Fatter than Santa Claus is the only way to call it - on a 30 ft quarter they were getting up to 20ft out - thats 50ft to the bottom!!!! - sick!!!!! - under lights at night!!!!
I've just been standing on the top with the Quest store troops & it's like looking over the edge of a building - if you add another 20ft and being upside down, rotating and trying to spot your landing - well.......try not to fill your pants.....we were all pin dropping ourselves down it after - ha! bit softer sliding down it on your bs for a laugh - our hats are off to all those riders ruling it!!! - charging down from the side of the pipe way up, straight lining out of the dark at full pace straight into a solid wall of hardpacked snow & ice....

The moves got bigger and bigger as it went on - massive action from the JAP crew bringing highest airs of the night - Fumi Murakami inverting over the flags & bringing the house down on several occassions,
Takahiro Ishihara JPN winning biggest air of the night!!!
Taka Suzuki JPN huge backside airs!! - corked 7's & b/s 5's,
Scotty Lago USA throwing 1080's (best trick) + a massive corked 5 over the flags!!!!
Mason Aguirre USA throwing fat & different combos every time - b/s 900s etc..!!! 1st place!!!!!!!!!!!!!! consistant RULER!!!! - sick
Kelly Clark USA boosting backside airs & taking out 1st in the girls!!!!!,
Tim Jackways NZ lazy big b/s airs
Abby Lockhart NZL b/s 360
Elena Hight USA backside airs in the big way (highest air -girls)
Danny Davis USA ally oop rodeo 540 - fat - smooth
Dustin Craven CAN crail seatbelt grab!!! -but massive
Kevin Pearce USA huge air to knuckle from over the top of the flags walking away to a roar from the crowd - well survived!
Juliane Bray NZL big backside airs
RMB NZL b/s 5's
Junko Asazuma JPN b/s 540! (best trick - girls)
Stef Zeestraten NZL fat backsides

I could go on and on - the KIWI boys and girls were a force but without doubt tonight the USA & JAPAN pro's were maxing out riding levels - the jam format was perfect & they all amped each other constantly, everyone that came to watch walked away stoked and wide eyed & part of an epic NZ night - quite a few walked straight to the bar below where the tunes are rolling & the beer is flowing....

See you tomorrow for the next BIG one - the Burton Open Pipe!!!

Cheers,

Luca Soulos

OK - they are in a 15 minute break, the mountains are black with an orange glow behind them into a dark blue sky - flood lights are on the 1/4, the music is pumping, so far the action has been mean, with a few riders boosting to the top of the flags, they are dropping in from 1/2 way up the pipe!!!!
Official action starts on darkness and we'll bring a few more moves to light
Woody has just walked in after being out there shooting - stoked!
Big boned indy's, tweaked backside airs, spins and inverts,
It's back on- got to get out and see the action!

cheers
Luca

The light is just right - slipping from afternoon into the night with long shadows drifting across the field - from my window here at the laptop i can watch the 1/4 pipe riders boost from the shadow into the light above the lip.

The 1/4 is huge! already a crowd has gathered in the sculptured grandstand carved out of the wall at the side, tunes are ringing out, the bar is open downstairs with tables out on the deck full of riders & viewers.

On the snow the practice has started - for the next few hours, 5 infact - there will be a constant stream of rippers flying down the run-in then exiting skyward.

As i have said before it's like a movie - but happening live,
12 women are entered and 30 men - it's an invitational event so we will certainly see some action from these select riders.
NZL, USA, AUST, CAN, GBR, JPN, & NORWAY represented.

for kiwi's looking in Abby Lockhart & Julianne Brae are your girls
Looks like Kelly Clark & Torah Bright, Leanne Pelosi & Hanna Beaman to name a few others are also in the line-up.

Big names in the mens are also in the mix - Jack Metrani, Kevin Pearce, Tim Jackways, Crispin Lipscombe, Mikkel Bang, Jah Harris, Mitch Brown, Stef ZEST., RMB, Mason Aguirre & Fumi Murakami to name just a few,

stay tuned for pics and an update later on!!!!
looks like magic out there so time for me to get on the snow at the side with a cold beer & start hooting with everyone else

cheers,

Luca