USA
Miles Holden
SLOPESTYLE
THU 9TH / FRI 10TH AUGUSTSEMI NOW BECOMES FINAL DUE TO HIGH WIND!!!!!!
The wind has meant that the call has been made to stop the SLOPESTYLE comp where it is after two successful complete runs for each mens & womens in the semis. Its blue skies above but pushing our luck further may be to much.
Both Semi's were like finals anyway with the sickest riders throwing down no holds barred, The only thing everyone will agree with is "bugger - we wanted to see more of that mad action" especially the girls - they were killing it!!!! We were looking forward to really focusing in on their final! Check back on my womens semi post for the winning combos.
So the results will be checked by the judges and should stand as the first Official results for the 07 NZ Burton Open! congrats to all those gladiators that charged the course from the pre quals to the end of the semis!
All in all it's been another great day of action up here at the open, all our expectations on arrival have already been surpassed with what we've seen so far from these competetors!
Riders are still packing the lifts here at SNOWPARK NZ, it's windy and soft but still great fun to get out there and jib around on all the smaller features of the park.
Down in the Woolshed bar and restaurant a few meters away, many riders & spectators will be relaxing & easing into some afternoon snacks & of course the cold beers are flowing while they look out over the park & action below always to the sound of some quality mixed beats.
Yet to come are the 1/4 Pipe comp & the 1/2 Pipe semi's & final....
catch you soon.......
LUCA SOULOS
MENS SEMI FINAL, SLOPESTYLE BURTON NZ OPEN 07
I've just been standing right under the big kicker in the mens Slopestyle! Incredible! What a semi!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Massive trick for trick all the way from the worlds best!!!!!! that wind has been whipping through softening the run in & making it crucial to land your first leap, hold speed, tuck through the middle for wind " as advised by RMB on the chair up, and stomp that next trick hard, Realising this - riders were stil absolutely boosting!!!!!! we definately saw a mixture of competetors handling the conditions in different ways - some not making features others dominating like bomb drops, some in tricky twisted up spins drifting off line and the odd splatter but our hats are off to all of them from anyone lucky enough to catch the action!!!!!!
Louie Vito of Sandy USA on O-matic didn't seem phased by the wind stomping the big 7 to front side 900 in his own clean spin style on the 2nd to last run,
Jacob Koia "koia the destroter'' of Queenstown New Zealand for Oakley threw down two solid runs making a big impression with sweet rails into backside 720 then into the huge double wildcat (backflips) that he's getting a name for & put down so clean! then out on the battleship.
The Metrani brothers from Mammoth lakes USA both burton riders put in the spin time on the first runs but not so lucky on the next - a front five into big corked 900 combo for Jack & backside 7 to f/s 900 for Luke, but standing out on the lighter side was luke coming around the kickers after problems at the top and throwing into the sweetest layed out front flip off the knuckle beside all the media just for something to fill the run.
236 Kauk Lonnie of Mammoth lakes USA combo'd the crail 540 into big corked 900 that he grabed at the start then changed style to open out through the last part of the trick
Quentin Robbins of NZ put up the big moves as did Roland Morley Brown & Will Jackways of NZ on burton with the massive front 720 to backside 900 variation.
61 Kevin Pearce of Norwich USA on Burton smoked the clean 720 off the first kicker into a huge tail grabbed 900
On the top the c-rails had a good working a lot of 270 on & off , nose presses, boardslides, f/t board sameways, tap outs etc but props go to 24 Sirgo Berger of Switzerland on Quiksilver with the 5050 nolie to front flip out on the flat down just to mix things up.
Next The high bar was getting most of the attention with 180 & 270 offs plus f/s & b/s variations but important to land clean for the first run in.
WOW!!!! WE JUST FOUND OUT THE FINAL IS CANCELLED DUE TO THE HIGH WIND SO THE SEMI BECOMES THE FINAL FOR RESULTS!!!!!!
