Aerialists get jump on '06 Games

PARK CITY — The sound of 60,000 people screaming wakes Jeret "Speedy" Peterson up each morning. It pushes him to choose the discomfort of weightlifting over the warmth of his own bed.

The sound motivates him to launch himself off a ramp, flip and twist 50 feet in the air, and then land in a pool of cold water at the base of the jumps. It helps him get through trampoline and conditioning workouts, and even diving practices.

That sound represents a Winter Olympic dream that even in the heat of summer gives him goosebumps.

"Those who haven't been have no idea how big it is," the 23-year-old said. "There's nothing like walking into opening ceremonies, hearing 60,000 people screaming and cheering for you is the coolest thing in the world. You feel like you're a rock star."

And while the 2006 Winter Olympics aren't on the minds of most people, the spirit of the games permeates every waking moment of the U.S. Freestyle athletes who hope to represent the United States in Torino, Italy, next February.

The U.S. Ski Team athletes work out most of the year, but in this, a pre-Olympic year, they work out harder, longer and find it less monotonous than other years. The aerial athletes began working out at the end of April, while the mogul skiers started practicing new tricks on the water ramps this week in Park City.

Peterson was a member of the 2002 Winter Olympic freestyle team, and he finished ninth in the aerial competition that was held at Deer Valley. Getting back to that arena in order to win a medal is something he's had on his mind for three years.

He knows all too well that he's not alone in dreaming that dream. Peterson and every other Olympic hopeful acknowledge athletes all over the world are putting in more training time in order to win Olympic gold.

"I think a lot more people are motivated to train harder in an Olympic year," said Ryan St. Onge, the 2003 World Champion aerial skier.

The young duo are part of a promising U.S. freestyle team that's the strongest it's ever been. For example, in two separate World Cup events this winter, the U.S. men swept the moguls top three spots. Peterson was the overall World Cup winner, as was mogul skier Jeremy Bloom. Bloom was also world champion in moguls and dual moguls.

Every athlete knows it will take the best season of their lives just to make the U.S. Olympic team, let alone win any medals.