Parsons pulls off snowmobile speed and style upset

ASPEN ” Joe Parsons broke a bulkhead in his Ski-Doo snowmobile the other day and needed a replacement ” pronto.

No problem, one was shipped to him from Canada in time to be installed.

The new bulkhead worked well Thursday night as Parsons beat the defending champion Levi LaVallee in the finals of speed and style.

“It feels really good,” said Parsons, who’s from Yakima, Wash. “Everything worked well.”

Minnesotan LaVallee, who’s competing in all four snowmobile disciplines this week, had one bad jump that cost him points and a title.

“I was all revved up. I went for my fourth jump, doing my cliffhanger, which I can do in my sleep. The sled just came off a little bit crooked and nose high,” LaVallee explained. “I’m up there and I have to do something. So I did a little one and it was pretty horrible.”

Parsons said he followed the lines of LaVallee all the way to the finish, knowing he had time on his side with LaVallee’s mistake on the jump.

“I’m sorry I’m stealing your lines,” Parsons said to LaVallee at a post-race news conference.

No apology necessary.

“He’s riding so solid,” LaVallee said. “I knew with those bobbles it wasn’t going to be enough.”