Park City, UT – The Association of Freeskiing Professionals (AFP) has released it’s updated world wide rankings for men’s and women’s halfpipe and slopestyle. With about half of the events completed for the 2008-09 season, many of the category leaders are familiar names, but there are also strong results by newcomers. With the final Platinum level event this week, the Dew Tour Toyota Championships at Northstar at Tahoe, the tight races could see some dramatic changes by next week.
The AFP ranking system was developed to track the competition results of more than 18 events held on four continents in Slopestyle, Halfpipe and Big Air in order to name a true global world champion. The AFP has developed an event ranking system that creates balance between the different formats and levels of events held throughout the world, separating them into four categories, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Events are ranked based on course construction, prize money, media and athlete participation and receive maximum point values based on the respective levels.
Click Here for A Full Listing of the AFP World Rankings
In men’s halfpipe, Tanner Hall sits atop the rankings with 2,785 points with a 2nd at X-Games and a Dew Tour win. He is followed closely by Canadian Justin Dorey who lacks a win, but has two 2nd place finishes at the Dew Tour with 2,376 points, then Simon Dumont with a win at the Dew tour and a podium finish at X-Games with 1,905 points. The top four results in halfpipe are considered for the AFP rankings list. Hall and Dorey both have four qualifying results that include the Dew and X, but also the New Zealand Open. Dumont has only has three qualifying results that make the standings closer than they appear. The Dew Tour at Northstar will play a key role in determining to ends up on top.
Click Here for A Full Listing of the AFP World Rankings
As for men’s slopestyle, the leaderboard is packed at the top with a who’s who of riders, but the current leader is newcomer Bobby Brown with 1,624 points. Brown captured first place at the December Dew Tour followed by two top ten finishes at X & Mount Snow Dew Tour. A group of heavy hitters is close behind Brown including Sammy Carlson with 1,520 points, PK Hunder 1,460 points, Henrik Harlaut, 1,395 points, JF Houle 1,260 points, TJ Schiller at 1,180 point and Jossi Wells with 1,118 points. The results from the Dew Tour event this week at Northstar has the potential to shake up the close standings.
In women’s halfpipe, it’s a two horse race between Sarah Burke and Jen Hudak, separated by only 20 points at 2,440 and 2,430 respectively. Roz Groenewoud is third with 1,355 points. In women’s slopestyle, Kaya Turski is out front with 2,400 points that includes two Dew Tour wins and an X-Games bronze. She is followed by Anna Segal, the X-Games champion with 1,720 points with only two results to Turski’s three.
In men’s Big Air, PK Hunder is out front with wins at the King of Style and London Freeze and a strong finish at Freestyle CH with 1,710 points. Following Hunder is Jacob Wester with 1,300 points, paced by his win at Freestyle CH. Simon Dumot is third with 1,095 points, but does not include his X Games win due to fan voting.
For complete event and rider rankings, go to www.afpworldtour.com . The AFP will announce the 2008 – 09 World Champions in all disciplines on May 5, 2009.
The Association of Freeskiing Professionals is a non-profit organization that will implement a balanced global rider ranking system and serve as a unified voice for athletes and for Freeskiing to the world. Made up of top athletes and key influencers within the sport of freeskiing, the AFP will be proactive in the future direction for events, judging, growth and evolution of the sport as well as fostering opportunities for emerging riders to climb a clear ladder to higher levels of competition. Additionally, the AFP will assist domestic and international promoters and governing bodies to ensure consistent on hill competition organization and judging. For additional information on the AFP, please e-mail [email protected].