Crested Butte Boys Headed Back To Olympics

Coloradans making their second trip to the Winter Olympics.

Aaron Blunck and David Chodounsky are heading to the Winter Olympics Games as members of the US Ski Team.

Both Aaron and David made the team in 2014 and to the games in Sochi. Now the guys from Crested Butte are heading back to the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Making the team is no easy feat and the guys experienced some challenges making it back. Chodounsky had a challenging month on the slopes but his15th-place finish in the slalom event in Kitzbühel, Austria was enough to lock-in his spot on the team and a return trip to the Olympic games. Chodounsky is currently ranked 29th in the World Cup Slalom rankings and is the top US team member.

Blunck started the season strong with top finishes in the first four qualifying events. However, him making the Olympic squad was still in doubt when arrived at the final qualifier in Mammoth, Calif. That proved extra challenging when Aaron dislocated his shoulder in a practice session crash. Blunck was the second to last competitor to hit the halfpipe when he crashed again. At that moment it looked like his return to the Olympics was lost. But when the final skier also crashed, it bumped Blunck up into sixth place finish. That proved enough to make the US Olympic freeskiing team and a trip to South Korea.

Before Aaron makes the trip to the Winter Olympics, there are next weeks Winter X-Games in Aspen. Aaron's the defending X-Games gold medalist. With his trip to the Winter Olympics secured and still recovering from his shoulder injury you'd think he'd hold back, “I’d like to say I’ll take it easy but I know I won’t,” admits Blunck.

"Good Luck" to Aaron and David and all our Winter Olympic team members. "USA, USA, USA!"

Credit: Crested Butte News