‘It’s definitely just waiting’: 15-year-old MBSEF skier’s Jr. World Championship event canceled due to lack of snow

(Update: Adding video, comments by Tatym and her coach, who's also her dad)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Early this summer, 15-year-old Tatym Smith was selected for the FIS Park and Pipe Junior World Championship Women’s Halfpipe Freeski team.

However, she won’t be competing, due to weather issues -- and it could affect her chances to make the Junior Olympic team.

“I was really excited -- it was definitely on my goal list,” Tatym said. 

Tatym is the No. 1 slopestyle skier in the country for her age group, and was set to compete against all of the best youth skiers at the world championships in New Zealand.

“It felt really great. It was definitely like oh I’m honored with all these other girls, I know they’re really great skiers,” Tatym said. “It just felt great to be up with that pack.”

Chris Smith, the head freeride development coach at MBSEF -- and her father -- was just as proud. 

“To hear the news that she had been given an opportunity to go to New Zealand and represent the United States was really a huge achievement for her. and for me as a coach and father as well,” Chris said. 

There was just one problem.

Tatym's event, the halfpipe, was canceled due to low snow conditions at the resort.

“It was a little disappointing, especially because we’d already planned everything out, like we booked some things,” Tatym said. 

Chris touched on the scheduling difficulty.

“I really had to process it really carefully because we’ve made preparations to travel to the Southern Hemisphere in August with our ski gear, and it was a fairly elaborate trip for our family,” Chris said. 

Aside from travel plans, the cancellation could affect Tatym’s chances of making the Junior Olympics this winter in South Korea.

“I definitely think, yeah, that’d be such a big milestone for me,” Tatym said of making the Junior Olympic team. 

Chris explained that the World Championship was supposed to serve as a qualifying event for the Olympic team.

"We don’t know exactly where athletes from the U.S. will stand moving into the Junior Olympic lineup, but we're hopeful that Tatym will garner a spot on that team and will be traveling to Korea,” Chris said.

But Tatym and Chris are focusing on the positive, noting how she’s in fantastic skiing shape for this time of year, and will be ready for whatever’s next.

“It's definitely just waiting,” Tatym said. “I’m training constantly in the gym. I want to be prepared, so if the opportunity does come along, then I'm ready and I’m set.”

Chris said there could be some sort of make-up halfpipe qualifier before the Junior Olympics, but it's unlikely.

He said Tatym will keep training, controlling what she can control, and preparing for the winter competition season here in the Pacific Northwest.