Americans Dominate US Open Halfpipe
VAIL, Colorado (March 4, 2017) – American snowboarders dominated the Burton US Open halfpipe event on Saturday, scoring five of six podium spots. Shaun White (Carlsbad, CA) and Chloe Kim (Torrance, CA) each took their second consecutive US Open titles. Elena Hight (South Lake Tahoe, CA) was second for the women, while Maddie Mastro (Wrightwood, CA) and Chase Josey (Hailey, ID) were third for the women and men respectively.
For White, it was a huge win, as he used a run that he has never landed in competition before—a run that included a Cab double cork 1440. Only two other men have landed that trick in competition; with the backside double cork 1260 he threw later in the run, it was an unbeatable combination.
“I wanted to come out of the gates swinging,” he said of the run. “I knew everyone was going to be going for their hardest runs. I had to step it up.”
Josey repeated the run that earned him the win at the LAAX Open this year—a run that includes a switch double crippler and switch double Michalchuk, tricks that no other men are throwing.
White and Josey were joined on the podium by Scotty James of Australia, who took second.
Kim scored her third major win of the year, after taking top honors at the Copper U.S. Grand Prix and LAAX Open earlier this year. She used her signature frontside 1080 to top the field, and though she was in first place and the last to drop, she upped her score on her third and final run.
“I just always feel like I can push myself a little more,” she said after the competition. “At the end of the day I was just super hyped with how I was riding and it was so nice to put one down.”
Hight, who is fresh off a gold medal at the X Games in Aspen, came back from a hard crash in her second run to ride cleanly for her final run. She had a huge backside air, back-to-back 900s and a backside alley-oop rodeo.
It was Mastro’s first US Open podium, and she had a great showing. Her run included a beautiful frontside 540 off the top and a big Haakonflip at the bottom.
Also making the final for the Americans: Danny Davis (Highland, MI) was sixth and Jake Pates (Edwards, CO) was 10th.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Shaun White was first for the men. His second run scored 92.74: backside air, frontside double 1080 stalefish, cab double 1440 mute, frontside 540 stalefish, backside double 1260, frontside 900 tail.
- Chase Josey was third for the men. His first run scored 79.87: double Michalchuk, frontside double 1080, switch double crippler (double bacon flip), switch double Michalchuk, Cab double cork 1080, alley-oop 360.
- Chloe Kim was first for the women. Her third run scored 87.10: backside air, frontside 1080 tail, Cab 720 melon, fronside 900, McTwist
- Elena Hight was second for the women. Her third run scored 80.12: backside air, frontside 720 Japan, Cab 720, frontside 900, backside 900, backside alley-oop rodeo.
- Maddie Mastro was third for the women. Her second run scored 78.25: frontside 540 stalefish, backside stalefish, crippler, backside 540 stalefish, frontside 720 indy, Haakonflip, frontside air.
QUOTES
Shaun White
I wanted to come out of the gates swinging. I knew everyone was going to be going for their hardest runs. I had to step it up.
Chloe Kim
I feel like I can always push myself a little more. I was so hyped to be riding like myself again. I’ve been coming here for such a long time and it’s always so nice to come back. At the end of the day, I was just super hyped with how I was riding and it was so nice to put one down.
Elena Hight
The halfpipe is amazing. It is definitely the best pipe I’ve been in this year. No complaints—I mean it’s sunny and warm and everything is good.
RESULTS
Men’s and Women’s Halfpipe
