Riddler strikes again at U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix
COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. – The snow let up just in time for the halfpipe finals at the U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix at Copper Mountain Friday, but not before the pipe was coated with a layer of fresh, which meant athletes had a difficult time maintaining speed and achieving their normal amplitude to execute tricks.
But the conditions didn’t give Canada’s Mike Riddle much trouble, as he dominated the field, winning the FIS World Cup event with a score of 91.2 in his second of two runs.
“I didn’t land my runs clean in qualifications so I was very lucky to get into finals as the last guy,” said Riddle. “Today, in the conditions I was just trying to put down as clean a run as possible and it worked out for me, I’ve been doing this run a lot and so I’m really confident with it and I was able to execute today very smoothly which meant I could maintain speed.”
He credited Canadian team technician Kenny Nault with giving him the edge he needed: “I had a lot of help from Kenny, he’s the world’s best ski tech and so today our team definitely had the fastest running skis out there.” Riddle, the reigning world champion, said the win is a definite confidence booster heading into X Games later this month, where he’s hoping to unveil a new trick or two.
“It feels really good, but I know the run I did here is not going to be enough at X, so I’ve got a little bit of work cut out for me getting my X run dialed and hopefully just keep the streak going,” said Riddle.
Meanwhile, Americans Aaron Blunck and David Wise took silver and bronze, respectively, with scores of 87.0 and 83.6.
“Today was about carrying your speed,” said Wise. “A lot of guys were doing double corks, but not a lot of guys were carrying their speed through the whole run. I think that’s something I did well and succeeded at — went as big as I possibly could in this halfpipe and these conditions. I think that’s what stood out.”
With Olympic selections set to take place through the U.S. Grand Prix next season, the event has taken on new meaning and significance for all of the American freeskiing athletes.
“This is going to be our event,” said the Sochi hopeful, Wise. “This is going to qualify Americans for the Olympics. It’s definitely important and it’s building momentum and gaining respect in the industry as a cool event. I’m excited to be out here and to stand on the podium for this one.”
In the women’s event, Americans Maddie Bowman (84.6) and Brita Sigourney (79.0) sandwiched Canadian Rosalind Groenewoud (79.2) on the podium.
“I think [the judges] liked that I spun both ways,” said Bowman. “It was really slow this morning, but the sun came out and it turned out to be an amazing day.”
