BOZEMAN, Mont. – Junior freeride skiers Travis Morgan and Ivan Jones put on impressive performances two weekends ago at the IFSA Junior Freeride regional competition at Bridger Bowl. Morgan secured a fourth-place finish, while Jones took second.

Jones, who finished fourth in qualifiers, skied a strong and consistent line both days but pushed harder in the finals to claim second place. “My strategy was to just ski fast and fluidly, which was enough for me to get a good result,” Jones said. “No music or anything, just being present. I was more excited to ski the sweet Bridger Bowl lines, and the competition was just a bonus.”

Morgan, who placed eighth in qualifiers, had a standout finals run that earned him the highest score of the day, bumping him up to fourth overall. “I went big and did a big ole 360 off this cliff,” Morgan said. “Before the run, I visualized my line on the chairlift while listening to music. That really helped me get in the zone.” Music plays a crucial role in Morgan’s pre-run preparation. He and a friend, Miles, created a playlist called “Podium,” designed to get them fired up before dropping in.

With two more competitions at Lake Louise, and Schweitzer, both skiers have their sights set on bigger goals. “I hope to go big, impress myself, and push the sport,” Morgan said. Both athletes’ approaches to this competition were fascinating. Jones staying present in the moment and enjoying the skiing while also staying focused on the competition, and Morgan using visualization and music. Both of these strategies showcase the many ways top freeride skiers find success on the mountain. With strong performances at Bridger Bowl, both athletes are proving to be names to watch on the IFSA junior freeride circuit.

Through competing on this same circuit for the past seasons for three years, I’ve learned a lot myself. Specifically, I’d like to highlight my last experience at the Red Mountain National competition back in February. This event had some of the stiffest competition I’ve ever experienced and being a part of it helped me grow as an athlete. 

Coming into the competition, I was recovering from a gnarly sickness that passed through the entirety of Sandpoint High School. My confidence wasn’t at an all time high because my mind wasn’t thinking about the competition, but getting better from this illness. Although this may have seemed like a disadvantage,