words:  Kristie Giles  The inaugural Queen's Cup Open went off at Park City Mountain Resort last Sunday with 64 ladies showing up to throw down.    "We were blown away by the response from the entire ski community," said event organizer Annaleah DeMasi.  "Once people started to believe in it, everything began to fall into place." The estrogen level in PCMR's Pick 'n Shovel park seemed unusually high all week, but it wasn't until the athlete dinner Saturday night that things officially got rolling.   There were ski movies, pizza, introductions, and craft sessions.  We made these nifty little bracelet things while team captains Sarah Burke, Kristi Leskinen, Grete Eliassen, Michelle Parker, Jen Hudak, Marie Martinod, Shidasha Holmstead, Virginie Faivre, Kim Lamarre, Denise Jaworsky, Victoria Beattie, Hannah Epps, and Angeli Van Laalan fashioned our bandanas for the next day…Kristi made hers look like turbie towels in spirit of the Superbowl.   We then got a quick look at the team roster before heading out into fat flakes and not-moving-at-all traffic.   Despite 8 inches of overnight fresh, the weather was clear and the course was manicured to perfection when we arrived the next morning.   I think, initially, there was a collective "Yay!" An hour later, though, it started dumping.  And then the sun came out for a while.  Then the clouds set in with more snow…you get the idea.  Needless to say, speed was a bitch.   We sessioned it up individually for a few hours, enjoying things like free Red Bull (courtesy of Red Bull) and chocolate fondue (courtesy of Salomon).   And it was mildly entertaining to watch boys try to sneak into the park… Sometime around noon, they called a meeting at the bottom of the course.  The official fifteen teams were announced, and we broke off to practice accordingly.    In a quick hour, the jam session was on.  Teams took the slopestyle course one at a time to be judged by the likes of Stefan Thomas, Austin Ramaley, Jon Olsson, Jacob Wester, Laurent Favre and Ashley Battersby on style, technical difficulty, togetherness, and choreography.   Girls were throwing everything from spread eagles and back flips to 270 on-switch ups, but the most memorable moment, perhaps, was Grete's team's mooning.   The vibe was mellow, all the girls were cheering for each other…and it was just super fun.   After all the teams had two runs through the course, we regrouped at the top for one chaotic last run.  There were almost 70 girls, and we were all on the course at the same time.  We were on each other's heels the whole way down throwing lots of old school tricks and having a genuinely good time.    "It was great to see all the girls cruising around and pushing each other," Anna said.  "A couple girls came up to me all stoked about new tricks they just learned.   Just being able to pull off the event after being told it wasn't possible is enough for me, and having the opportunity to make changes in the industry, small and large, is rewarding for everyone."   A big thanks goes out to PCMR and the title sponsor, 4FRNT Skis, for making it all possible.   There was a piñata and more food, some make-your-own-Salomon-shirt action, and then awards and some swag giveaways.   Oh, and Laurent's screamin seamen to railslide—that was pretty impressive.   The after party at the Sidecar Bar featured Mark Frank Montoya as DJ and, as one would expect, lots of dancing and debauchery.    Next year, Anna plans to make the Queen's Cup potentially a three-day event, adding a pipe competition and a backcountry shoot for those who qualify. "But we'll try to keep the format and vibe of the event the way it is," she said, "none of that corporate crap—a grassroots event."   She also mentioned the possibility of a series that will tour around and another more challenging event to step up the level of women's skiing.  "We want to get everyone's attention!" she said.  "And I think it's been working so far."  ResultsFirst place:  Kim Lamarre and Virginie Faivre's team of Katie Williamson, Pip Hunt, and Eliza Perkins Second place:  Michelle Parker's team of Maddie Eakins (youngest competitor--11 years old!), Natalie Sirianni, and Olivia Akerly Third place:  Grete Eliassen's team of Susie Cuddy, Emily Londsdale, and Anna Borgman Best Trick:  Whitney Wickes (540)Photos courtesty of :  Charlotte Rayner-Brown