Stacia Hookom (born July 22, 1975) is a former American snowboarder and the first woman named to the first U.S. Snowboarding team in the 1994–1995 season, with multiple placements (including first) in the FIS Snowboard World Cup and the U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix.[1] She also has six national championship titles.[2] Hookom retired in 2007 at the age of 31.[3]

Stacia Hookom
Personal information
National teamU.S. Snowboarding
Born (1975-07-22) July 22, 1975 (age 49)
Denver, Colorado
EducationUniversity of Colorado
Years active1993-2007
Height5 ft 3 in (160 cm)
Other interestsSkiing, various hobbies
Sport
CountryU.S.
SportSnowboarding
Event(s)Slalom, giant slalom, parallel slalom, half-pipe
Retired2007
Achievements and titles
World finals9 World Cup placements
Regional finals6 first place titles in the Nor-Am Cup
National finalsAt least 4 first place titles

Early life and education

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Hookom was born on July 22, 1975, in Denver, Colorado, though she would grow up in Edwards, Colorado, and began skiing at age 3.[1][3] Around the age of 14, she began snowboarding when she and a friend took a free lesson at Vail Ski Resort, though she would mostly compete in alpine skiing, mixed with some freeriding, until she focused on snowboarding for "better opportunities," entering her first official snowboard competition at 17.[1][3] She attended the University of Colorado Boulder, where she joined her legacy sorority Alpha Phi, and cites support from her mother and sorority sisters as helping her maintain a strong work ethic and normal lifestyle, respectively.[4][5] Since she competed through college, she would put classes on hold and return to them when injuries (including an ACL tear) dictated that she would have to stop snowboarding temporarily.[1]

Career

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In 1994, Hookom was the first woman to join the U.S. Snowboarding team. She noted changes in snowboarding throughout her career: "For me, the most difficult change was when breakaway poles were replaced with stubbies in slalom. My favorite event was slalom and the poles gave me my timing and rhythm in the event. So, when we lost the poles the event just was not the same."[2] In an interview at the point of her retirement, she stated that at the beginning, "lots of people still competed in all events. Sometimes the 'stylers' would show up and enter the races. I usually did the halfpipe. Now, the sports are so competitive it is really impossible to do them all."[3]

World Championships

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In the 1996 FIS Snowboard World Championships, Hookum started her career by placing 8th for the parallel slalom and 12th for the grand slalom.[1]

World Cup placement statistics

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In the 1995 World Cup, Hookum placed fifth overall for the giant slalom and fourth overall in Half-pipe.[6] Her 2003 7th place finish led the USA at Sapporo in the women's division, with Chris Klug leading the men's in 19th place.[7] Displayed in this table are World Cup placements that are either notable or her best of that season:

Season Age Race Slalom Giant

slalom

Parallel

slalom

Parallel

giant

Half -

pipe

Super Giant

Slalom

1995 19   Les Deux Alpes 3 7
  Bad Hindelang-Oberjoch 2 4
  Alts 3 5
  Calgary 3 5 3 8
1996 20   Kanbayashi 2 11 (13)
  Bad Hindelang-Oberjoch 8 5
  Calgary 9 11
1997 21   Kreischberg 3
1998 22   Sölden 2
1999 23   Mount Bachelor 10
2000 24   Whistler 10
2001 25   Kronplatz 7
2002 26   Bardonecchia 9
2003 27   Sölden 6 2
  Sapporo 7
2004 28   Mount Bachelor 6
2005 29   Sapporo 8
2006 30   Lake Placid 3

National titles

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Hookom has multiple national championship titles for the U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix.[2][8] In 2002, she won two titles in that year's race alone. Displayed in this table are her placements:[1][9][10][11]

Season Age Race Slalom Giant

slalom

Parallel

slalom

Parallel

giant

Half pipe
1993 17   Vail (J-I) 1
1994 18   June Mountain 1 5
1995 19   Sugarloaf 2 6
1996 20 (DNC, injury)
1997 21
1998 22   Sunday River 3 2 23
1999 23
2000 24   Okemo 2 5
2001 25   Sunday River 2
2002 26   Truckee/Northstar 1 1

Listed are her placements in the Nor-Am Cup for snowboarding:[12]

Season Month Age Race Slalom Giant

slalom

Parallel

slalom

Parallel

giant

2001-02 Nov 26   Copper Mountain 13 17
Dec   Park City 7
Jan   Mount Bachelor 1
2002-03 Dec 27   Park City 3
Feb   Mount Bachelor 1
Apr   Aspen 2 1
2003-04 Nov 28   Copper Mountain 2 7
Dec   Park City 18
Mar   Crystal Mountain 1 1
Mar   Breckenridge 2
2004-05 Nov 29   Copper Mountain 4 11
Dec   Breckenridge 4
Jan   Steamboat Springs 9 9
Mar   Sun Peaks 10 7
2005-06 Nov 30   Copper Mountain 3 (14)
Dec   Okemo 2 (8)
Mar   Crystal Mountain 12
2006-07 Nov 31   Copper Mountain 13 7
Jan   Steamboat Springs 6 3

Retirement

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In January 2007, Hookum retired at age 31 and returned to the University of Colorado Boulder to finish her degree.[3] She moved to Houston, Texas, and planned on going to school to become a physician assistant; she stated that she would like to coach but her geographical location made that difficult.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "US Snowboard Team: Stacia Hookom". www.mountainzone.com. Retrieved 2018-08-22.
  2. ^ a b c d "Stacia Hookom Retires | TransWorld SNOWboarding". TransWorld SNOWboarding. 2007-01-21. Retrieved 2018-08-22.
  3. ^ a b c d e Willoughby, Scott (2007-01-22). "Snowboarding pioneer Hookom hanging it up". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2018-08-22.
  4. ^ "Famous Phis". Alpha Phi. Retrieved 2018-08-22.
  5. ^ Spiegel, Christine (Winter 2002). "Snowboarder Phi Sets Sites on Salt Lake". Alpha Phi Quarterly. pp. 6–7. Retrieved 2018-08-22 – via Issuu.
  6. ^ "Cup standings". data.fis-ski.com. Retrieved 2018-08-22.
  7. ^ "Hookom leads U.S. snowboarders at Japan World Cup". Colorado Springs Gazette. 2003-02-28. p. 53.
  8. ^ "Hookom, six Olympians headline U.S. Snowboard Team". Vail Daily. 2003-08-15. Retrieved 2018-08-22.
  9. ^ "PLUS: SNOWBOARDING; Hookom Captures 2nd National Title". Associated Press. Retrieved 2018-08-22.
  10. ^ Kelley, Dan (2004-03-20). "Klug, Gorgone take lead in snowboard nationals". Summit Daily. Retrieved 2018-08-22.
  11. ^ "HOOKOM Stacia - Biographie". data.fis-ski.com. Retrieved 2018-08-22.
  12. ^ "HOOKOM Stacia - Biographie". data.fis-ski.com. Retrieved 2018-08-22.