Rip straight to the instant results section on the site to see who bags the BURTON NZ OPEN 07 medals & the big cash!!!!!!!!!!!!! shots will be on the table tonight!!!!!!!
LUCA SOULOS
Womens SEMI slopestyle
Well this is what we came to the Burton Nz Open & Snowpark for - the action up there is insane, that wind seems to have peeled back enough to give us premium conditions once again in this competetion, it's beaming sunrays down on the course, the organisers are stoked, the riders are stoked and of course the photographers are peaking!
Spectators riding up here are certainly getting the bag of treats from the lift and sideline - the beauty of this place is everytime you ride the lift it's like sitting in the grandstand looking across at the course only about 10 - 15m away & the same height as a rider boosting off one one the big kickers, almost as if you are in the comp as well.
The women were throwing down big time & would give the guys a run for the money at this stage!!!!! Jenny Jones & Torah Bright putting big spins in the air & both hitting the 70 footer option with fat five & 7 variations,
English Solomon rider Jenny Jones topped the scores, Claudia Fliri of Austria & volkl 2nd, then Hana Beaman of the USA & ride 3rd, Roxy's Torah Bright of Australia next & Sina Candrian Swiss burton/anon team player in 5th.
The combos that took the points when like this -
No. 1, 21 Jenny Jones, Tailslide on the c box to 5050 frontside 180 out on the high bar then dropping into the first big booter with a huge clean melon grabbed 3 then down for the big one getting way up there & lofting a slow & perfect frontside mute 3, all topped off with a 5050 on the bottom 30 stair rail!
2nd place, 180 Claudia Fliri, went for a front board on the c box to another 5050 frontside 180 out on the bar then in for the long tail grab cab 5! next over the big kicker with a frontside melon grabbed 360 & finishing down below with a 5050 nose press on the battleship.
bronze medal! 30 Hana Beaman started out with a backside tail slide then mixing it up with a boardslide to fakie, next into the first kicker with cab 5 stalefish then the straight into the backside 5 off that monster 70 footer ending the run with a 5050 to boardslide to frontside boardslide on the battleship
For the locals Abby Lockhart of Wanaka NZ on Ride put up a good fight; she's alway polished on the rails then threw the big slow backside 3 japan grab to f/s 3 melon & a 5050 to finish down the 30 stair rail. You can whip over to the live scoring option on the website & check out the ratings to see how they came through but from a spectator version it was full on! Only 8 move through to the final & it's an international stirfry not to be mixed!
LUCA SOULOS
FRIDAY BIG DAY OF SLOPESTYLE!!!!!
GOOD MORNING JIBBERS AROUND THE WORLD!
Time to get out there & under some of the moves going down.
It's rolling in to the big day for the slopestyle and right now the women (21) in the semi's are on course.
Outside the weather is playing a crazy role in todays action with a big low off Antarctica creating huge winds across the lower south island. The light is clear & clouds around surrounding mtns seem to be going around the sides of this valley to give blue sky over head!
I just talked to Louri Podladtchikov from Russia, a Santa cruz rider up here practicing for the semis & got a few comments on the course; it seems it's 'super fun' for the riders but 'a bit scary with that wind' coming in on the big booters as you could imagine flying into a 70 footer knowing that you have to concerntrate on your wind speed as well as your trick - it will certainly sort the field out & as with any comp the best competetors on the day will handle it & move forward, time to harden up & charge!
Practice is over, we've into the girls first then onto the guys (42)....
back to you soon....
LUCA SOULOS
Sub20.com
Check out this gold code straight from the judges hands -
Here it is the top runs of the day!!!!!!!
Check out this gold code straight from the judges hands -
Taking out the mens 07 Burton NZ Open Qualifier was 256 Eric Willett of Brekenridge USA riding for Zion, diving straight into the rails with a tailslide 180 frontboard to a boardslide & 270 off the high bar into a backside rodeo 5 to a switch backside 720 then dropping down to the bottom features with a tailslide gap to frontside boardslide on the battleship!!!!!! winning run!!!!!
