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Shout Out to Rice's Amazing Freeride Skiers!
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You might not know that two of our students are world class freeride skiers! Sophomores Lynsey Nagle and Seamus O’Neill both are ranked nationally and have competed in major tournaments, with both of them heading to a national competition in Snowbird, Utah this February break. Lynsey also competed in the Junior World Championships this January in Austria!
For Background:
Freeride skiing is performed on ungroomed, natural terrain. Each skier picks their own line down the mountain hitting as many features and performing as many tricks as they can during their run. Their performance is judged on criteria like line, fluidity, air, style, control, and energy. It’s incredibly competitive, so fun to watch, but not without significant risk! To compete at this level requires a lot of courage, training and grit.
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Lynsey Nagle, '26Student profile:
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Photo credit: Photos by Kintz
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Photo credit: Photos by Kintz
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Lynsey has been skiing since she was 2! She skis every Friday-Sunday at Mad River Glen and spends full days on the mountain practicing, training, and honing her skills. Last year she finished 3rd in North America and competed in the Junior World Championships in Austria this January, earning her place as one of the top 13 Juniors in the World. Lynsey is sponsored by Marker, Volkl, Fly Low Gear, Teton Gravity Research, Dalbello, and is a member of the Vermont North Pro Team.
She has a quiet, calm disposition and is downright humble about her incredible accomplishments. She feels great support from her friends and the Rice community - especially from teachers and school leadership who generously give her the schedule flexibility necessary to train, to travel, and compete at such a high level.
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Seamus O'Neill, '26Student profile:
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When you meet Seamus, you can tell he’s a skier who pushes the envelope. He’s confident, energetic, with a great love for the outdoors and the sport. So far this season he’s logged 290,000 vertical feet, 387 miles, and more than 22 days on the mountain (and in this challenging ski season, that’s saying something!) He’s one of the highest performing skiers in his age bracket, coming in first at the Mad River Glen regional and 4th at the Smugglers Notch national. His hallmark trick is the double backflip… seriously!?! He’s sponsored by Nordica, Fly Low Gear, Canteen Creamery and has been featured by Ski the East, NewSchoolers, and Nordica in their videos.
He says his key to success is having fun. Certainly, he puts the hours in on the mountain training, but having the attitude that skiing is fun allows his performance to have an energy to it that’s truly distinctive. He quoted Ratatouille, “only the fearless can be great!”
“In most sports, the amount of work you put in will equal to the amount of progress you will achieve. So when you don’t land a trick, or score that goal, it’s important to remember that the work you put in is still waiting to be shown.” - Seamus O'Neill
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We're Here for Our Students!
At Rice, we’re proud to be a school where students can achieve their God-given potential and pursue their dreams. Whether that dream is skiing, playing a college sport, studying abroad, serving their community, or pursuing an academic goal. We work hard to give students the flexibility they need while also still holding them to high standards. It’s a major credit to our teachers who think creatively and make themselves available if needed. We Are Rice!
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