Story by Geoff Mintz
Photos by Michael Sulieman/Ski and Snowboard Club Vail
Copper Mountain (USA)
World Cup
Men’s Halfpipe
Jan. 11, 2013
Rank | Name | Year | Nation | Result | ||||
1 | RIDDLE Mike | 1986 | CAN | 91.2 | ||||
2 | BLUNCK Aaron | 1996 | USA | 87.00 | ||||
3 | WISE David | 1990 | USA | 83.6 | ||||
4 | POLLET-VILLARD Joffrey | 1992 | FRA | 79.8 | ||||
5 | KRIEF Thomas | 1993 | FRA | 77.8 | ||||
6 | FERREIRA Alex | 1994 | USA | 73.6 | ||||
7 | DUMONT Simon | 1986 | USA | 70.00 | ||||
8 | ROLLAND Kevin | 1989 | FRA | 68.8 | ||||
9 | VALENTIN Benoit | 1992 | FRA | 65.2 | ||||
10 | MARGETTS Matt | 1988 | CAN | 54.6 | ||||
11 | KENWORTHY Gus | 1991 | USA | 35.8 | ||||
12 | WELLS Byron | 1992 | NZL | |||||
13 | SEATON Taylor | 1990 | USA | 83.00 | ||||
14 | SMAINE Kyle | 1991 | USA | 81.3 | ||||
15 | OLENICK Peter | 1984 | USA | 81.3 | ||||
16 | KISH Brian | 1991 | USA | 79.3 | ||||
17 | BOWMAN Noah | 1992 | CAN | 79.3 | ||||
18 | WOOD Walter | 1992 | USA | 78.3 | ||||
19 | WELLS Josiah | 1990 | NZL | 76.00 | ||||
20 | BERTONI Xavier | 1988 | FRA | 74.3 | ||||
21 | ALLEN Christian | 1990 | USA | 74.00 | ||||
22 | TERADA Kiyoshi | 1984 | JPN | 72.00 | ||||
23 | LINDSTAD Jon Anders | 1994 | NOR | 71.3 | ||||
24 | BLANCHI Antoine | 1991 | FRA | 71.00 | ||||
25 | WELLS Beau-James | 1995 | NZL | 71.00 | ||||
26 | LEEDS Broby | 1994 | USA | 70.3 | ||||
27 | ATKINSON Kristopher | 1991 | CAN | 68.6 | ||||
28 | SHEEHAN Lyndon | 1988 | NZL | 68.6 | ||||
29 | ILIANO Frederick | 1996 | SUI | 65.6 | ||||
30 | BIJASSON Nicolas | 1991 | FRA | 65.3 | ||||
31 | NARITA Gurimu | 1994 | JPN | 65.00 | ||||
32 | KEMPPAINEN Antti-Jussi | 1989 | FIN | 65.00 | ||||
33 | MACKAY Brendan | 1997 | CAN | 63.3 | ||||
34 | TSUDA Kentaro | 1983 | JPN | 63.00 | ||||
35 | BUCHAN Murray | 1991 | GBR | 63.00 | ||||
36 | MANN Billy | 1990 | USA | 62.6 | ||||
37 | MARION Dan | 1986 | USA | 62.3 | ||||
38 | STRAIGHT Geoff | 1988 | USA | 62.00 | ||||
39 | LERJEN Yannic | 1990 | SUI | 61.6 | ||||
40 | ROSENBLUM Daniel | 1994 | USA | 60.6 | ||||
41 | SCHWARTZ Evan | 1990 | USA | 58.6 | ||||
42 | LEHOUILLIER Carson | 1996 | USA | 55.6 | ||||
43 | BOWMAN Lukas | 1994 | CAN | 53.3 | ||||
44 | NORTHEY Garett | 1993 | CAN | 53.00 | ||||
45 | SHIBABUKI Takanori | 1986 | JPN | 51.00 | ||||
46 | GOHL Andreas | 1994 | AUT | 50.00 | ||||
47 | KIM Kwang-Jin | 1995 | KOR | 45.6 | ||||
48 | GLAVATSKY-YEADON Alexander | 1994 | HKG | 45.3 | ||||
49 | HASIBEDER Dominic | 1991 | AUT | 44.00 | ||||
50 | LAUPER Nils | 1982 | SUI | 43.3 | ||||
51 | DICKSON Toby | 1997 | NZL | 43.3 | ||||
52 | NAMIKI Kyohsuke | 1977 | JPN | 40.6 | ||||
53 | SAKKINEN Sami | 1991 | FIN | 40.3 | ||||
54 | D-ARTOIS Simon | 1992 | CAN | 40.00 | ||||
55 | EGOROV Roman | 1993 | RUS | 39.00 | ||||
