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New faces on the podium at Nike Slopestyle

Competitors raised the bar once again at the Nike Series Slopestyle last weekend (March 24), going bigger and better at every opportunity. It was a field of mostly familiar faces, with a few newcomers among the 70 athletes to keep things interesting.

Competitors raised the bar once again at the Nike Series Slopestyle last weekend (March 24), going bigger and better at every opportunity. It was a field of mostly familiar faces, with a few newcomers among the 70 athletes to keep things interesting.

In the skiing categories, the Amateur 15 and Under contest went to local Kye Petersen, followed by Austin Ross of Pemberton and Cyrus Narabi of West Vancouver.

The Amateur 16 and Over category was an all local affair led by Brett Crabtree, and followed by Matthew Hickey and Alex Miyazaki. With a 720, a 360 grab, perfect railslides, and an inverted jump with skis crossed over the final kicker, Crabtree finished with a final score of 32.1. Hickey answered back with a 540 and a 360 cross with a grab in the lower section, but still finished half a point back of Crabtree.

The women’s Amateur 16 and Over category went uncontested to local Danielle Cates.

In the snowboard competition, Vancouver’s Mike Hole edged out Whistler Valley Snowboard Club star and Nike Series veteran Vinny Ligeti by one point in the Junior 12 and Under field. Matt Cathers, the winner of the last Nike Slopestyle and another WVSC rider, finished third by 0.2 points.

In the amateur women’s 13 to 17 contest, Lindsey Corrigan of Revelstoke was the girl to beat with a pair of solid runs. Judy Swens of Sechelt finished second, followed by WVSC rider Sarah Kopinya.

The men’s 13 to 17 contest fell to a couple of North Shore kids, David Riccio and Graeme Samodien. Vancouver’s Rob Hole, Mike Hole’s older brother, finished third.

The amateur women’s 18 and Over category went uncontested to Whistler’s Mikako Okayama. The top women’s pro was Ming Kao of Burnaby.

In the men’s snowboarding 18 and Over group, Tatsuya Miyazaki and Nishio Kazumasa of Whistler finished first and third, while Surrey’s Kevin Hume was second.

Andy Cantelon of Whistler was the top pro, followed by Yan Isabelle of Garibaldi Highlands and local Ryan Rausch.

The Nike Series is on hold until May to give the World Ski and Snowboard Festival a little breathing room. The Nike season wraps up with a halfpipe and slopestyle on May 5 and 6.