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Athlete's Voice by Chris Davenport: How to Score
The ski season wouldn't be the same without the spring pilgrimage to Alaska, where 50 of the world's top freeskiers will gather for the World Tour Finals at Alyeska Resort in Girdwood's Chugach Mountains.

	Peterson and Harrison

Athletes will check-in on March 21, then prepare for three days of competition in the rugged mountains surrounding Girdwood, where earlier this season, a storm dropped 15 feet of snow in a week. Conditions are supreme, and the spectacularly treacherous terrain will pose the ultimate challenge as skiers negotiate high cliffs, narrow couloirs and pitches as steep as 45 degrees, forcing them to adapt their style and technique on runs of up to 2,500 vertical feet.

After four stops on the World Tour, Hugo Harrison from Whistler, British Columbia and Linda Peterson from Alta, Utah, have amassed the most points. In Alaska, they will once again test their limits, mentally and physically, along with other talented athletes going for the overall title.

	The Prez

This is the Freeskiing World Tour's third year. In 1998, International Freeskiing Association President Shane McConkey, from Squaw Valley, California, won the men's overall title while Wendy Fisher, from Crested Butte, Colorado, won the women's. Last year's tour champions were Whistler's Jeff Holden and "Big Air" Barb Peters, also from Crested Butte.

Organizers will select mountain venues that offer skiers the chance to select different lines. The competitors choose their lines and are free to demonstrate their own unique styles: cliff jumps, fast turns, steep lines through rocks or a mixture of all of the above. The athletes' runs will be judged on five essential elements: line selection, control, fluidity, technique and aggressiveness.

A maximum of 10 points can be awarded for each criterion for a maximum total of 50 points per run. Line choice is crucial. Competitors who select the most difficult lines, and ski them with style and confidence, will have the best chance at winning the championship.

— Michelle Quigley, MountainZone.com staff