2nd place went to 249 Brennen Swanson from Vail USA for Ride, it went like this cab 270 on boardslide 270 off, 50 50 to frontside 180 off the high bar dropping into a boosting cab rodeo 5 into backside 9 with the indy tweaked thne down the bottom for a good ol boardslide to frontboard out!
3rd was 179 Alessandro Boyens of Saas Fee Germany rocking for Static he went like this 50 05 frontboard on the flat box then 50 05 front again to 180 off the low bar but styled all the way & a clean dropin to the 40fter where the start was a cab 900 rolling straight down to a late late corked right out backside 7 yeah...!!! after that a clean boardslide on the downrail finished it all off!
A few more highlight moves from the book went like this ;
Rudi Kroell of Mayrhofen Austria on Nike ACG put the epic rodeo 5 melon grab to huge corked grabbed 900 combo on the booters
166 Seppe Smits of Westmalle Belguim on Burton with the cleanest slow 720 mute on the 2nd booter
174 Ishida Takahiro of Tokyo Japan on forum blazed the big lofty corked 900 into a 7 off the second.
236 Kauk Lonnie of Mammoth Lakes USA combo'd the switch corked 720 dropping fast straigh into a big corked 9 off the 2nd booter
The kiwi boys in the Qualifier ripped - Louis Prucker was on big points coming into the Qualifiers but didn't quite nail his last runs as well as earlier rippers, Quentin Robbins put up a few huge drifting moves - always the styler. Jorum Makuru put up a good battle as did Connor Harding but it was Roland Morley Brown on form for Ride who topped the Kiwi scores in this round securing a spot tomorrow.
Moving into the womens saw the course softening & definately slowing up a bit so the girls had to adjust their focus & hold speed.......................but they were boosting and the standouts were definately putting in the big spins with grabs over the first 40 fter then all opting to hit the 2nd 40 fter, down the bottom end it showed up the jib abilities of the girls with all kinds of extra polished leans & variations mixed in to show some true rail style....
Taking out the womens Burton NZ Open Qualifier for 07 was 180 the goofy footer Claudia Fliri from Kramsach in Austria riding for Volkl, she went like this 50 50 that c - rail then 50 50 to a late front 180 off the next set into a clean boosted cab 5 on the 40 footer into a frontside grabbed 3 then as 50 50 nose slide on the battle to finish it all.
2nd chica through was 208 Michelle Shea form San Diego USA on Atomic, she put in a cab 270 boardslide then into 50 50 with a backside 180 of the rail, dropping into a cab 360 tail grab to a big backside double grab finishing with a nose slide
3rd place Qualifier was 196 Valerie Reynolds from Spokane USA representing All star adventures she put in a nose slide nose grab to boardslide on the low bar but a clean exit meant the big backside 3 with the styling melon grab to frontside 360 with the indy grab into a nose slide on the battle to finish!
The ticks were struck up for Claudia Fliri of Kramsach of Austria on Volkl throwing the cab 540 to big frontside 3 then down to boardslide the battleship.
Christiane Prior of Great Brittain for Underground Skate nailed the c -box with a 270 on dropping further down to a smooth grabbed frontside 3 then into the lower kicker for the big stylish method.
212 Posey Dixon of London Great Brittain threw in a big mute backside 360 off the top kicker
239 Shelly Gotlieb of Wanaka New Zealand on Rome put in a boosting corked backside 3 with the long tail grab right through then down to a bigger backside 5 then onto 50 50 the battleship to finish! - nice!
What another massive day of riding!!!!!! Big Props to all the Snowpark Crew - those guys and girls are working super hard, keeping this place to an incredible level, the courses are all constantly maintained throughout the day & night, the restaurant, bar & organisation is perfect - with these friendly people on the case no one could ask for more!
