Park City Homegrown

Coincidence. Irony. Fate. Call it what you will, but the fact is, Park City isn’t just headquarters for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team, it’s also home to several of its most notable athletes, past and present. The names Picabo Street, Nikki Stone, Joe Pack and Erik Schlopy may be familiar to many Parkites. But as the U.S. Team heads into its last full season before the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy, it’s time to look for a host of new names on the radar — more than a dozen of which list their hometown as Park City, Utah.

That’s good news to many residents who still get the blues when they reminisce about the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and hosting one of the best international events this town has ever seen. While they may not be able to pop out their front door to watch an Olympic event live, Parkites can happily park themselves in front of the TV (“Roots” beret optional) and cheer the Team’s mantra — “Best in the World!”— as they watch their very own neighbors march toward Olympic gold. While scanning the athlete rosters this winter, be sure to follow the performances of these “homegrown” treasures:

Bryon Friedman (Alpine)

Dartmouth student Bryon Friedman began skiing at age 3, but things turned serious when his father, a commercial airline pilot, was relocated to Salt Lake City and Bryon started ski racing. He qualified for the “A Team” after the 2004 season, which included his first World Cup top-10 finish in Chamonix, France, and capturing the downhill and combined titles at the 2004 U.S. Alpine Championships. He missed qualifying for World Cup finals by a point. “It was an important lesson … every race and every World Cup point counts because in this sport, inches really do make a difference,” he said. But Friedman also admits to a little routine that gets him fired up before every race. “Before every start, right when I slide into the gate, my technician Burntski always tells me to ‘drive ’em like they’re stolen.’ I always get a kick out of that quote. It takes a little bit of the edge off and puts a smile on my face.”

Rachael Pack (Aerials)

In 2003, Pack started to move away from the immense shadow cast by big brother Joe Pack (former Junior World aerials champ, World Cup winner, 2002 Olympic silver medalist) when she placed fifth at the 2003 U.S. Championships. This spring, she became the youngest skier (age 12) named to any U.S. team. Last season, she competed in her first NorAm competition, and as a sidelight, won both singles and dual moguls at a regional event at Deer Valley. She also won silver at the 2004 Junior Nationals and bronze in 2003. Pack got her “feet wet” during the 2002 and 2003 summers in the splash pools at the Utah Olympic Park as part of the “Come Fly with US” program, which trains new athletes in the sport. She turned 13 this past June.

Nate Roberts (Moguls)

It’s always been moguls for Nate Roberts — no alpine racing, no deviation — since he was a youngster. His distinctive straight-legged style in his back flips brought him a surprise victory last winter under the lights in Madonna, Italy, his seventh World Cup event and only his second finals. By the end of the winter, Roberts, who started as a discretionary pick by the coaches to compete in Europe, had established himself as the newest member of the U.S. men’s “deep-deeper-deepest” moguls brigade in moguls and dual moguls. Coaches say his easy adaptation to new inverted jumps will help him become even more of a steady contender this season.

Brett and Eric Camerota (Nordic Combined)

The Camerota family moved to Park City when twins Eric and Brett were just 6 years old. Both were enticed to the ski jumping hills along with friends before signing up for more competitive programs. “I could see the ski jumps from my house and I wanted to try it,” said Brett, now 19. Eric first tried ski jumping with his friends before he convinced his parents to sign him up for a program on the small hills in Park City. He broke his leg as a kid while jumping, but that didn’t deter him. He added cross-country to his repertoire and qualified for the U.S. Team in 2004. Eric took bronze at this year’s U.S. Nordic Combined Championships. Brett has competed in two Junior World Championships and posted a top-10 finish in each of the last three U.S. Championships.

Wendy Wagner (Cross-Country)

Wagner began cross-country skiing at age 3 and was racing by the seventh grade. During her eighth grade year, a Junior Olympics qualifier was held in Park City. Wagner made the team and has raced ever since. In college, she transferred from New York’s St. Lawrence University to Western State in Colorado, because she wanted a more serious racing atmosphere, which could lead her to the Olympics. The switch paid off: A 2002 Olympian, Wagner has also skied in three World Championships and won three U.S. titles. “I cross-country ski because I love it and because of the great community involved,” she said. “The pace is slower, tickets to ski are cheaper, and it’s something the whole family can do together.”

Lisa Antonucci has been a writer in Park City for more than 11 years. She admits she is still suffering from “Olympic withdrawal,” but has cured some of her symptoms by joining the United States Ski & Snowboard Association last fall as its communication manager. She hopes that by the magic of “osmosis,” her skiing will improve as she writes about these talented athletes.