Aspen/Snowmass Open comes to a close
The Aspen/Snowmass Open wrapped up on Sunday, 13th of February, after an exhibition of some really impressive runs by the next generation skiers on Winter X Games (WX) course. The men’s ski SuperPipe event was won by Jonny Marks from Park City whereas the
women’s SuperPipe saw Kimmy Sharpe as the victor. In the Slopestyle discipline, Tim McChesney from Montana landed the first position in the men’s contest whereas the Canadian Kristi Johns from Colorado prevailed in the women’s Slopestyle.
Since its inauguration in 2005, the Aspen/Snowmass Open is held on the Winter X Games course. The significance of the Aspen/Snowmass Open lies in the fact that it is an Open freestyle skiing event with an extremely crucial role in creating an interest for
the sport in the younger generation. Freestyle Skiing does not get as much publicity as other sports, so it comes down to these events to create awareness and increase its’ survivability.
The Aspen/Snowmass Open wrapped up on Sunday with the SuperPipe competition. The young guns exhibited a lot of potential while competing on the WX course.
It was the unsponsored skier from Utah, Jonny Marks, who clinched the top position in the men’s SuperPipe event with the score of 91.2. His run included a right flare mute, left 1260, right 9, tail gran, left 10 tail grab, switch alley oop 7 and mute grab.
The young gun was participating in his first contest since his ACL surgery and was extremely glad to have achieved victory. He also received $5000 as prize.
Evan Schwartz came in second with 89.2 and was awarded $ 2500. Brian Kish landed at third with 87.3, winning $ 1500.
Kimmy Sharpe triumphed over the rest of the field in women’s SuperPipe after pulling off a 540, alley oop, 540 and a 720. This run earned her a winning score of 88.
“I was stoked to land my second run,” said Sharp. “It's a really nice pipe. And it was awesome to compete against a handful of really good girls.”
Canada’s Shannon Gunning landed in second to take home $750. Glenwood Spring’s Analisa Drew placed third and took home $ 300.
The Slopestyle final had taken place on Friday on the six-feature WX Slopestyle course, where the best skiers in the world were seen in an intense battle for gold a few days ago.
Utah’s Tim McChesney managed to best his competition in the men’s Slopstyle after throwing a double cork 10, rightside rodeo 9 and a switch double 10. The second position went to Canada’s Jamieson Irvin and Norway’s Ole Christian Mustad finished third.
“It's the best slope course I've ever skied,” said Mustad. “You see it in movies and on TV, but I have so much more respect now that I've skied it. It's even tighter than I imagined.”
As far as the ladies’ Slopestyle final’s result was concerned, KristI Johns from Winter Park, Colorado, managed to impress the judges with her prowess on the rails which included the 720, leftside 360 and rightside 360 on the upper section of the rail and
bottom features. Pennsylvania native Catherine Warchal and Canada’s Dara Howell filled up the second and third spot on the podium respectively.
With the event over, the X Games SuperPipe and Slopestyle course are open to the public now. It is time for the young skiers to live their dream of skiing on the same course as their idols.
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