Kelly Clark continues her domination of pipe contests at Nike Open in Breckenridge
America’s Kelly Clark came up with an outstanding performance to clinch top honours in women’s snowboard super-pipe Finals at the first stop of 2011-2012 Winter Dew Tour, Nike Open, which went down at the Breckenridge Ski Resort in Colorado, America, on
Saturday, December 17.
Her compatriot Gretchen Bleiler put on a pretty solid performance to finish in runner-up place, while the promising Chinese talent Xuetong Cai finished third to complete the podium.
The 28-year-old Clark enjoys a legendary status when it comes to women’s snowboard pipe contests. Almost a week after emerging as the winner at U.S. Grand Prix, the Vermont-based rider made her way to Breckenridge Ski Resort to defend her title against a
line-up of talented female riders from around the globe at the first stop of 2011-2012 Winter Dew Tour.
Getting a direct place in the Finals, Clark found herself pitted against five other in-form riders to battle for the highest spot on the podium. The American rider fell during her first run, but came back strongly in her second run to post a 91.25 on the
score-board and walk away with victory. The run comprised of a front inverted 720, cab 720, front-side 540, back-side 540, front-side 900 and a back-side air.
The 30-year-old Bleiler had taken an early lead in the Final after an excellent first-run that featured a crippler, back-side 900, front cork 720, cab 720, straight air, back-side 540. The run had earned her a score of 90.25. However, she was unable to improve
on her first-run score and therefore had to settle for second place after Clark was done with her sensational second run.
“We were only one point away so that’s a really close one, so I’m bummed because of that,” said Bleiler in her post-Final interview. “But I’m psyched because it’s a beautiful day and the pipe was so amazing today. That will just fuel the fire to make sure
we’re not so close next time.”
The 18-year-old Cai continued to establish herself as one of the most promising talents from China after scoring 85.00 points off her best run to secure a place on the podium.
The women’s snowboard super-pipe Finals turned out to be pretty intense even though the fate of the top spot on the podium was pretty predictable. With two more stops still to go in the current edition of Winter Dew Tour, it would be interesting to see if
female rider manages to step up to Clark and give the American a real run for her money.
The 2011-2012 Winter Dew Tour will be makings its next stop, Pantech Invitational, at Killington, Vermont, in January next year before heading to Ogden, Utah, in February for the final event, Toyota Championships.
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