Tonight down in Wanaka riders & locals will be partying again at the Gravis Sessions, where Open Souls will be rocking the house!!!!! Queenstowns Subculture, Revolver & Tardis will be cranking also. Last nights Wanaka Gravis Sessions were responsible for some wild times in town!!!!! At the Cardrona Hotel where all the judges & crew are staying you can only imagine....
Up here at Snowpark last night it was into the Woolshed bar for a few with everyone after the main end of day happy hour for all the riders, media & spectators, then up to the apartment where it was humming with visitors amid all the laptops, cameras & tech gear with the beer & music flowing out till the small hours, the spa pool took a good hiding as it will again tonight.....Great times & insane riding continue at this years 07 BURTON NZ OPEN up at SNOWPARK. tomorrow it's the main Slopestyle event & the night time 1/4!!!!!!!!!!!!!! stay tuned.......
LUCA SOULOS
Mens & Womens Slopestyle continued!
Well what an afternoon!!!!!!!!! It's good to have you checking back in!!!!!!!!
The Burton & Snowpark crew are stoked as the weather held fine to make day two another huge success!!!!!
Riders ripped into the Qualifier with the mens field now cut down to 25 hunting for a spot into the main event tomorrow, followed straight away by the womens qualifier to end the day.
Beats rang out with Devon in the box from Shapeshifter; NZ's finest - check them out on myspace or the net & you'll get an idea of the background feel!
These guys are insane & are the main gig for the epic Burton after party on Sat night that is already sold out!!!!!!!!!
As promised the level stepped up again - with the big moves going on continually, the c - boxes at the top were well worked & gave a super smooth leadin to the course & a good jib feel, dropping into that next rail set with a mixed bag was the key, the high rail had a descent drop off so putting the base down sweet meant a good fast run into the first kicker. Stomp clean on that & with a solid first one under the belt the all crucial & main focus of the monster kicker was in grasp, Standing under that baby gave you a rush everytime someone launched off it, the drift time was huge so spinning fast or slow looked good however landing at huge pace & instantly splitting the decision go for the battleship or the stairs & down rail had to be automatic.
As the day rolled the snow softened meaning you needed all the speed you could get - no mistakes!
I'm just running down to get a few results so back to you soon.....
LUCA SOULOS
SLOPESTYLE QUALIFIERS!!!!
OK ! Its all on, the riding has been sick and the riders are loving the course & the snow is perfect, at the top you've got 2 angled c boxes plus a middle flat option into a high or low bar further down then the drop into the first of the kickers - a 40 footer to clear then you need to be on key with a perfect landing & hold the speed straight into the monster - a 70 footer!...............don't stop to pat yourself on the back once you've made that because next up you have the choice a battleship rail or a set of 30 stairs with a long down rail & out the end - sweet!!!!!!
Like i said it's sick up there, coaches are at the sides giving the feedback to riders who are corking, spinning and grabbing up a storm, we are seeing riders waste them selves & just when you think it's narly somone comes down & stomps a super clean mouth opener of a run to get everyone hooting.
Every run things are stepping up in these qualifying rounds. The standard is way up there!!!!
The light threatened to flatten out then the sky peeled back to say don't hold back boys,
Highlights are plenty with every nation showing it's style & underdogs pushing for a slot into the next round -
I stood under the top kicker beside a grommet Greg Le patoural from Vancover who just arrived back to NZ for his 3rd time, he was helping out shovelling snow around the course with the big grin on his face! anything to get up there & stand under these riders boosting!
We saw a lot of 5's and steezy 360 variations on the first kicker then rolling into the big boy, the photographers were snapping the shots of double corked f/s 7's and 900s in fast or slow options grapped or tucked among the assortment!
On the NZ front Quentin Robbins on Volkl threw the lazy style cat tail 360 to massive corked grabbed 9 off the second stomped so clean!!!
