Friberg, Parkdale, 670 points; 7. Watou Pfriem, Hood River, 610 points. Freeski breaker (13-14) Boys: 2. Anders Chapman, Hood River, 980 points; 6. Kegan Lockwood, Mt. Hood, 690 points; 9. Jack Jack Burton, Hood River, 510 points.
April 11, Halfpipe, Gorge results:
Snowboard Rascal (6 & under) Girls: 1. Avery Eichner, White Salmon. Snowboard Rascal (6 & under) Boys: 2. Jonah Ingersoll, Hood River. Snowboard Ruggie (7-8) Girls: 2. Emily Durow, The Dalles, 910 points. Snowboard Ruggie (7-8) Boys: 1. Seth Ingersoll, Hood River, 1010 points. Snowboard Grommet (9-10) Girls: 4. Lydia Ingersoll, Hood River, 760 points. Snowboard Grommet (9-10) Boys: 3. Isiah Ingersoll, Hood River, 820 points. Freestyle Grommet (9-10) Girls: 4. Kayla Friberg, Parkdale, 760 points. Freeski Grommet (9-10) Boys: 2. Kellan Lockwood, Mount Hood, 930 points. Snowboard Menehune (11-12) Girls: 4. Riley Eichner, White Salmon, 760 points. Snowboard Menehune (11-12) Boys: 3. Caleb Ingersoll, Hood River, 820 points. Freestyle Menehune (11-12) Boys: 2. Jack Friberg, Parkdale, 930 points. Freestyle Breaker (13-14) Boys: 3. Kegan Lockwood, Mt. Hood, 820 points.
April 11, Rail Jam, Gorge results
Snowboard (6 & Under) Boys: 2. Jonah Ingersoll, Hood River. Snowboard (7-10) Boys: 8. Seth Ingersoll, Hood River, 570 points; 9. Isaiah Ingersoll, Hood River, 510 points. Snowboard (7-10) Girls: 2. Lydia Ingersoll, Hood River, 930 points; 3. Emily Durow, The Dalles, 820 points. Freeski (7-10) Boys: 1. Kellan Lockwood, Mt. Hood, 1,040 points. Snowboard (11-14) Boys: 4. Caleb Ingersoll, Hood River, 800 points. Freeski (11-14) Boys: 1. Kegan Lockwood, Mt. Hood, 1,100 points; 3. Anders Chapman, Hood River, 880 points; 6. Jack Jack Burton, Hood River, 700 points.

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