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Sandy Journal

Ski & Snowboard News / Meet Jon Lillis, World Cup aerialist and rising star

Jan 07, 2015 07:57PM ● By Harriet Wallis

Photo: Harriet Wallis

Jon Lillis, 20, has been a USSA aerialist for 5 years and competes in the important FIS World Cup. I met him today at Deer Valley. He was downing a bowl of chili before going upside down in aerial flipping and spinning practice on the steep, icy course.

Jon said that as a kid in Rochester, New York, he joined the race team but "I hated it. It was so uniform and always the same," he said. "Then I tried moguls and loved it. But what I loved the most was the jumps." Then his acrobatic skills led him into aerials. At age 15 he qualified at the National Championships for the USSA team.

"I have the most World Cup starts" he said -- which means he is so good he's a major threat as a competitor.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday the world's best freestyle skiers come together for the 2015 FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup at Deer Valley Resort. Watch as competitors twist, fly and race their way to the podium on the same runs used during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. All events are free to the public.

This marks the 16th year of international and world competitions hosted at Deer Valley®, including the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, two World Championships and 13 World Cups making the resort an esteemed venue for the freestyle community. All competitions are held at night under the lights at Deer Valley Resort. Men's and women's aerial events will be held on the White Owl ski run on Thursday, January 8, 2015. Men's and women's mogul and dual mogul events are scheduled on the Champion ski run on Friday, January 9 and Saturday,
January 10, 2015. Finals for all disciplines will take place in the evening, with a fireworks display concluding each night.

For complete details and an exciting video of last year's event, click on

http://www.deervalley.com/WhatToDo/Winter/FISWorldCup#