RMB of NZ on Ride also following up with the corked 5 to drifting clean 7, Louis Prucker of NZ on Volkl threw the big method grabbed b/s 900 on the 2nd kicker! Kiwi riders were representing!
164 Sabastian Runeare from Santa Cruz USA on Burton threw the mean tail grabbed 900 on the big one,
236 Kauk Lonnie of Mommoth lakes USA dropped like this - ft board sameways off the high rail to front side 5 on the first kicker to switch back 900 on the second, to transfer switch f/s boardslide on the battleship, getting all thumbs up!
167 Anthony Smits of westmalle Belgium on burton was killing it putting it all on the line with his 900 variation on the first kicker.
Stay tuned for notes from the book after we get back out there & watch these riders keep pounding the course
LUCA SOULOS
Sub20.com
GOOD MORNING WORLD!!!!!!
Welcome back, It's another bluebird day here at Snowpark NZ, the sun is beaming down & a light breeze is wafting across the field, breakfast is cooking & as we look out from the window of the apartment riders are already getting in practice on the Slopestyle course! As i write these words someone this moment is 20-30ft up flying through the air upside down with another rider right behind ready to go - that'll wake you up in a hurry!
What a big day ahead with the assortment of rails & two major booters making up the Slopestyle that will form the main focus of today. We'll bring you updates as the the qualifiers swing into action.
LUCA SOULOS
FINALS RESULTS
Slopestyle Final Rankings Women
SEMIFINALS RESULTS
Slopestyle SemiFinals Men w Judges Scores
Slopestyle SemiFinals Women w Judges Scores
SEMIFINALS STARTLIST
QUALS RESULTS
Slopestyle Prequals Men Heat 1
Slopestyle Prequals Men Heat 2
QUALS STARTLIST
Slopestyle Prequals Men Heat 1
SLOPESTYLE WOMENS SEMIS
SLOPESTYLE QUALS
SLOPESTYLE MENS PREQUALS
SLOPESTYLE MENS PRACTICE
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Run & Interview with Slopestyle Winner - Mason Aguiree |
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Mens Slopestyle SemiFinal |
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Womens Slopestyle SemiFinal |
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Slopestyle Course Overview |
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Friday Morning Report |
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Thursday Hilites |
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Thursday Morning Report |
| 12 Aug 07 | AUSTRALASIAN SUCCESS AT BURTON NZ OPEN |
| 12 Aug 07 | BURTON NZ OPEN GOES OUT IN STYLE |
| 11 Aug 07 | HALFPIPE FINALS POSTPONED |
| 10 Aug 07 | WIND CUTS SHORT BURTON NZ OPEN SLOPESTYLE |
| 09 Aug 07 | BURTON NZ OPEN GOES LIVE! |
| 09 Aug 07 | SLOPESTYLE ACTION ON DAY TWO OF BURTON NZ OPEN |
| 08 Aug 07 | BURTON NEW ZEALAND OPEN KICKS OFF |
| 06 Aug 07 | EVE OF COMPETITION |
| 02 Aug 07 | COUNTDOWN TO BURTON NZ OPEN 2007 |
| 26 Jul 07 | BURTON TEAM DVD PREMIERE AND RIDER SIGNINGS |
| 24 Jul 07 | QUARTERPIPE GUEST APPEARANCE ANNOUNCED |
| 23 Jul 07 | BURTON GLOBAL OPEN SERIES DATES ANNOUNCED |
| 17 Jul 07 | RECORD NUMBERS REGISTERED FOR BURTON NZ OPEN |
| 06 Jul 07 | TOP NZ BANDS TO PLAY AT GRAVIS OPEN SESSIONS |
| 03 Jul 07 | TOP LINE-UP OF PRO ATHLETES ANNOUNCED |
| 01 Jun 07 | BURTON NZ OPEN RETURNS TO SNOW PARK NZ |
