Gerard, Mastro, Hall Podium at Dew Tour

Red Gerard was the top finisher for U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes on day three of the 2020 Dew Tour at Copper Mountain, Colo. Reminiscent of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games, Red came in clutch on his final run to top the podium in front of his friends and family. 

“I feel insane right now,” said Red. “I started off riding this morning and the course seemed slow due to fresh snow yesterday and didn’t think things were going to go my way. I can’t believe things worked out and I’m on the podium with my best friend (Brock Crouch). It’s my home turf, home mountain, my whole family was able to come out, and I’m sharing the podium with my best friend. What can I say? -  I’m hyped.”

Red was in the top spot after run one, however, this wouldn’t last long as a collection of stellar runs immediately followed by the majority of the field. On Red’s last run, he would climb the ranks once again to his own disbelief. This win checks an important box for Red. He now has won three of five pinnacle snowboard events including Dew Tour, U.S. Open, and the Olympics. This is Red’s first Dew Tour medal. 

U.S. Snowboard Team alumnus Brock Crouch finished second and Norwegian legend Stale Sandbech rounded out the podium in third. 

Maddie Mastro also found success for the U.S. Snowboard Team, earning second place in the modified superpipe. Maddie’s top run included stylish frontside and backside alley-oops on the transition features as well as her signature method, a crippler, and a backside 540 in the traditional portion of the superpipe. 

“Riding the modified superpipe today was awesome,” said Maddie. “I love being able to mix it up, be creative, and challenge myself, so I had a blast today. I had a lot of fun on the transition features. My goal was to utilize both sides and I wanted to flip them - I thought that would be fun. The flip got the best of me in the beginning, but I was able to tame it after that.”

Maddie was coming off a second-place finish at the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain, Calif., where she landed her double crippler for the second time in the competition. Due to falls on her second and third runs, Maddie would not have the opportunity to land the double crippler at Dew Tour. Although Maddie may have been unable to put down the exact run she was looking for, there was a bright side in addition to her podium finish. That bright side’s name is Sonny Alba, a fellow Mammoth Lakes, Calif. athlete. Sonny is a 13-year-old shredder who has looked up to Maddie since she started riding halfpipe. 

“I have watched Sonny Alba ride for the past five years, which is pretty much half her life,” said Maddie, laughing to herself. “It’s crazy for me and awesome to watch her progress and ride. I always thought she had this incredible potential and she was such a great all-around rider. It’s amazing to be able to witness her first big contest.”

The lights weren’t too bright for Sonny’s big Dew Tour debut as she landed frontside and backside 540’s, as well as a few hand plants with what seemed to be beautiful skateboarding inspired style.

“When I found out I had a spot in at Dew Tour, I was shocked,” said Sonny. “It was super last minute, about 9 p.m. last night. I grew up watching Maddie, so riding with her in today’s competition was a little nerve-racking, but also really exciting. I had a lot of fun today!”

Jiayu Liu of China earned first place and Queralt Castellet of Spain finished third. 

U.S. Freeski Pro Team member Alex Hall also earned a second-place finish in slopestyle. Alex has been very successful this season in big air winning Norway X Games, the Modena, Italy World Cup, and the Visa Big Air presented by Landrover in Atlanta, Ga, but he has been struggling in slopestyle. Those struggles ended on Saturday. 

“It feels so good to find a podium in slope, especially here at Dew Tour,” said Alex. “I wasn’t skiing my best at some of the slope competitions this year. Then I went and messed up my first run here, which made me incredibly nervous moving forward. I’m hyped I was able to put it down, especially with some difficult speed due to fresh snow. I’m so stoked.”

His run was displayed trademark A-Hall style with technical rails and jumps that included outrageous grab combinations. However, Alex wasn’t the only U.S. Freeski Team member skiing well and he made that clear speaking highly about his teammate Colby Stevenson.

“If Colby would have landed his second run clean, I believe he would have won easy,” said Alex. “He’s been skiing amazing. He’s such a boss and I love watching him out there.”

Prior to the Dew Tour, Colby earned two slopestyle wins in two weeks at X Games Aspen and the Mammoth Grand Prix. Announcer, former athlete, and professional freeskiing head judge Mike Atkinson claimed that the “trick du jour” was Colby’s 360 rail transfer that had even Colby’s fellow athletes animated in the finish area. 

Norwegian freeskier Christian Nummedal won the event and Swiss Andri Ragetlli took third. Colby would finish fifth overall just ahead of teammate Nick Goepper in sixth.

Alex went on to win the street style event later that evening. In the same event and staying true to Alex’s previous comments, Colby continued his impressive skiing and earned the best trick award. 

Back in the superpipe, U.S. Freeski Rookie Team member Abigale Hansen earned her best results of the season with a fourth-place finish. She shifted the contest into full gear with a solid run and the rest of the field followed suit. She improved her score every time she dropped into the pipe showing great consistency building on her run. 

Canadian’s Cassie Sharpe and Rachael Karker finished first and second respectively and Zoe Atkin of Great Britain finished third. U.S. Freeski Team members Brita Sigourney and Devin Logan finished fifth and seventh respectively. 

Competition continues at Dew Tour on Sunday with the men’s ski and snowboard modified superpipe final, as well as the women’s ski and snowboard slopestyle final. Head out to Copper Mountain or tune in live to catch all the action.

RESULTS

HOW TO WATCH 
Winter Dew Tour will be live-streamed in its entirety on DewTour.com, Facebook Live, YouTube
Subject to change
All times MST

FREESKI
Sunday, Feb. 9
9:00 a.m. - Men’s Ski Modified Superpipe Final - Copper Mountain, Colo.
2:00 p.m. - Women’s Ski Slopestyle Final - Copper Mountain, Colo. 

SNOWBOARD
Sunday, Feb. 9 
10:45 a.m. - Men’s Snowboard Modified Superpipe Final - Copper Mountain, Colo. 
12:30 p.m. - Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle Final - Copper Mountain, Colo.