{"id":2458764,"date":"2020-05-22T22:16:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-23T04:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/vails-tierney-reflects-on-crazy-season\/"},"modified":"2020-05-22T22:16:00","modified_gmt":"2020-05-23T04:16:00","slug":"eagle-alpine-snowboarder-meghan-tierney-reflects-on-crazy-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/eagle-alpine-snowboarder-meghan-tierney-reflects-on-crazy-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Eagle alpine snowboarder Meghan Tierney reflects on crazy season"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.2479338842975\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-326251-20\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled gallery-container\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/MegTierney-VDN-052120-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/MegTierney-VDN-052120-1-683x1024.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kate Cooper\/courtesy | Meghan Teirney\" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>Meghan Teirney<\/strong><br \/>Kate Cooper\/courtesy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/MegTierney-VDN-052120-1-683x1024.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Meghan Teirney\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/MegTierney-VDN-052120-1-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/MegTierney-VDN-052120-1-1-768x1024.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Courtesy | Meghan Tierney\" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><strong>Meghan Tierney<\/strong><br \/>Courtesy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/MegTierney-VDN-052120-1-1-768x1024.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Meghan Tierney\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/Tierney-VDN-020519-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/Tierney-VDN-020519.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"U.S. Ski &amp; Snowboard | Eagle resident Meghan Tierney at the 2019 FIS World Championships Pacifico SBX Qualifiers on Thursday, Jan. 31. Tierney finished 24th.\" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9\">\n<p><strong>Eagle resident Meghan Tierney at the 2019 FIS World Championships Pacifico SBX Qualifiers on Thursday, Jan. 31. Tierney finished 24th.<\/strong><br \/>U.S. Ski &amp; Snowboard<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/Tierney-VDN-020519.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Eagle resident Meghan Tierney at the 2019 FIS World Championships Pacifico SBX Qualifiers on Thursday, Jan. 31. Tierney finished 24th.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/vails-tierney-reflects-on-crazy-season\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/vails-tierney-reflects-on-crazy-season\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText DropCap\">Now relaxing in Eagle, alpine snowboarder Meghan Tierney is taking some time to reflect on the crazy end to the 2019-20 season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Sick and convalescing in Austria, Tierney had to make a dramatic exit from Europe in March as her season came to an abrupt halt. She then returned home to one of the country\u2019s coronavirus hot spots, with an infected parent and a lot of uncertainty about what would come next for her.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">But when the dust had settled, she learned that she herself had only been infected with strep throat \u2014 not coronavirus \u2014 and the early end to the competition season had secured her the overall victory in the Europa Cup, a coveted achievement in snowboardcross racing\u2019s especially competitive European Continental Cup.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">\u2018Switch it up\u2019<\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col\" readability=\"6\">\n<div class=\"row at-donation at-donation-mobile p-0\" readability=\"7\">\n<div class=\"col-xl-4 p-2\">\n<div data-bg=\"url(https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/AT-logo-white.png)\" class=\"p-0 mt-2 mb-2 h-75 text-center rocket-lazyload\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/AT-logo-white.png\" class=\"logo m-0 p-0 invisible\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"d-inline mr-3\">Support Local Journalism<\/h3>\n<p><button class=\"btn d-inline\" type=\"button\" onclick=\"handleDonationButtonClickMidArticle()\">Donate<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The Continental Cup level is a step below the World Cup; in North America the Nor-Am circuit is the Continental Cup of choice for many aspiring World Cup racers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">But after winning the Nor-Am overall in 2014, Tierney found the transition into World Cup difficult for a teenager trying to adjust to the top level of competition. While Tierney was a regular on the podium in Nor-Am competitions, in most World Cup races she did not make it past qualifications into the quarterfinal competition of 16 racers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Heading into the 2019-20 season, Tierney decided to take her competition to a competition level some consider to be between Nor-Am and World Cup, the Europa Cup.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Tierney said the decision was mainly driven by the amount of competitions and courses available in Europe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI just felt like there was more opportunity to get on snow in Europe, and it was fun to ride with the European riders, switch it up,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd the courses for Europa Cup this last year were really great, so I think that was a good choice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">Feeling ill<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Tierney raced in Austria, France, Switzerland and Germany before ending the season with a World Cup race in Spain on March 7.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The Europa Cup training proved helpful, as she ended the season with her best World Cup finish in more than two years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Tierney left Spain for Austria, where she became ill with strep throat. She recovered in a hotel room for a few days, then got word that the rest of the season had been canceled.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI got an email saying the borders were going to be shut down coming in from Europe, so I packed everything and left the next day,\u201d she said. \u201cThank god my mom works for United; she was able to get me out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Tierney\u2019s mother is a gate agent at the Eagle County airport. She became infected with coronavirus during the height of the spread.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cShe recovered and now has the antibodies,\u201d Tierney said of her mother.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Meghan said she had suspected perhaps it was coronavirus and not strep throat which had made her ill in Europe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cShockingly enough, I got the antibody test and it came back negative,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">Multiple podiums<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">A few weeks later, Tierney learned she had been nominated to the U.S. Ski Team\u2019s development team once again for next season. The team is for athletes ages 23 and younger; Tierney turned 23 in January.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cMy goal for this season was just to improve, and I was able to do that,\u201d she said. \u201cAs long as I can keep improving I think I\u2019ll be in good shape.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">In highlighting Tierney\u2019s achievement along with several other U.S. snowboarders this season, Andrew Gauthier with the U.S. Ski Team wrote that the future of the U.S. Snowboard Team looks bright.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWhen looking back on a season, performances on the World Cup level are important, but not the whole picture,\u201d Gauthier wrote. \u201cIn a sport that progresses at a rapid pace, the athlete pipeline is critical to developing the future.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">For athletes in that development pipeline, however, getting to events, and getting through a competition season can be difficult. In addition to the help she receives from her parents, Tierney says she\u2019s lucky to have some sponsorship help from health and wellness company Xendurance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">But she could use more help, as well.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">With three podium finishes in Europa Cup events during the abbreviated 2019-20 season, Tierney hopes potential sponsors will see her as an opportunity to have their logo on future podiums.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cMy main goal for next season is going to be consistency,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Tagline\"><a href=\"mailto:jlaconte@vaildaily.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">jlaconte@vaildaily.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/vails-tierney-reflects-on-crazy-season\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Meghan TeirneyKate Cooper\/courtesy Meghan TierneyCourtesy Eagle resident Meghan Tierney at the 2019 FIS World Championships Pacifico SBX Qualifiers on Thursday, Jan. 31. Tierney finished 24th.U.S. Ski &amp; Snowboard Show CaptionsHide Captions Now relaxing in Eagle, alpine snowboarder Meghan Tierney is taking some time to reflect on the crazy end to the 2019-20 season. Sick and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2458764","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-07-11 17:13:49","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2458764","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2458764"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2458764\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2458764"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2458764"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2458764"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}