VAIL \u2013 David Retzlaff likely will be the athlete with the closest local ties in Wednesday\u2019s Slopestyle Semi-Finals at the Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships.<\/p>\n
Retzlaff is originally from the Midwest and came out to Colorado four years ago to join Chris Laske\u2019s program at Ski & Snowboard Club Vail, where he has become one of the top members of the team.<\/p>\n
Laske says Retzlaff has a promising future in slopestyle snowboarding.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s had some good finishes on Rev Tour this year and last year and I think he\u2019s shown he\u2019s ready for an event like the Burton US Open,\u201d Laske said.<\/p>\n
The Rev Tour is U.S. Ski & Snowboard\u2019s development series, a North America Cup-level circuit of events which graduates athletes into the Grand Prix,\u00a0U.S. Ski & Snowboard\u2019s World Cup level series.<\/p>\n
Retzlaff, 19, finished fourth at a Rev Tour event on Feb. 13 and hit the podium with a third-place finish at a Rev Tour competition last season.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s right on track,\u201d Laske said. \u201cAnd I think experiencing the US Open will motivate him to keep pushing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Catch Retzlaff in the Burton US Open men\u2019s slopestyle semi-final, scheduled for 12:30 p.m. start on Wednesday at Vail\u2019s Golden Peak venue. The event is free to attend and will also be broadcast live for free on BurtonUSOpen.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n