CARRABASSETT VALLEY - Waterville native, Alex Jenson entered this winter season physically and mentally prepared to achieve her goal of qualifying to compete in this year’s US Freestyle National Championships.

Her invitation to Nationals was sealed when she won last weekend’s United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) Eastern Freestyle Division Championships dual moguls and placed fifth in single moguls.

“I was mentally and physically prepared for Easterns,” said Jenson. “When most of the girls were struggling during training runs, I laid down a solid final training run so I knew I was ready and going to do really well in the duals. With all the fresh snow from last week’s storms the course was really rutty and the other girls had problems. As I won each dual competition my confidence increased and in my final run the other girl fell, so I just skied a nice clean run.”

Prior to this season Jenson’s mogul training and competition schedule was primarily a weekend activity. This year the high school freshman enrolled as a winter term student at Carrabassett Valley Academy. Now training and competing six days a week, all while managing a full academic course load, the high school freshman’s results this season prove her tremendous improvements.

According to CVA Head Mogul Coach, Ron DiGravio, “Alex has made incredible strides in her first season with us. Physically strong and mentally prepared for every practice and competition, she is one of the most coachable kids that I’ve ever trained. Competing against the top female mogul athletes of the East and winning Easterns as a freshman is a real testimony to her future potential.”

Winning Easterns solidifies her trip to Squaw Valley to compete in Nationals, but the victory also garners Jenson the opportunity to ski out of the starting gate at next December’s US Selections. The top mogul skiers from across the country travel to Selections to compete for a spot on the US Ski Team. Positive results at Nationals and Selections would provide Jenson a chance to compete on the North American (NorAm) circuit.

Before flying out to Nationals with her CVA teammates and coach, Jenson will compete with the best 13 to 18 year old mogul skiers from the country at USSA Junior Olympics at Waterville Valley on March 12th and 13th.

When she returns from Nationals, Jenson will return to Waterville High School where she’ll step out of her ski boots and into her track shoes to compete in the triple jump, hurdles and 100 yard dash.

Alex is the daughter of Mark and Cindy Jenson.