Cle Elum skier on top of the world

At 25, Patrick Deneen, Jr. of Cle Elum has been the top American Freestyle skier for the last six years. Ranked number three in the world last year, Patrick is now preparing for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Freestyle skiing is a timed event on a very steep slope that includes moguls and aerials, in which competitors are also judged on form. Although it looks like a skiing accident in the making. it is a ballet of graceful aggression done on snow while wearing skis.

Although born on the west side because his family was visiting relatives when Nancy his mother went into labor, Patrick was raised in Cle Elum. His father's family settled in the valley close to Cle Elum in the late 1800s and many generations, including Patrick, have called the area home.

Since the age of 11 months when his father, Patrick Deneen, Sr., first took him skiing, Patrick has spent his winters at different ski areas. He first competed at the age of 7, "'cause I like to go fast," he said. Patrick and his sisters Amy & Desirre were home schooled so that they could ski all winter, which usually meant around 100 days on the slopes. Patrick is a fierce competitor that is now focused on Olympic gold. Patrick's father, a longtime coach and Patrick's biggest fan has for years watched Patrick push the boundaries of what can be done on skis. He knew from his first turns that Patrick would be great, he said.

Recently at an Olympic kick off fundraiser for Patrick, Master of Ceremonies and former 13th District State Representative Bill Hinkle said, "Patrick has always had complete support of his entire family and the entire community surrounding Cle Elum." Support was definitely shown on November 2 when a large group of community members attended a fund raising auction held in Roslyn. Although most Olympic teams have government support, the U.S. Olympic team is supported through donations.

Hinkle said, "The fundraising is the hardest part because it?s very expensive to travel around the world following the snow in order to train year around." Hinkle, now the Executive Director of the Rental Housing Association as well as a longtime family friend, also said that Patrick's fund raising site www.supportpatrick.org was set up to help the family offset those expenses. "And it's deductible," he added with a smile.

For Patrick, taking the gold in Sochi would be the greatest moment of this life. "Patrick has already done amazing things at the top of freestyle skiing," said his dad, "but Olympic gold has always been his dream."