Patrick Deneen

Patrick Deneen (born December 25, 1987) is an American freestyle skier, specializing in moguls. Deneen was the gold medalist at the 2009 International Ski Federation (FIS) Freestyle World Ski Championships. In December 2009, Deneen won the US Olympic trials, held at Steamboat Springs, Colorado, securing a spot on the US Olympic Team for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. In FIS World Cup events, he has reached the podium at 4 events in 25 starts, and was the 2008 Freestyle Rookie of the Year.

Early life and career A native of the Snoqualmie Pass area of Washington, Deneen was raised in Cle Elum where his family's ranch remains his home. His family's life revolved around the world of skiing; Deneen's father Pat was part owner and general manager of the Hyak ski area (now part of The Summit at Snoqualmie), where his mother Nancy managed sales. The local ski shop was owned and operated by Deneen's grandfather.

Surrounded by family and friends, Deneen took his first turns on skis at the age of 11 months, two months after he began walking. His competitive endeavors were not confined to the slopes however, he was also a youth champion in the equestrian sport reining. Deneen made his first FIS World Cup start in January 2005 at Lake Placid, New York; the following year, after returning from an injury, he was bronze medalist at the World Junior Championships at Krasnoye Ozero, Russia.

Deneen's 2009 World Cup season was marked by inconsistent results, including 4 crashes; his finishes ranged from 3rd to 45th and 47th place within the span of one week in January.

In his Olympic debut at the Vancouver Games, after qualifying in 10th place with a score of 23.97, Deneen crashed on his run in the finals. The run was not scored, and he officially finished tied for 19th place.