FREESYLE SKI. The FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup in halfpipe wrapped up today, with skiers putting on an exceptional show in the superpipe final. The first of two Grand Prix events that include skiing this season, this Grand Prix marked the first North American event of 2011-12.

Devin Logan (USA) Boosts to Qualify Second for Finals (Photo © USSA/Sarah Ely)

After an exciting men's qualifier on Wednesday, and a women's qualifier early this morning—both of which featured a great deal of top-notch riding—the stage was set for the afternoon's action. Under sunny skies and with a perfect 22-foot pipe groomed for destruction, 10 females and 12 males took to the air.

The women kicked things off at noon. 'Twas a two-run format, with the higher of the two scores counting toward the overall ranking. The first high scoring run of the day came from Switzerland's own Virginie Faivre. Her trademark smooth style, along with some technical tricks in the form of back-to-back 540s and a 720 to cap off her run, earned her a score of 73.6.

Keltie Hansen (CAN) garnered the next best score on the day, impressing judges with a 900, a couple of 540s and a 720 on her last hit. Her efforts earned her a 75.8.

Last to drop in run #1 was two-time AFP champ, and last year's Grand Prix at Copper winner Rosalind Groenewoud (CAN). Living up to expectations, Ros opened with a lofty straight air and followed up with a 900, back to back 540s, a 360 and a switch 5 to conclude. Her technical run earned her an 81.4 and launched her into the lead going into run #2.

Virginie Faivre once again laid down her game in run #2, upping her amplitude and thereby bumping her score to 77.4.

A few riders later Brita Sigourney of Carmel, California—who bobbled on her first run for a score of 46.6—dropped in with the pressure on. She opened with a big ol' 540 on the right wall, and carried on stomping a 900, some lofty straight airs, an alley-oop 5 and a 720 along the way. The judges rewarded Brita for her performance with an impressive 86.6, the current lead.

Sarah Burke, Devin Logan and Jen Hudak, all formidable competitors who could certainly dethrone Brita, had all struggled on their first runs. They too came into run #2 with pressure on their shoulders, and unfortunately they were unable to lay down solid runs.

Ros G was thus atop the pipe, the lone competitor with the power to sway the standings. She started her run with a boosty straight air and a solid 900, but went down on her third hit, unable to hold on to a 540. And with that, Brita Sigourney had solidified her win, and added a sweet gold medal to her collection, which already includes a silver from last year's X Games 15 and a gold from last year's Dew Tour at Snowbasin, UT.

Signourney said of the win, "It felt so good, I don't usually compete well under pressure so it's a relief to be done and to so well at the first comp of the season. I was just trying to not put any expectations on myself and have fun, that's when I ski my best."

Other impressive performances today came from Japan's Mitsuboshi Manami, Anais Caradeux of France and Maddie Bowman of the US and A.

U.S. GRAND PRIX AT COPPER WOMEN'S PIPE RESULTS
1) Brita Sigourney (USA) 86.6
2) Rosalind Groenewoud (CAN) 81.4
3) Virginie Faivre (SUI) 77.4
4) Maddie Bowman (USA) 76.0
5) Keltie Hansen (CAN) 75.8

With the women's final in the books, it was time for the men to take to the stunt ditch. 12 competitors had earned themselves a spot in the finals and they were all hungry for the booty, which, in the case of the U.S. Grand Prix comes in the form of medals, prize money, AFP points and World Cup points.

FISfreestyle.com
Friday 9 December 2011
Source: freeskier.com

19-year-old Wing Tai Barrymore (USA) wins mens' halfpipe final

After an exciting men's qualifier on Wednesday which featured a great deal of top-notch riding—the stage was set for the afternoon's action. Under sunny skies and with a perfect 22-foot pipe groomed for destruction, 12 males took to the air.

Dan The Man Marion (USA) dropped in first and performed in classic Marion style. Lofty, smooth airs and plenty of technicality to go around—for example, a nice double flip on his first hit. His efforts earned him an even 70.0, and the bar had been set for the others to follow.

Dropping in 3rd was 19-year-old Wing Tai Barrymore (USA). He started 'er off with a massive 900 on the right wall and followed up with a double alley-oop flatspin, a 540, a rightside 900 and a 1080 to finish. His amplitude was through the roof the whole way down the pipe, and the judges screamed a collective "YES!" and awarded him a score of 87.2.

Tucker Perkins, Mike Riddle and Simon Dumont were next to drop, and each one struggled, failing to log a solid score.

Next up was Duncan Adams. Duncan laid down a rightside 7 on the left wall to start, and linked it with a switch straight air, a switch 5 tail, an alley-oop 3 tail, a switch alley-oop 5 and a switch 9. His run was ultra smooth, he nailed the transitions, he nailed his grabs, and the collective peanut gallery positioned at the bottom of the pipe let out a resounding roar of approval as he arrived at the finish corral. The judges dished out an 83.80, and the announcement was met with many "boos." Duncan had certainly laid down an incredible run, and the majority felt he deserved a higher score.

