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Ellery Hollingsworth's second home while developing her snowboarding technique was the slopes of Vermont. The Darien woman returns "home" this weekend for the Winter Dew Tour in Killington, Vt., for one of the sport's biggest competitions of the season.
"I grew up riding in Vermont, and I've had many contests at Killington over the years, so not only will it bring back a ton of memories but I also get to catch up with some friends whom I haven't seen in ages,'' Ellery said in an email as she journeyed East.
Hollingsworth, 19, has become one of the sport's top athletes and is a household name in snowboarding circles. She was rookie of the year in 2006 at the 24th annual U.S. Open of Snowboarding Championships. She's also a consistent podium performer, with three third-place finishes at events in 2009. She finished fifth in the halfpipe at the 2010 U.S. Grand Prix 3 and seventh in the same event at the U.S. Grand Prix 2.
Ellery has also become a favorite for snowboard apparel and equipment providers. Her sponsors include board-maker Burton, Nike, Gatorade and Oakley Eyewear. She is also a member of the U.S. Snowboard Team. Some sponsors have clothing lines tailored specifically toward Ellery, who has also been featured in national publications.
For all her success, however, Ellery frequently mentions on her blog her passion for returning home and spending time with her parents, Linheer and Dana. She recently moved to Park City, Utah, but likes competing on the East Coast. Linheer is an interior designer in Norwalk, and Dana is a former soccer star at Staples High School. Her brothers, Jeb and Kyle, were college lacrosse standouts at Denver and Brown, respectively.
"For the most part it's enjoyable. I can think of a lot of riders who dread going to the East Coast for contests, but I get really excited for it,'' Ellery said. "It's still important for me to keep in mind that it's a big competition and not just a vacation to see my old friends and family."
Right after the Dew Tour, Hollingsworth will jet to Colorado for the Winter X Games. "This season started off a little slow for me,'' Ellery wrote. "I didn't get to ride very much this summer because the snow in New Zealand wasn't too good. But I recently moved to Park City, Utah, and it has been great to get some solid riding in."
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