Powers Wins Halfpipe at U.S. Open

The riding was amazing. It always is, but the rest of the US Open halfpipe event was not what we're used to (or was it?) The crowd was a little thin and way too subdued. Blame it on the painfully slow pace of the head-to-head format, because griping about Stratton's security is an old bitchline. Behind the barrier fence, the US Open crowd was not too fiery, but on the other side-in the pipe, the pipe finalists ripped shit apart. The main event, held in the well-shaped pipe was a very tedious exercise reminding the riders that this event is not theirs, they're just the entertainment. Between each run, all day there was a minimum 2 minute lapse. Basically, the crowd was standing around all day waiting.

The energy and spontaneity of the jam format was traded in for the more digestable-for-TV head to head. Nonetheless, the riders flung themselves and the Vermont crowd whooped and cheered. They love it here. We all witnessed a firestorm of riding, but the day really belonged to three people. Daniel Franck, Katsuhiro Kobuko, and Ross Powers. Daniel Franck charged into the pipe like a man possessed. Amplitude was on his side, as he strung together combos like nine to ten spins, backed up with huge airs to fakie and one of the most stylish McTwizzlers in the whole game. Daniel's riding struck fear in the sideline fans-grunting and growling as he spun way overhead.

This little Japanese kid was the talk of the town in the hours following the pipe final. And with good reason, he rode so fluid and stylish, so bionic and ridiculous, that the whole crowd and even the other finalists were freaking out over the unknown, pint-size powerhouse. McTwist in the fifteen to eighteen-foot range. No joke. He followed up with corked frontside nines in the ten to twelve foot range. With each successive run, Every wall, Kokubo went higher, and the crowd went wilder. But Ross Powers was just dominating with solid, consistent runs all day, so he won. It was ripster, dude.

Today we have the slopestyle going down. The sun is out and the weather is perfect for a slopestyle jam, Check back later for the 411.

Get the full schedule here.

View the U.S. Open Photo Gallery here.

Mens Results:
1. Ross Powers
2. Kazuhiro Kokubo
3. Daniel Franck
4. Steve Fisher
5. Shaun White
6. Andy Finch
7. Tyler Emond
8. Magnus Sterner
9. Lunn Halvor
10. Vinzenz Lueps
11. Danny Kass

Womens Results:
1. Gretchen Bleiler
2. Natasza Zurek
3. Hannah Teter
4. Kelly Clark
5. Tricia Byrnes
6. Stine Kjeldaas

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