The first event of the Sprite Park Rider Series, held Jan. 11 in the Blackcomb superpipe, attracted close to 100 different competitors, with lots of skiers and boarders in every age group.
The skiers outnumbered the boarders in this contest as a result of the B.C. Freestyle Championship Series, which drew freestyle skiers to Whistler from around the province.
The snow on the bottom of the pipe was hardpacked and the walls were a little on the icy side, but visibility was good for most of the day and competitors made the most of the jam format. Competitors were allowed as many practice runs as they could squeeze in during the time allotted to their category as long as they squeezed in two judged runs by the end. Only the best run counted.
The highlights of the day included:
The runs by some of our top local snowboarders including Crispin Lipscomb, Ryan Rausch and Dan Wainwright;
Vinny Ligeti finishing seventh out of 20 competitors in the 17 and over category – he’s only 15 years old;
Under 13 skier Keltie Hicks clearing the walls on both sides of the pipe;
Bekki Read’s solid spins in the women’s snowboard halfpipe;
Marc Eshleman’s McTwists and 720s in the 14-16 age category to edge out the other competitors by more than eight points.
The Sprite Park Rider Series continues on Jan. 25 with a slopestyle in the Blackcomb Terrain Park. You can register in advance at any Whistler-Blackcomb guest relations or ski school sales location, until 9:45 a.m. on the day of the event in the Rendezvous Lodge, or by calling 1-800-766-0449.
Results:
Ski Boys 13 and Under
1. Joe Schuster – 26.4
2. Cameron Schuster – 24.6
3. Nick Leboe – 23.0
Ski Girls 13 and Under
1. Keltie Hicks – 23.8
2. Taylor Kirk – 22.4
3. Kara Heal – 21.0
Ski Boys 14-16
1. Austin Ross – 27.2
2. Riley Leboe – 24.9
3. Justin Dorey – 17.9
Ski Girls 14-16
1. Sarah Hogg – 13.9
2. Ashlin Tipper – 12.9
3. Emily Higgins – 12.5
Ski Men 17 and Over
1. T.J. Schiller – 26.0
2. Brendon Kelly – 21.2
3. Kevin Labatte – 19.8
Ski Women 17 and Over
1. Cat Smiley – 22.9
2. Maria Marian – 18.7
3. Adrienne Staley – 16.0
Snowboard Novice 13 and Under
1. Tamo Campos – 23.1
2. Bryan Bowles – 19.5
3. Jeremy Wallace – 18.7
Snowboard Men 14-16
1. Marc Eshleman – 23.8
2. Jamie MacFarlane – 15.7
3. Skyler Flavelle – 12.4
Snowboard Women 17-Plus
1. Bekki Read – 23.9
2. Katie Tsuyuki – 21.0
3. Molly Milligan – 17.5
Snowboard Men 17-Plus
1. Crispin Lipscomb – 27.3
2. Yves Martineau – 23.0
3. Ryan Rausch – 21.8
