Men's podium (l-r): Torin Yater-Wallace, Gus Kenworthy, Joss Christensen
Well the Aspen/Snowmass Open didn't get off to the best start yesterday, but today sure ended on a great note. With yesterday's slopestyle qualifiers being postponed due to inclement weather, today was jam packed with action from bell to bell. And after four heats of 90+ men were whittled down throughout the day, it was Gus Kenworthy who ended up on top of the pack, with Torin Yater-Wallace and Joss Christensen hot on his heels.
While the women's competitors didn't have any qualifiers that were cancelled yesterday, they did have to run their final amidst the jam packed day. And with eight ladies gunning for the top spot, it was Colorado-native Emilia Wint who snagged the big win today, with UK's Katie Summerhayes and Cassandra Sharpe following her on the podium.
After a full morning (and early afternoon) full of qualifying heats, the men moved into a big 25-man final, as the sun continued to set, with some competitors having to ski after the sun had fully dropped below the horizon. The women were a little luckier, as they dropped before the guys, and only had to contend with the shadow covered landings.
Gus kicked things off with a 450 on to switch on the first rail. He moved into a switch 270 to 270 off the cannon. With the augmented X Games rails in his rear view mirror, he went to work on the four-jump line. He started off with a right 720 nose which led up to his double cork 1260 mute. Then he set up the back-to-back switch double flip 1080s, the first being right side, the second being left, both complemented with japan grabs. Gus' run was the day's only 90 or above.
To the victor, go the spoils. Gus Kenworthy.
Local boy Torin Yater-Wallace, known more for his superpipe prowess, got it done today on the slopestyle course. His lip 270 on the down rail and 450 out of the canon box got things started. His four jump line was a switch 1260, double cork 1080, left 900 to switch double flip 1080. Joss Christensen, this morning's top qualifier, put on a clinic this afternoon. He kicked things off with a switch lip 270 to 270 out, into a 270 on 270 off the cannon. He dropped a switch right side 10808 double grab on the first jump. The second jump held a switch left 1080 blunt while the third jump contained a switch right 900 tail. For his "money booter" experience he stomped a large double cork 1260 mute.
While the field wasn't as stacked as an event like the Winter Dew Tour, the young burgeoning talent that showed up today rivaled any contest. The 25-man final was unorthodox, but made for a veritable shooting gallery of great skiing, showcasing what the next generation of talent holds in store for the sport. Finland's Kalle Leinonen showed a grand return to form after injuries have kept him out for a couple seasons. Minnesota's Cody Ling and Willie Borm showcased some talent coming out of the North Star state.
Ditto for the women's side. While the field was lacking the Kaya Turskis and Anna Segals of the industry, the field more than made up for it with hard charging ladies. The new jump combo du jour seemed to be 720 to 540, with up and coming females putting down runs that this event has been lacking. Kirsten Cooley really got the crowd going today with her final hit double front flip. A number of ladies went inverted, showing that they weren't afraid of this massive X Games-caliber course. The course did claim one, as Meg Olenick went down with an apparent knee injury. We want to wish a speedy and full recovery to Megan.
Women's podium (l-r): Katie Summerhayes, Emilia Wint, Cassandra Sharpe
With the slopestyle done for the weekend, all eyes turn to the superpipe, as the men are set to qualify tomorrow. The field should be dramatically smaller than slopestyle, but it doesn't mean that the talent is lacking, as a number of solid pipe names are in the mix. Stay tuned for finals on Sunday afternoon. Congratulations to all the athletes who put it on the line, despite the late day conditions.
Men's Final's Results:
1_ Gus Kenworthy – 91.0
2_ Torin Yater-Wallace – 88.0
3_ Joss Christensen – 87.0
4_ Kalle Leinonen – 85.8
5_ Noah Morrison – 83.2
6_ Jaeden Schneider-Clark – 80.2
7_ Max Heard – 79.3
8_ Colby Stevenson – 74.8
9_ Cody Ling – 74.8
10_ Willie Borm – 73.3
11_ Takumo Toyama – 70.8
12_ Yan Bussieres – 70.3
13_ Mark Nowakiwsky – 69.7
14_ Ian Hamilton – 67.7
15_ Laurent DeMartin – 64.3
16_ Andy Partridge – 63.5
17_ Kolby Ward – 63.2
18_ Charlie Leveroni – 55.0
19_ James Campbell – 47.7
20_ Cody Cirillo – 42.5
21_ Will Berman – 39.7
22_ Ryan Hawoth – 39.3
23_ Zach Pham – 36.7
24_ Emile Bergeron – 33.2
25_ Devon Savino – 28.0
Women's Finals results:
1_ Emilia Wint – 85.7
2_ Katie Summerhayes – 74.2
3_ Cassandra Sharpe – 73.7
4_ Rose Battersby – 72.2
5_ Kirsten Cooley – 69.5
6_ Annalisa Drew – 68.8
7_ Meg Olenick – 41.7
8_ Gracy Whelihan – 32.0
9_ Servanne Herant – DNS
For information on what this might do to AFP Slopestyle and Overall rankings, visit the Association of Freeskiing Professionals website.