Later in the pack came 16-year-old Torin Yater-Wallace. A crowd favorite, the expectations for Torin to perform were high. As he's done before, like at last year's X Games for example, Torin showed that he thrives under the pressure and stomped an impressive run. He opened with a lofty double flip, linked with back-to-back 900s, an über awesome double alley-oop flatspin and a 1080 to close. Torin earned an 81.4 for his efforts.

Next up was Wednesday's top qualifier, 21-year-old David Wise of Reno, NV. Wise sent his tricks to the moon, but was unable to keep things totally clean and garnered a 75.2.

It was then time for the second runs. Tucker Perkins (USA) was the first to link a solid run—throwing a double cork 12, right and left 900s, a 1080, and a switch 720, amongst other tricks—and earned a 77.4. Duncan Adams laid down another solid run—and once again showed he was a crowd favorite—but was unable to up his score.

Jossi Wells managed to stomp a clean run, but he too was unable to bump into the medal contention. Xavier Bertoni of France, who crashed on his first run, also put a run to his feet. Bertoni threw a double flip to open, and linked it with back-to-back 900s, an alley-oop flat 3, a switch 7 and a cork 10. Bertoni earned a 79.0, jumping up from the bottom of the pack.

With pressure on for their second runs, having bobbled on their first attempts, heavy hitters Simon Dumont and Mike Riddle were once again unable to lay down clean runs.

Yater-Wallace then dropped for his second run and, surprise-surprise, improved on his first run score. Torin threw the same run as his first go-round, but upped the amplitude and cleaned things up a bit. His double alley-oop flatspin was amazing; he landed perfectly in the transition on both runs. Torin earned an 84.6 on his second run.

Then, only David Wise remained. He once again put his run to his feet, but again failed to keep things perfectly clean and logged a 75.2. And with that, the men's final results were in.

FISfreestyle.com
Friday 9 December 2011
Source: Freeskier.com

U.S. GRAND PRIX AT COPPER MEN'S PIPE RESULTS
1) Wing Tai Barrymore 87.2
2) Torin Yater-Wallace 84.6
3) Duncan Adams 83.8
4) Xavier Bertoni 79.0
5) Tucker Perkins 77.4
6) David Wise 75.2
7) Dan Marion 70.0
8) Jossi Wells 69.2
9) Simon Dumont 65.6
10) Mike Riddle 60.8
11) Nils Lauper 54.0
12) Peter Crook 26.8

Kingsbury and Kearney won the World Cup Moguls Opening at Ruka

FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup opening at Ruka, Finland saw an exciting start for the new season.

Last’s years second Mikael Kingsbury from Canada improved his ranking this year by taking the first place in the moguls competition and at the same time conquering the leading place in the World Cup.

– I’m really happy with my skiing because I was able to keep the leading spot troughout the competition. I’m also excited to have the world cup leader-bib on me for the first time, Kingsbury commented after the finals.
In addition to Kingsbury’s success with all his runs the men’s super finals saw a lot of failures, when all the other men had difficulties in their last run.

– In the finals the level of skiing was high, but in the super finals all three skiers before me had somehow messed up their runs, so I had no pressure. I just focused on doing a solid run, Kingsbury said.

– I don’t really know what happened in the last run, I was going for it the same way I did in the previous runs, but something just went wrong. That left a weird note on the competition for me, but however I am happy with all the other runs and the final result, said second placed US skier Sho Kashima.

Anthony Benna from France took the third podium place in the men’s competition.

Kearney dominated the women’s competition
In the women’s competition US skier Hannah Kearney took the first place being in the lead troughout the competition.

– Finland is treating me very well, Kearney commented on her second win in a row in Ruka’s World Cup competition.

– I´m really pleased that I was the fastest one in every run, because I’ve been working on my speed and strength in the summer. Three runs in a competition is more than we normally do. It is hard to be that consistant and get so many good runs in a row, so I’m happy with my performance, Kearney added.

Second placed Eliza Outtrim, also from the Unites States, complimented the moguls course.

– I was happy with all my runs today, and the conditions in the finals were great because it had snowed the whole day making the moguls course nice and soft. And the snowfall stopped just in time for the finals.

Third place in the women’s competition went to 29- years old Nikola Sudova from the Czech Rebublic.

– This competition was a really good season start for me because I’ve been off the game for a while because of a knee surgery. And being the oldest one in the competition it was nice see that I am still able to beat the younger girls.

Text: Veera Vihervaara
FISfreestyle.com
Saturday 10 December 2011