Patrick Deneen
Encyclopedia
Patrick Deneen is an American
freestyle skier
, specializing in moguls
. Deneen was the gold medalist at the 2009 International Ski Federation (FIS)
Freestyle World Ski Championships
. In December 2009, Deneen won the US Olympic
trials, held at Steamboat Springs, Colorado
, securing a spot on the US Olympic Team
for the 2010 Winter Olympics
in Vancouver
. In FIS World Cup
events, he has reached the podium at 4 events in 25 starts, and was the 2008 Freestyle Rookie of the Year.
area of Washington, Deneen was raised in Cle Elum
where his family's ranch
remains his home. His family's life revolved around the world of skiing; Deneen's father Pat was part owner and general manager of the Hyak ski area (now part of The Summit at Snoqualmie
), where his mother Nancy managed sales. The local ski shop was owned and operated by Deneen's grandfather.
Surrounded by family and friends, Deneen took his first turns on skis at the age of 11 months, two months after he began walking. His father had brought him to a ski shop asking for the smallest skis they had, and had to stuff newspaper in the boots
in order for them to fit. "The boot-fitter was just shaking his head," said Deneen's father. After his father found the flattest slope near the lodge, Deneen skied down toward his mother who was at the bottom, turning along the way as people called his name.
Deneen was homeschooled, allowing ample time for skiing pursuits, up to 190 days a year. He began competitive skiing at the age of 7 as an alpine skier, and was a top ranked junior in downhill before starting to freestyle
. As a junior downhiller he was a member of the racing team at Silver Mountain, Idaho where he and his family spent winters. His competitive endeavors were not confined to the slopes however, he was also a youth champion in the equestrian
sport reining
.
At the age of 15, he gave up competitive horse riding to focus on skiing, and began the transition from alpine to freestyle; at one point he won a downhill race and a moguls contest during the same weekend. He developed quickly as a freestyle skier, and was named to the US Junior Ski Team by the age of 16. Deneen made his first FIS World Cup start in January 2005 at Lake Placid, New York
; the following year, after returning from an injury, he was bronze medalist at the World Junior Championships at Krasnoye Ozero
, Russia
.
injury. Deneen's bronze medal performance at the 2006 Junior Championships was his first major competition after returning from injury. He spent the following season on the North American Freestyle Circuit (NORAM). With a NORAM dual moguls championship in 2007, he regained his spot on the US Ski Team.
Returning to the FIS World Cup circuit in January 2008, Deneen reached the podium with two straight 3rd place finishes at Lake Placid, New York
. Over the rest of the 2008 season, he started 7 more World Cup events, with another 3rd place finish at Valmalenco, Italy
in March. Deneen's overall performance in 2008, his first full season on the tour, earned him the Rookie of the Year award which is voted on by the international coaches. During that season, Deneen became well known for his speed on the slope, prompting 1994 Olympic
moguls champion Jean-Luc Brassard
to nickname
him "The Rocket".
Deneen's 2009 World Cup season was marked by inconsistent results, including 4 crashes; his finishes ranged from 3rd to 45th and 47th place within the span of one week in January. In February, he finished an American best 4th place at an Olympic test event at Cypress Mountain, the venue
for freestyle skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics
. He competed in two other World Cup events in February, finishing 17th and 23rd, before heading to Inawashiro, Japan
for the FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships
.
During the World Championships, Deneen incorporated a new jump into his two clean runs—the Back X, performing a back flip
while crossing skis. His final score of 23.41 beat the closest competitor by more than 1.5 points earning him the gold medal.
The first two events of the 2009–2010 season, Deneen was unable to finish in the top 20; he however rebounded once again at the US Olympic trials at Steamboat Springs, Colorado
. On his final run, he landed a back layout and a twisting 720-degree spin, earning a score of 26.68 which bested the runner-up
by fifty-seven hundredths of a point. His win at Steamboat secured a spot on the US Team for the 2010 Winter Olympics
in Vancouver
, British Columbia
.
In his Olympic debut at the Vancouver Games
, after qualifying in 10th place with a score of 23.97, Deneen crashed on his run in the finals. The run was not scored, and he officially finished tied for 19th place.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
freestyle skier
Freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing is form of skiing which used to encompass two disciplines: aerials, and moguls. Except the two disciplines mentioned earlier Freestyle Skiing now consists of Skicross, Half Pipe and Slope Style...
