Daron Rahlves Banzai Kirkwood 1st place!

What a crazy day! I traveled from Geneva, Switzerland, to California. Got three hours of sleep and then drove to Kirkwood to make the Banzai contest. I had a couple looks at the course and then it was go time. The course started at the top of chair 10,which on a pow day is a blast to bomb off the top. Though when it's conditions like we had at the event, I try to avoid that area. I was really scared of the drop in. Not cause I couldn't do it, it was more the way you needed to drop in to make the first gate. To add 3 other people dropping in for the same line, Yikes! In practice I did a sweet cartwheel, to head slide which got me really freaked out. Thankfully when the time came to race, I kept it together.

Being on the Freeride World Tour is really important to me, so I didn't want to put my self in any position to get hurt. Bottom line I played it safe on the start, but it worked out! The other athletes where amazing. It was really interesting how all of us had a different approach to riding this course.
 I am really excited to be in the contest next week at Alpine. Thanks again to Daron for such a fun event, I am so stoked to be part of it!

This month is jam-packed with fun. I have the Banzai at Alpine, North Face Masters at Squaw Valley, and finally the big one Freeride World Tour at Kirkwood. 

Pray for Snow!