Slopestyle Raw Footage

Welcome back from Mount Snow, VT. Day two of the Winter Dew Tour, on today’s menu: slopestyle.

Athletes couldn’t stop gushing about how well set up and diverse the slopestyle course was. From top to bottom the setup didn’t disappoint. Riders were treated the just about every type of element, ranging from massive jumps, boxes, urban rail setups and a very sweet feature dubbed “The Cannon”, a box buried off the lip of a saddle style jump.

After a morning of prelims it was time for business. Bobby Brown, slopestyle winner from the Breckenridge stop of the Winter Dew Tour, was pre-qualified and waltzed his way right into the finals. While he was off having a delicious Mountain Dew other riders battled it out for the remaining spots in the finals.

Matt Margetts all smiles at the top of the course.

Phil Cassabon.

The cannon box.Photo by Josh Stansfield.

Orbit.

Glen Plake cranking out some acro tricks on the course! Acro isn’t dead!

The bottom of the course, very big, very well set up.

Jossi Wells getting shot out of the cannon box. Photo by Josh Stansfield.

Ok, enough eye candy. Into the action.

The finals were a classic throw-down, no holds barred, slobberknocker. Things fired up with Charles Gagnier piecing together a massive first run containing clean rail tricks (Big surprise, right?) a patented Gagnieresque rightside switch ten to leftside switch ten. Jaws dropped, women instantly became pregnant and the gauntlet was thrown down.

Not to be upstaged, Jon Olsson made his presence known with an impressive run containing a lipslide to 270 off on the urban setup, a switch 1080 to his masterful kangaroo flip.

Our third place winner, Alexis Godbout, was all about keeping things clean and effortless. He had more spins than a washing machine on the rail section of the course and finished things off with a 9 tail to switch 9 tail.

Coming in 2nd today, PK Hunder was slaying with a sick display of spins on the rail section, gigantic switch 7 on the first jump sending him switch into the cannon box. He wrapped things up with his trademarked switch 10 nose poke grab which he landed very far down the landing.

PK Hunder, international pimp.

Our big winner of the day was JF Houle, who put on a rail clinic. Starting things off at the top of the course, JF dominated with a 450 on, switch up, 450 off. I had the pleasure of watching his run on a closed circuit monitor next to Tanner Hall who immediately started cheering when JF effortlessly rode away from his first trick. He then outdid himself by nose-butter 270’ing his way onto the urban down rail. Everyone watching knew that if he could hold onto the rest of his run the score would be higher than Amy Winehouse on a Dutch holiday.

Today’s big winner, JF Houle lookin’ blurry and bright.

Thankfully, JF stuck the bottom two jumps and rode away into the top podium spot. However, Bobby Brown, the Breckenridge Winter Dew Tour Slopestyle winner, was still left to take his second run. Unfortunately on his first run, Bobby gave his switch kangaroo flip a little too much hot sauce and landed too far down on the last jump, forcing him to the ground. Looking for redemption and his second podium spot of the tour, Bobby pieced together an amazing second run consisting of a switch 900, rodeo 630 off of the cannon box and wrapping things up with another switch 900 to switch kangaroo flip with a SICK japan grab. That’s right, Bobby’s grabbing switch doubles.

Unfortunately, his run wasn’t enough to usurp the technical mastery from JF Houle and he had to settle for 7th place. Thankfully, he’ll have another shot at the third Winter Dew tour in Tahoe.

Other highlights…
– Henrik Harlaut’s switch 10’s and his colorful claims for the camera while waiting for his scores.
– Jossi Wells banging out a huge backflip for the crowd after taking an unfortunate spill on his 1st run.
– Sammy Carlson crashing off the course on the last jump and taking out some signage, only to return on his second run to kill it on the rails and jumps earning himself a 4th place finish.
– Nick Martini throwing k-fed’s on the rail section of the course.
– Charles spinning left and right on his switch 10’s. Wow.

Men’s Slopestyle Final Results

1) JF Houle
2) PK Hunder
3) Alexis Godbout
4) Sammy Carlson
5) Henrik Harlaut
6) Nick Martini
7) Bobby Brown
8) Mike Riddle
9) Jon Olsson
10) Charles Gagnier
11) Phil Casabon
12) Jossi Wells