Yesterday, 10 women battled through heavy snowfall for a shot at competing in today’s final. Six ladies advanced, and today those six battled not only snowfall, but also strong winds.

Conditions were stable throughout the early morning practice session, but as game time drew near, the wind picked up considerably. Throughout the day, winds blew at a constant 15-20 MPH, with gusts exceeding 30 MPH. Despite the unfavorable weather, the women dropped in for two runs each—best score counting in the end.

Stomping the first noteworthy run of the day was Canadian Kaya Turski. The fourth competitor to drop, Kaya’s run consisted of a switch on, switch up on the rainbow box; a lipslide disaster on the down-flat-down in the second rail-station; a switch left 3 safety; switch right 5 Japan; 270 onto the rainbow box at mid-course; a right 5 and a switch right 7 on the 67-foot money booter. Turski was awarded an 87.25, a top score that would hold for the remainder of the day. Kaya did not complete her second run.

Up next was Australia’s Anna Segal. Anna paused for a time prior to dropping in, hoping for a lull in the wind. When the time was right, Anna dropped in, linking a run of 270 onto the rainbow box; a disaster on the down-flat-down; a rodeo 5; switch 180; backside 270 out of the rainbow at mid-course; a rightside 7 and a straight air to close. While Anna surely had other plans for the top-notch course heading into the day, the weather forced her to play it safe. “Survival skiing,” she said of her approach—a strategy she adopted on her second run as well.

A glimpse of the rough conditions, as seen at the bottom of the slopestyle course

Next to drop in run #1 was yesterday’s top qualifier, Colorado’s own Emilia Wint. Emilia completed a solid run—certainly in contention for a podium spot—going 270 onto the rainbow box up top, ripping across the wallride, stomping a backflip, a left 5 and a switch rodeo 5 along the way. Unfortunately, a camera malfunction prevented judges from seeing Emilia’s second jump. Emilia was thus forced to take a re-run.

Steele Spence, Ops Manager for AFP, and Head Judge here at Dew, said about the incident, “Like all slopestyle events at the highest level, we judge off of monitors, and occasionally there can be technical difficulties. When the monitor cuts out, our protocol is first to see if another camera angle captured the trick. Failing that, the protocol is to give an athlete a re-run. That was written into the format here for Dew Tour and that’s how we had to proceed this morning.”

Emilia went down on her first re-run, getting caught up on the wall ride near the top of the course. On her second (third) run, Emilia was on track to another podium worthy score, up until her last hit. Emilia went 270 onto the rainbow box, cleaned the wallride, stomped a backy Japan followed by 7 mute, cleaned the rainbow at mid-course and landed her 5 mute. Coming into the final jump, Emilia didn’t quite have the speed she needed to clear the jump. She executed her switch rodeo 5, but cased on the knuckle of the jump, suffering a knee/leg injury. At press time, we’re unable to confirm the severity.

A most unfortunate set of circumstances, we wish Emilia all the best.

Finishing second today was Yuki Tsubota of Whistler, BC. Yuki’s run consisted of clean slides on the flat-down and down-flat-down rails up top, a right 3, cork 7, backflip mute and a 360 to close.

Other competitors showed signs of greatness in their runs, but ultimately were forced to stop on account of wind, or crashed, coming up short on the jumps. The ladies had a rough go of it out there today, for sure. Nevertheless, congratulations are certainly in order to the top three finishers. The course was truly spectacular, and it’s a shame that the ladies were unable to perform to their full potential.

Checking in with the top 3 finishers, women’ slopestyle final at Dew Tour. In order of appearance: Anna Segal, Yuki Tsubota and Kaya Turski.

To see how this affects the AFP World Rankings, visit afpworldtour.com.

Fantasy Freeride players will want to know how they fared following the first event of the FFL season. Scores have been calculated now that Dew has come to a close, and those scores/standings can be seen at fantasyfreeride.com.

Women’s Dew Tour slopestyle final results

1. Kaya Turski — 87.25
2. Yuki Tsubota — 72.25
3. Anna Segal — 56.75
4. Emilia Wint — 42.50
5. Dara Howell — 40.50
6. Ashley Battersby — 36.50