9-Year-Old Beaufort Boy Racing for the Gold at NASTAR National Championship
Lucas O’Quinn, a 9 year old Beaufort Native and 3rd grade student at Bridges Elementary School will compete for the gold in the NASTAR National Championships in Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado this weekend, April 8 – 9th, 2022.
Lucas has been skiing since he was two years old and is currently ranked #3 within the NASTAR Platinum Division Giant Slalom Alpine National Rankings for boys 8 – 9 years old. We had the opportunity to sit down with Lucas to discuss his passion for skiing and learn more about this weekend’s National Championships.
Please find a summary of our conversation below:
ESPB: When was the first time you skied?
Lucas: First time I skied was when I was two years old
ESPB: Where was that?
Lucas: North Carolina
ESPB: Where do you consider your ‘Home Mountain’, or place you go skiing the most?
Lucas: Maggie Valley, North Carolina – Cataloochee Ski Area (https://cataloochee.com)
ESPB: Do you like skiing?
Lucas: Yeah, I love it! It’s my favorite sport,
ESPB: What’s your favorite thing about skiing?
Lucas: I like going fast down the hill and catching air
ESPB: Does your mom or dad ski?
Lucas: Yes, my mom (Nadine) skis and my dad (William) also skis. My dad usually takes me to these events.
ESPB: What other sports do you play?
Lucas: I play baseball, I’m playing baseball right now and I hope to play tackle Football in the fall
ESPB: Can you tell us a little bit about the upcoming NASTAR National Championship?
Lucas: It’s called NASTAR Nationals and it’s in Colorado.
ESPB: Have you ever skied in Colorado before?
Lucas: Yes!
ESPB: Can you tell us more about the event?
Lucas: It’s a downhill racing event, not freestyle skiing but I do like freestyle skiing.
ESPB: Is this the type of skiing event that we see in the Olympics on TV where you weave in and out of flag posts and try to get down the hill faster than your competitors?
Lucas: Yes, so you’re not really going against someone – you’re competing for time. You’re mostly competing for a handicap.
ESPB: What’s a handicap?
Lucas: A handicap indicates how well you skied. So you could have a longer time with a better handicap because you skied it better.
ESPB: How did you qualify for the NASTAR Nationals?
Lucas: I qualified by placing within the top 3 in my age group (8 – 9 years old boys) in some NASTAR events in North Carolina.
ESPB: Well on behalf of the Beaufort community, we wish you the best of luck and hope you bring home the gold buddy.
Lucas: Thanks!
Please join us in encouraging Lucas and rooting him on. GOOD LUCK LUCAS O’QUINN!!!
Lucas competes this weekend at the NASTAR National Championships in Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado. To learn more about NASTAR and this weekend’s events, you can visit their website here: https://www.nastar.com
