Wagner Custom Factory Team Athlete Rookie Lands on Podium at 20th Annu

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Wagner Custom Factory Team Athlete Rookie Lands on Podium at 20th Annual Subaru US Extreme Freeskiing Championships

Crested Butte, CO (February 20th, 2011) – Wagner Custom Skis, the Telluride, Colorado-based leader in custom ski fitting science, announced today that their newest factory team rider, Silas Chickering-Ayers notched a 3rd place finish at the Crested Butte stop of the Freeskiing World Tour. In his rookie season on the FWT, Chickering-Ayers has quickly transitioned from placing in the junior contests last year, to beating some of the tour’s top pros.

The event marked the 20th anniversary of the US Extreme Championships held annually at Crested Butte on the legendary terrain of the North Face. Silas’ brother Lars, who currently leads the FWT, won the event with a final score of 81.37, while his younger brother stomped into 3rd with a 77.83 on his final run in Toilet Bowl.

“We are really stoked about Silas. It’s great to sign a new athlete and work with them to build skis that help to take them to the next level,” said Pete Wagner, CEO and founder of Wagner Custom Skis. “The kid is only 18 years old. We figured he’d podium after 2 or 3 years on the tour, so this is an amazing surprise.”

Chickering-Ayer’s custom skis were built from scratch and designed at a length that is both stable at high speeds and nimble enough for tackling technical terrain. The 110mm waist width was determined to strike a balance between agility and good flotation, the sugar-maple and ash cores provide a predictable and comfortable ride, and the entire base and sidewall is reinforced with Aramid for impact protection. The ski’s flex pattern was designed specifically for big mountain riding: a smooth, round, flex pattern with a medium stiffness in the tail for landing huge airs. Chickering-Ayers made good use of the technology as his last run through “Toilet Bowl” at Crested Butte was highlighted by dropping a 30 footer.

When reached for comment through his sponsor, Silas commented, “Most of the time during comp runs you’re trying to ski tough lines on hard pack. However, in Crested Butte this past week we were fortunate to have a morning of pow skiing to warm up to a finals comp run on an untracked venue.” The Mad River Glen, VT skier went on to add, “The steep trees and deep snow made for more than ideal conditions and a lot of fun. At the end of the day I was lucky enough to stand on the podium with my brother, Lars.”

From here the tour moves on to Kirkwood ,California before wrapping the season at Snowbird ,Utah. Upcoming event info can be found at: www.freeskiingworldtour.com.

About Wagner Custom Skis
Wagner Custom was founded in 2006 in Placerville, Colorado, just downstream from the Telluride Ski Resort. Wagner Custom hand-builds precise-fitting skis and snowboards one-at-a-time, each unique and designed for a specific rider. Wagner uses only the finest raw materials, and all skis and boards are crafted around sturdy, solid wood cores. Wagner shapes and assembles skis using state-of-the-art 21st Century equipment in what may be the world’s greenest ski factory, running entirely on wind and solar energy. Visit Wagner Custom online at www.wagnerskis.com.