56 | YASUTOKO Takeshi | 1986 | JPN | 31.6 | ||||
57 | CROOK Peter | 1993 | IVB | 31.6 | ||||
58 | NABOKIKH Pavel | 1989 | RUS | 27.3 | ||||
59 | TANNO Mikiya | 1984 | JPN | 26.6 | ||||
60 | JEFFERIES Collin | 1994 | CAN | 22.3 | ||||
61 | STEVENSON Colby | 1997 | USA | 21.00 | ||||
62 | WEBB James | 1989 | GBR | 16.6 | ||||
63 | BERTONI Jonathan | 1993 | FRA | 15.6 | ||||
64 | WADA Hiroo | 1996 | JPN | 12.00 | ||||
65 | DOREY Justin | 1988 | CAN | 11.3 | ||||
66 | SONEHARA Isao | 1984 | JPN | 6.00 | ||||
Did not start | ||||||||
MALONE Ryan | 1998 | CAN | ||||||
BRANDT OLSEN Hans-Jakob | 1986 | DAN | ||||||
LADNER Marco | 1998 | AUT | ||||||
LACROIX Marshall | 1991 | USA | ||||||
VISSER Hunter | 1994 | CAN | ||||||
BERGERON Emile | 1995 | CAN |
Copper Mountain (USA)
World Cup
Ladies’ Halfpipe
Jan. 11, 2013
Rank | Name | Year | Nation | Result | ||||
1 | BOWMAN Maddie | 1994 | USA | 84.6 | ||||
2 | GROENEWOUD Rosalind | 1989 | CAN | 79.2 | ||||
3 | SIGOURNEY Brita | 1990 | USA | 79.00 | ||||
4 | FAIVRE Virginie | 1982 | SUI | 78.4 | ||||
5 | GUNNING Megan | 1992 | CAN | 75.00 | ||||
6 | ONOZUKA Ayana | 1988 | JPN | 73.00 | ||||
7 | DREW Annalisa | 1993 | USA | 71.8 | ||||
8 | MARTINOD Marie | 1984 | FRA | 64.6 | ||||
9 | JAEGER Mirjam | 1982 | SUI | 64.2 | ||||
10 | AERTS Katrien | 1976 | BEL | 63.4 | ||||
11 | MITSUBOSHI Manami | 1984 | JPN | 63.00 | ||||
12 | SHARPE Cassie | 1992 | CAN | 46.00 | ||||
13 | CRANE-MAUZY Jamie | 1992 | USA | 77.3 | ||||
14 | HANSEN Keltie | 1992 | CAN | 77.00 | ||||
15 | SHARP Kimmy | 1989 | USA | 75.00 | ||||
16 | CARADEUX Anais | 1990 | FRA | 74.6 | ||||
17 | LONSDALE Emma | 1984 | GBR | 72.3 | ||||
18 | HERMAN Keri | 1982 | USA | 72.00 | ||||
19 | STOUT Maggie | 1991 | USA | 68.6 | ||||
20 | SJAASTAD CHRISTIANSEN Tiril | 1995 | NOR | 68.00 | ||||
21 | HAUPT Hannah | 1993 | USA | 64.00 | ||||
22 | KUZMA Janina | 1985 | NZL | 62.3 | ||||
23 | GRAM Elisabeth | 1996 | AUT | 62.00 | ||||
24 | SHEEHAN Amy | 1986 | AUS | 59.00 | ||||
25 | AUSTIN Zyre | 1993 | USA | 57.3 | ||||
26 | HANSSEN Isabelle | 1994 | NED | 55.6 | ||||
27 | MERSEREAU Charity | 1975 | USA | 55.3 | ||||
28 | HANSEN Abigale | 1998 | USA | 55.3 | ||||
29 | TERADA Shuri | 1982 | JPN | 55.00 | ||||
30 | GRIFFITHS Katia | 1980 | SPA | 53.6 | ||||
31 | MATTSSON Isabel | 1988 | SWE | 52.6 | ||||
32 | BAUER Daniela | 1986 | AUT | 52.3 | ||||
33 | CHESNOKOVA Elizavetta | 1996 | RUS | 48.3 | ||||
34 | SATOH Maiko | 1980 | JPN | 45.6 | ||||
35 | CRUZ Emilie | 1992 | FRA | 42.3 | ||||
36 | GOLYAEVA Tatiana | 1989 | RUS | 35.6 | ||||
37 | YAMAZAKI Yurie | 1989 | JPN | 23.3 | ||||
38 | RAGETTLI Nina | 1993 | SUI | 21.3 | ||||
Did not start | ||||||||
VANLAANEN Angeli | 1985 | USA | ||||||
MIRTOVA Anna | 1992 | RUS | ||||||
ASSALY Dania | 1987 | CAN |