Ripzone Invitational draws top snowboarding talent
The World Ski and Snowboard Festival is one of the few events out there that actually lives up to the hype, and few events are as hyped as the WSSF.
There are so many bands to see and things to do that you’d have to be an insomniac with ADHD to catch even half of the festival, but there are a few key items on the itinerary that no self-respecting snow sports enthusiast is going to want to miss.
The Ripzone Snowboard Invitational, a new event for the WSSF, kicks off the festival with some of the top pro riders from North America and Europe in big air and superpipe contests.
The big air training begins on April 12, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the village base of Whistler Mountain. The warmup, and start of the concert, takes place on Saturday between 3 and 4 p.m.. The competition starts at 4 p.m. and will run until around 6 p.m.
The list of competitors was chosen by an advisory panel of riders and industry people, including Adrian Millar from Ripzone, U.S. halfpipe rider Rob Kingwill, Canadian big air champion Kevin Sansalone, Sean Lake from Burton, and Mark Taylor and Lindsay McWilliam from MASEV Communications.
Sansalone was going to compete in the big air, but was sidelined recently with a knee injury while park jumping in California. "I overshot a gap and landed pretty hard on my knee," says Sansalone, who rides for Vancouver-based Option Snowboards. "It’s not completely wrecked but it’s enough to keep me out for the weekend. I was looking forward to it."
Although he can’t jump, he did give perspective on some of the riders participating in the Big Air this weekend.
Alex Auchu, Whistler – "He’s this super good, French Canadian kid who goes big. He’s a prodigy of (pro snowboarder) J.F. Pelchat, and one of the new kids coming up from here. He lives in Whistler now."
James Beach, Calgary – "He’s a really good ripper who is just amazing in all events. He’s good in the halfpipe, in quarterpipes, in slopestyles, big air contests, everything."
Dionne Delesalle, North Vancouver – "He’s a really good friend of mine from North Vancouver, and one of the Wildcats."
Guy Deschenes, Whistler – "Another French Canadian kid, representing the 418 crew."
Jonas Emery, Switzlerand – "I don’t know him super well. I know he’s pretty crazy, a good racer, and does well in every contest."
Jesse Fox, Collingwood Ontario – "I don’t know him that well, just that he’s young and talented."
Scott Gaffney, Calgary – "Just a good kid from Alberta and a good all around rider. He’s good in the backcountry, boardercross, big air, all of it."
Stefan Gimpl, Austria – "Good in big air, wins a lot of contests."
Rube Goldberg, Whistler – "Another local up and comer. He’s good at everything too, freeriding and big air."
Max Henault, Quebec – "I don’t know him that well." He was third this year in the big air at the Red Bull Huckfest at Snowbird, Utah.
Roger Hjelmstadstuen, Norway – "He was second in the big air last year. He’s good in big air and he’s good in contests. He pioneered the frontside 1080."
Risto Mattila, Sweden – "I don’t really know him."
David Melancon, Whistler – "Local guy. He’s a ripping up and comer, too. That guy is riding so good he could win both the big air and halfpipe contests."
Mike Page, Whistler – "An awesome French Canadian rider that’s living here. He had a serious injury last year, but he came back."
Mike Rencz, Whistler – "A local kid who is really young and really good. He’s part of the next generation that’s coming out of here."
Travis Rice, Jackson Hole, Wyoming – "He’s a new guy, and is winning a lot of contests. He won the X-Games this year. He’s just a big, powerful rider."
Todd Richards, Breckenridge, Colorado – "He really needs no introduction. He’s Todd Richards."
Paavo Tikkanen, Finland – "Super cool, and a funny guy to be around. Crazy partier."
Aleksi Vanninen, Finland – "I don’t know him, but he’s supposed to be pretty good."
Eddie Wall, Mammoth, California – "A cool kid from Mammoth. He’s always happy, always having fun, and he’s a good rider. He’s really good in the slopestyle."
Missing from the list is Montana’s Andrew Crawford, who is also out with an injury.
On deck to replace injured riders are Josh Chapman, Tadashi Fuse, Daniel Migneault, Eero Niemela, Lukas Huffman, Max Jenke, J.F. Pelchat, Marc-Andre Tarte, Benji Ritchie, Buillaume Brochu, Risto Scott and Ian Bolden.
The big air competition will be accompanied by the music of Los Angeles band Breakestra, New York DJ Seanski, and Canada’s The New Deal.
Training for the Superpipe takes place on Friday, April 12, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The qualifier takes place on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the Superpipe Finals are on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Following the Superpipe, there will be a rider-judged SuperHit competition where competitors are judged on a single trick.
Both the qualifier and finals of the Superpipe will use the jam format, which allows riders to hike the pipe over and over again to give them a chance to throw down their best run.
The following athletes were invited to compete, although the field will likely change as walk-ons snap up places in the qualifiers: Gabriel Authier, James Beach, Therry Brunner, Guy Deschenes, Keir Dillon, Jonas Emery, Andy Finch, Andrew Hardingham, Stefan Karlson, Rob Kingwill, Justin Lamoureux, Risto Mattila, David Melancon, Mike Michalchuk, Daniel Migneault, Eero Niemla, Ross Powers, Todd Richards, Aleksi Vanninen, Ben Wainwright.
