Crouch and Anderson Dominate Slopestyle
BOKWANG, South Korea (Feb. 21, 2016) – Americans dominated at the official Olympic snowboarding slopestyle test event for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games, where Brock Crouch (Mammoth Lakes, CA) took the win for his first career World cup podium and Jamie Anderson (South Lake Tahoe, CA) won for the women. Karly Shorr (Milford, MI) earned her third World Cup podium with second place.
Crouch is a 16-year-old member of the slopestyle rookie team. He battled windy conditions at the site of the 2018 Winter Olympics to top the competitive field.
“The last two competitors were Brandon (Davis) and Chris (Corning) and they’re both from the U.S.,” Crouch said. “That’s when I was in first and I didn’t even care - I was so excited that I was going to be podium when they were about to drop, I just wanted them to land their runs so it could’ve been a U.S. sweep.”
Brock Crouch takes his first World Cup slopestyle win.
Olympic champion Anderson didn’t land her first two runs, but finally put it down her third time around.
“It was definitely a safety (run),” Anderson said of the run that secured the victory. “I was hoping to put that down on my first run so that I could try some different runs and (things) just didn’t go my way today.”
A photo posted by Karly Piper (@karlyshorr) on
Shorr put her first run to her feet and sat in the top spot until Anderson pulled it out on the second-to-last run of the competition. She was happy to make the podium saying, “Anytime that you do well, especially in a place that’s so far away from where I’m from and knowing that the Olympics are here and this environment is kind of like the Olympics…it’s a huge confidence boost to know that I can hang with all the top girls and be able to put down a run that will get me on the podium.”
Top qualifier Brandon Davis (Mammoth Lakes, CA) finished just off the podium in fourth while points leader Chris Corning (Arvada, CO) was sixth and Ryan Stassel (Anchorage, AK) was eighth.
Jamie Anderson dominates to her second win in a week.
Up next for the U.S. Snowboarding is X Games Oslo, which will feature big air and halfpipe competitions.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Brock Crouch won for the men. His third run scored an 85.16: Lipslide 270, Michalchuk, 50-50 frontside 360, nosebonk tailgrab over barrel, 50-50 backside 360, backside double 1080 mute, frontside 900 tailgrab, Cab 1080 nosegrab.
- Jamie Anderson won for the women. Her third run scored an 81.25: boardslide on big rail to 270 out, backside air, gap to lipslide, tailtap over barrel, 50-50, frontside 720 mute, backside 180 melon, alley-oop Cab 540 indy.
- Karly Shorr was second for the women. Her first run scored a 70.10: 50-50, freshfish, 50-50 indy transfer, 50-50 180 out, Cab 540 indy, backside 360 tailgrab, alley-oop frontside 360 indy.
- The 2016 snowboard slopestyle FIS World Cup at Bokwang Phoenix Park was the official test event for the 2018 Winter Olympics Games.
QUOTES
Jamie Anderson
It was definitely a safety (run). I was hoping to put that down on my first run so that I could try some different runs and (things) just didn’t go my way today. Even second run when I sat down on a backside 180—it’s so frustrating; it’s really hard to not let that really, really bother you. You kind of have to play the game with contests because you have to see what the level is, how things are going and do the best you can when you can. I always feel pressure, especially coming to a new mountain and having a really big course.
I’m just happy that I made it through. I feel healthy, I feel strong and I was stoked to do that trick on that first rail because it was really intimidating for me and that’s what it’s about: pushing yourself. Even though my jump run was a little mellow I was still happy to let it all come together.
Karly Shorr took second place.
Karly Shorr
I definitely started out taking a lot of hard crashes but I just kept pushing through it and trying to get it all put together in my first run. First run I laid it down really clean and I’m so happy and thankful to be out here. Korea’s so beautiful; I’m super stoked. Anytime that you do well, especially in a place that’s so far away from where I’m from and knowing that the Olympics are here and this environment is kind of like the Olympics…it’s a huge confidence boost to know that I can hang with all the top girls and be able to put down a run that will get me on the podium.
Brock Crouch
The last two competitors were Brandon and Chris and they’re both from the U.S. That’s when I was in first and I didn’t even care - I was so excited that I was going to be podium when they were about to drop I just wanted them to land their runs so it could’ve been a U.S. sweep. I’m on top and I’m really hyped. I was just really hoping to make it into the finals - I made it into the finals and then I landed my first run … I was just so hyped.
