Torn between freeriding on some of the best snow of the season and riding an icy pipe, most local skiers and boarders chose the former, resulting in one of the smallest fields of the season in the Spirte Park Riders Sessions halfpipe on Sunday.
The small turnout was good news for the athletes, with the winner of the mens snowboard competition earning a spot in the World Snowboard Invitational at the Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival.
Tamo Campos from the Whistler Valley Snowboard Club, who usually competes in the mens 13-14 category, won the spot in the 17 and Over category with a score of 25.9 just one-tenth of a point ahead of Dan Longo.
A smaller turnout was also good for the prize draw, with competitors having about a one in 10 chance of winning new Atomic skis or a snowboard. This week Ishii Shinichiro took the skis, and Shun Inakai won the snowboard.
With the final two events of the season being cancelled, this was the last Sprite Park Rider Series event of the season.
Results:
Snowboard Novice 13 and Under
1. Brin Alexander 15.7
2. Zack Astle 11.5
3. Oscar Kirkwood 11.1
Snowboard Men 14-16
1. Yasuyuki Kobayashi 11.4
2. Takaki Hirabayashi 10.5
Snowboard Men 17 and Over
1. Tamo Campos 25.9
2. Dan Longo 25.8
3. Roberto Dibari 24.6
Ski Women 17 and Over
1. Satoko Hirano 12.1
Ski Men 17 and Over
1. Katsumi Homma 24.1
2. Kiyoshi Terada 20.9
3. Ishii Shinichiro 29.2