Park City’s Henry Townshend wins slopestyle gold at Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon

Henry Townsend (back row, absolute top) won the gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games today in slopestyle skiing. He's pictured here with the other Youth Sports Alliance athletes from Park City at JANS Winter Welcome. Photo: Youth Sports Alliance

GANGWON, South Korea — 17-year-old Henry Townshend of Park City won the gold medal today at the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Korea in the sport of freeski slopestyle. He is an honored athlete for the Youth Sports Alliance (YSA).

At this fall’s annual YSA formal fundraiser, JANS Winter Welcome, Townshend communicated his heartfelt thanks to Park City donors for their compassion and commitment to programs like Get Out and Play, which provides opportunities to all elementary school students to experience winter sports, as well as YSA’s Active8 program for middle schoolers in Wasatch, and Summit Counties. 

YSA’s year-round Stein Eriksen “Dare to Dream” Scholarship has given scholarships to athletes who are unable to participate or compete without the help of outside funding. It’s currently open in the application window for post-season, qualified-for competitions not unlike the YOG, where local ski jumper Josie Johnson just earned her silver medal on Friday. Other examples include the U.S. Nationals happening in Alaska for ski jumpers and in New York for cross-country skiers. YSA athletes like Augie Roepke are also headed to Europe for the Jr. World Championships in Nordic combined. 

“Henry is a long-time recipient of the YSA Stein Eriksen Dare to Dream Scholarship. His success is a shining example of how hard work combined with these scholarships empower young athletes to pursue their goals on snow, sleds and ice,” Emily S. Fisher, Executive Director, Youth Sports Alliance told TownLift. “This is not just a personal victory for Henry, he will serve as an inspiration to all young athletes who dare to dream.”

Olly Nicholls (JPN) won the silver medal in the YOG slopestyle, and Jaakko Koskinen (FIN) won bronze.

Townshend, of the Park City Ski & Snowboard team (PCSS), currently attends school online. He’s also a recipient of the YSA Circle of Excellence Champions award.

15-year-old Jack Rodeheaver, also of PCSS, a Winter Sports School student and a YSA athlete, placed 19th at the YOG in the same event.

Keep an eye out on the roads of Park City for the YSA-wrapped Land Rover Defender, which they were awarded last month as a leading nonprofit in the nation.