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Here’s how the first 2018 Olympic qualifier went down

Here’s how the first 2018 Olympic qualifier went down

The Toyota U.S. Grand Prix was held this week at Mammoth Mountain, California, marking the very first qualifying event for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics—which are exactly a year away. Mammoth, a long-time training ground for Olympians, was fully loaded this week with a 22-foot superpipe and an original slopestyle course that encouraged competitors to take advantage of multiple quarter pipes throughout the run, as well as many other unique features.

Unfortunately, due to weather (a mix of heavy snowfall and high winds), the schedule was unable to go as planned and men’s slopestyle had to be cancelled entirely. Men’s and women’s pipe finals were cancelled, too, forcing the qualifiers to serve as final results. The women’s slopestyle final was able to take place before the storm truly set in—the only event that was seen all the way through.

Main Park was dialed in for the competition.

This storm is nothing new to Mammoth as of late. The mountain is currently having a record-breaking season—last month was its snowiest month on record—and Mammoth has already passed its snow total from last year of 362 inches. That being said, the athletes stuck through intense weather conditions for their chance to get invited to the 2018 Games.

Check out final results, video (only available for women’s slopestyle) and photos, below.


Women’s Slopestyle

Maggie Voisin—Gold

Mathilde Gremaud—Silver

Johanne Killi—Bronze


Women’s Halfpipe

Marie Martinod—Gold
Maddie Bowman—Silver
Ayana Onozuka—Bronze

Ayana Onozuka and Marie Martinod pose on the poduim. (Not pictured: Maddie Bowman, 2nd.) Photo: U.S. Freeskiing

Marie Martinod airing out of the pipe. Photo: Kevin Westenbarger


Men’s Halfpipe

Torin Yater-Wallace—Gold
Gus Kenworthy—Silver
Taylor Seaton—Bronze

A U.S. sweep. The men’s halfpipe podium poses with Mammoth’s mascot, Woolly. Photo: U.S. Freeskiing

Gus Kenworthy peering at the camera as he boosts in the pipe. Photo: U.S. Freeskiing

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