Riddler strikes again at U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix

By Published On: January 11th, 2013Comments Off on 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   

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About the Author: Geoff Mintz

Geoff Mintz is a former alpine ski racer who cut his teeth at Ragged Mountain and Waterville Valley, N.H. After graduating from Holderness and UVM, he relocated to Colorado, where he worked on the hill prior to pursuing a career in journalism. Mintz served as associate editor for Ski Racing Media from 2011 to 2015. He later reconnected with his local roots to manage all marketing and communications for Ski & Snowboard Club Vail before resuming work at SRM as editor-in-chief.