, specializing in moguls
Mogul skiing
Mogul skiing is a type of freestyle skiing where skiers ski terrain characterized by a large number of different bumps, or moguls.-Moguls:...
. Deneen was the gold medalist at the 2009 International Ski Federation (FIS)
International Ski Federation
The International Ski Federation, known by its name in French, Fédération Internationale de Ski is the main international organisation for ski sports...
Freestyle World Ski Championships
FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships
The FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships is the world championship organized by the FIS for Freestyle Skiing. It was first organized in 1986 and is now held every odd year. Currently, the events included in the world championships are Moguls, Dual Moguls, Aerials, Ski cross, Slopestyle and Half-pipe...
. In December 2009, Deneen won the US Olympic
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
trials, held at Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
The city of Steamboat Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Routt County, Colorado, United States. The city is also known as "Steamboat," "The Boat," or "Ski Town USA". As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,088.The city is an...
, securing a spot on the US Olympic Team
United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics
The United States participated in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The U.S. team had a historic Winter Games, winning an unprecedented 37 medals. Team USA's medal haul, which included nine gold, marked the first time since the 1932 Lake Placid Games that the U.S....
for the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. In FIS World Cup
FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup
The FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup is an annual freestyle skiing competition, arranged by the International Ski Federation since 1998. The events currently include Moguls, Aerials, and Ski cross competitions.-External links:** at FIS-Ski.com...
events, he has reached the podium at 4 events in 25 starts, and was the 2008 Freestyle Rookie of the Year.
Early life and career
A native of the Snoqualmie PassSnoqualmie Pass
Snoqualmie Pass is a mountain pass that carries Interstate 90 through the Cascade Range in the U.S. State of Washington. The elevation of the pass summit is , and is on the county line between Kittitas County and King County...
area of Washington, Deneen was raised in Cle Elum
Cle Elum, Washington
Cle Elum is a city in Kittitas County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,872 at the 2010 census. Only an hour and a half's drive from Seattle, Cle Elum is a popular area for camping and outdoor activities.-Early years and industries:...
where his family's ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
remains his home. His family's life revolved around the world of skiing; Deneen's father Pat was part owner and general manager of the Hyak ski area (now part of The Summit at Snoqualmie
The Summit at Snoqualmie
The Summit at Snoqualmie, located on Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, is a winter resort providing alpine skiing and snowboarding, Nordic skiing, and winter tubing owned by CNL Investment Properties, Inc. and managed by Boyne Resorts....
), where his mother Nancy managed sales. The local ski shop was owned and operated by Deneen's grandfather.
Surrounded by family and friends, Deneen took his first turns on skis at the age of 11 months, two months after he began walking. His father had brought him to a ski shop asking for the smallest skis they had, and had to stuff newspaper in the boots
Ski boot
Ski boots are specialized footwear that are used in skiing to provide a way to attach the skier to skis using ski bindings. This ski-boot-binding combination is used to effectively transmit control inputs from the skier to the snow....
in order for them to fit. "The boot-fitter was just shaking his head," said Deneen's father. After his father found the flattest slope near the lodge, Deneen skied down toward his mother who was at the bottom, turning along the way as people called his name.
Deneen was homeschooled, allowing ample time for skiing pursuits, up to 190 days a year. He began competitive skiing at the age of 7 as an alpine skier, and was a top ranked junior in downhill before starting to freestyle
Freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing is form of skiing which used to encompass two disciplines: aerials, and moguls. Except the two disciplines mentioned earlier Freestyle Skiing now consists of Skicross, Half Pipe and Slope Style...
. As a junior downhiller he was a member of the racing team at Silver Mountain, Idaho where he and his family spent winters. His competitive endeavors were not confined to the slopes however, he was also a youth champion in the equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
sport reining
Reining
Reining is a western riding competition for horses where the riders guide the horses through a precise pattern of circles, spins, and stops. All work is done at the lope and gallop; the fastest of the horse gaits...
.
