Maggie Voisin celebrated her birthday in style on Saturday. The Whitefish freeskier landed on the podium at one of the main Olympic qualifier events, improving her chances of competing in the upcoming Sochi Winter Games.
Voisin placed third in the Women’s Freeski Slopestyle Final at the Dew Tour iON Mountain Championships in Breckenridge, Colo., on Saturday. She placed second among American competitors behind only Devin Logan, who won the event.
“To get on the podium, it means a lot,” Voisin told USA Today.
Voisin entered the finale as the top seeded competitor after winning the qualifying round earlier this week. The eight competitors were vying for the Dew Cup but also the opportunity to position themselves for the first-ever U.S. Olympic Freeskiing Team. Freeskiing is making its debut at the Winter Games.
Voisin, one of the nation’s rising stars in the freeski world, turned 15 on Saturday, making her eligible for the Sochi Winter Games. Competitors must be 15 by Dec. 31.
The Dew Tour event was Voisin’s first and one of five sanctioned events that will determine the lineup of American skiers attending the Olympics.