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Six Americans Qualify For U.S. Open Slopestyle Finals

By Andrew Gauthier
February, 27 2019
Julia Marino at Vail
Julia Marino at the 2019 Burton U.S. Open slopestyle semi finals. (Burton U.S. Open - Gabe L Heureux)

The 37th annual Burton U.S. Open kicked off Wednesday at Vail Mountain Resort in Colorado with slopestyle semi finals, and four American men qualifying through to finals.

U.S. Snowboard Pro Team member and 2018 PyeongChang Olympic slopestyle gold medalist Red Gerard (Silverthorne, Colo.) qualified in the top spot and will drop last in finals. He put down two clean runs, bettering his score on his second run with super technical and clean rail combinations up top including a boardslide 810 out. He took full advantage of the speed on the course putting down a switch backside 1260 mute, to frontside double cork 1080 Indy, and finishing with a backside triple cork 1440 mute.

“I’m psyched I made it to finals especially with such a heavy crew and all my buddies," said Gerard. "I was super psyched on the course, it was one of the better courses I think we’ve ever ridden—the mandatory side hit [transition feature] is probably my favorite feature.”

Teammate Lyon Farrell (Haiku, Hawaii) qualified sixth, U.S. Rookie Team member Luke Winkelmann (Blowing Rock, N.C.) qualified seventh, and Brock Crouch (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) closed out the qualified group of athletes in 10th. Chris Corning (Silverthorne, Colo.), who currently leads the FIS World Cup slopestyle standings, was unable to land his run and did not advance to the finals.

For the women, they had a difficult task ahead of them in the semi final round of competition with only six women making it through to the finals. Last year’s bronze medalist Julia Marino (Westport, Conn.) qualified second, and Hailey Langland (San Clemente, Calif.) qualified fifth. Both Langland and Marino will compete in the final round of competition on Friday. Defending U.S. Open Champion Jamie Anderson (S. Lake Tahoe, Calif.) finished seventh and was unable to qualify through to finals.

Competition will continue tomorrow with men’s and women’s halfpipe semi-finals. Tune in live at BurtonUSOpen.com and Red Bull TV.

HOW TO WATCH
Subject to change
All times EST
Live webcasts on BurtonUSOpen.com and Red Bull TV

SNOWBOARD
Thursday, February 28

12:00 p.m. - Women’s halfpipe semi-finals - Vail, Colo.
2:30 p.m. - Men’s halfpipe semi-finals - Vail, Colo.