At the age of 15, he gave up competitive horse riding to focus on skiing, and began the transition from alpine to freestyle; at one point he won a downhill race and a moguls contest during the same weekend. He developed quickly as a freestyle skier, and was named to the US Junior Ski Team by the age of 16. Deneen made his first FIS World Cup start in January 2005 at Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
; the following year, after returning from an injury, he was bronze medalist at the World Junior Championships at Krasnoye Ozero
Korobitsyno
Korobitsyno is a rural locality on Karelian Isthmus, in Vyborgsky District of Leningrad Oblast, hosting three popular ski resorts: Zolotaya Dolina, Snezhny, and Krasnoye Ozero...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
Professional career
Deneen had difficulties at the beginning of his professional career; after his World Cup debut, in which he finished 48th, he was forced off the international circuit for a year due to a kneeKnee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
injury. Deneen's bronze medal performance at the 2006 Junior Championships was his first major competition after returning from injury. He spent the following season on the North American Freestyle Circuit (NORAM). With a NORAM dual moguls championship in 2007, he regained his spot on the US Ski Team.
Returning to the FIS World Cup circuit in January 2008, Deneen reached the podium with two straight 3rd place finishes at Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
. Over the rest of the 2008 season, he started 7 more World Cup events, with another 3rd place finish at Valmalenco, Italy
Chiesa in Valmalenco
Chiesa in Valmalenco is a comune in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 100 km northeast of Milan and about 11 km north of Sondrio, on the border with Switzerland...
in March. Deneen's overall performance in 2008, his first full season on the tour, earned him the Rookie of the Year award which is voted on by the international coaches. During that season, Deneen became well known for his speed on the slope, prompting 1994 Olympic
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Lillehammer failed to win the bid for the 1992 event. Lillehammer was awarded the games in 1988, after having beat...
moguls champion Jean-Luc Brassard
Jean-Luc Brassard
Jean-Luc Brassard is a French Canadian freestyle skier, winning the gold medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics in the sport's debut as a medal event. Brassard has been credited with popularizing the wearing of bright knee pads to show off absorption and leg position for mogul skiers to best show...
to nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
him "The Rocket".
Deneen's 2009 World Cup season was marked by inconsistent results, including 4 crashes; his finishes ranged from 3rd to 45th and 47th place within the span of one week in January. In February, he finished an American best 4th place at an Olympic test event at Cypress Mountain, the venue
Sport venue
Sport venue is an arena, a stadium or similar building in which a sporting competition is held.-Types of sports venues:*Sport hall*Motorsport venues *Horse racing venues *Swimming pool*Shooting range*Bullring...
for freestyle skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Freestyle skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics
The freestyle skiing competition of the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at Cypress Mountain. The events took place between the 13 and 25 February 2010, and included a new event for these Olympics, ski cross.- Medal table :-Men's Events:- Women's Events :...
. He competed in two other World Cup events in February, finishing 17th and 23rd, before heading to Inawashiro, Japan
Inawashiro, Fukushima
is a town located in Yama District, Fukushima, Japan. Inawashiro rests on the shores of Lake Inawashiro, one of the largest lakes in Japan. During the Edo period, it was part of the Aizu domain, and was the home of Aizu's secondary castle town...
for the FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships
FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships
The FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships is the world championship organized by the FIS for Freestyle Skiing. It was first organized in 1986 and is now held every odd year. Currently, the events included in the world championships are Moguls, Dual Moguls, Aerials, Ski cross, Slopestyle and Half-pipe...
.
During the World Championships, Deneen incorporated a new jump into his two clean runs—the Back X, performing a back flip
Flip (acrobatic)
An acrobatic flip is a sequence of body movements in which a person leaps into the air and then rotates one or more times while airborne. Acrobatic flips are performed in acro dance, free running, gymnastics, tricking, and various other activities...
while crossing skis. His final score of 23.41 beat the closest competitor by more than 1.5 points earning him the gold medal.
The first two events of the 2009–2010 season, Deneen was unable to finish in the top 20; he however rebounded once again at the US Olympic trials at Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
The city of Steamboat Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Routt County, Colorado, United States. The city is also known as "Steamboat," "The Boat," or "Ski Town USA". As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,088.The city is an...
. On his final run, he landed a back layout and a twisting 720-degree spin, earning a score of 26.68 which bested the runner-up
Runner-up
Runner-up is a term used to denote a participant which finishes in second place in any of a variety of competitive endeavors, most notably sporting events and beauty pageants; in the latter instance, the term is applied to more than one of the highest-ranked non-winning contestants, the...
by fifty-seven hundredths of a point. His win at Steamboat secured a spot on the US Team for the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
.
In his Olympic debut at the Vancouver Games
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
, after qualifying in 10th place with a score of 23.97, Deneen crashed on his run in the finals. The run was not scored, and he officially finished tied for 19th place.