BOSTON — When Devin Logan steps up to the edge of the 140-foot scaffolding jump at Big Air at Fenway on Friday, it will be her first time doing so in a competition. But the West Dover, Vermont, native will have plenty of friends and family there to calm the nerves.
However, even with the support at what basically is a hometown event for her, it’s still a long way down from the top of the scaffolding to what usually is home plate at Fenway Park.
“To be completely honest, I’m going in there not having a clue, just letting the excitement take over,” Logan said Wednesday at Big Air media day. “Definitely going to watch the boys hit it for speed first, hopefully let them guinea pig the jump, and then just drop in, hopefully make it to the jump, hopefully make it to the landing and land on my feet.”
This event also is a special opportunity for Logan and her fellow New Englanders to ski and snowboard so close to home. Whether it’s the X Games, the Olympics or various Grand Prixs, most events take place in the Rocky Mountains or in Europe. So Friday is an opportunity to showcase the sport in front of thousands of new potential fans. And the reigning silver medalist in slopestyle from the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics gets to do it just a few hours away from her home mountain, Mount Snow.
“Being kind of on home turf is awesome because we don’t have a lot of competitions on the East coast,” Logan said. “And it being in such a historic stadium and so close and everyone can come and watch, it’s exciting. And a lot of people are going to show up, and I’m really excited to see the crowd.
“I think that’s going to be the coolest thing standing on top and just seeing Fenway filled with people, and then people cheering and then basically sliding into home plate. I mean that’s a dream come true, right?”
Fellow Vermont native Ty Walker, who is returning after rehabbing a torn ACL in March 2015, is in the same boat as Logan, although she does have experience landing tricks on a jump like this before. She won the first-ever women’s Big Air event, so she brings experience with her to America’s most beloved ballpark.
“I’m more excited than anything for the experience and for having the opportunity to compete at Fenway and be alongside my friends and teammates again.
“I’ve come and watched a bunch of different events at Fenway like baseball games, concerts and most recently the BC-Notre Dame game,” she added. “So it was pretty cool to see other people doing what they’re passionate about and being able to cheer from the stands. Just finally seeing the jump there and having it all come together and realize the stadium is going to be filled with people who are going to be cheering for us doing what we love … was pretty cool for me.”
And it’s bound to be just as special for the fans, too.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@fenwaypark
