Q&A - Competition

How did you get started?

My dad bought a cabin in Big Bear when I was really little. He put me in ski school when I was four and I lasted two times before I started skiing with him. I skied my first double black when I was five and was dropping 10 ft into the superpipe when I was six. Someone told my dad to get me into a program so he found about the Snow Summit Race Team. Two years later, we moved up to Big Bear from San Diego.

List your competitive highlights:

Last March, I was the top overall finisher among the Far West's 1st year J-5 girls at our Championships in Sugarbowl. The next day, I went over to Northstar and won the Slopestyle National Championships. That was a good weekend! This year was similar. I raced three days at Far West Championships where I had a thrid in SG and GS and a 4th in slalom. After my SG race on Saturday, I drove to Sacramento, flew to Denver, drove to Copper Mountain and competed Sunday morning in Halfpipe. I won that and Slopestyle on Monday and Skiercross on Tuesday.

What are you planning for next season?

I am still trying to consistently slide rails. I haven't done that in competition. That and going even bigger on jumps. Maybe getting a five around or styling my 180's and threes. But, I went out with my friend from Championships, Abagail, at Mammoth last weekend while my sister was racing Super G. We had so much fun skiing together and hanging out. I finally learned to jump onto a rail and slide it. Abby and her dad really helped me out.

What has been your biggest accomplishment?

I like competition but I was really proud of myself a couple of years ago when I followed some older race teamers into Hang Man's Hollow at Mammoth. I didn't know how steep and narrow it was and once I got in, I had to ski it. Now I do it whenever it's open.

A little about me...

HI, I'm Rachael DesRochers from Big Bear. I 'm a competitive skier in both freestyle and alpine. Last year I had quite a season. I was one of the top competitors among USSA Far West J-5 girls and I also found time to compete in some slopestyle contests. That turned out pretty good as I qualified for the National Championships where I took first place. This year I've placed 1st and second in the USSA South Series GS races. My friend Steph and I trade wins all of the time. I also took 2nd in the Roxy Snow Classic Slopestyle contest. The winner was 21 years old and really good! I'd like to do more freestyle but it's sometimes hard to fit it into my downhill schedule. I train five to six days a week and love it. Since I wrote this, I've had some other pretty good results. I podiumed twice in the 2008 Far West Championships with two thirds in SG and GS. Then I swept all three freestyle (HP, SS and SX) events at the 2008 USASA Championships in Copper, Colorado. I'm now sponosored by Blizzard Skis, Technica Boots, and DNA clothing (Descente North America).

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