Ski, snowboard

BEO 2015 - Hardcore Conditions

Crap Sogn Gion mountain did not see a single ray of sun today either; after cloudy skies hanging over the valley for two days straight, the weather seems to go from bad to worse. However, that couldn't stop some of the world-class riders from going big. While the Hawaiian theme atmosphere is kept mainly indoors as the wind and snow make it hot for everybody, today's Halfpipe elimination runs did not lack the proper Hawaiian flow and everybody went into overdrive from the start.

30. 1. 2015 Photos: 18

Due to strong winds and almost zero visibility, the slopestyle runs had to be cancelled and postponed to Saturday. Visibility around the 6,9 meters high superpipe wasn't good either, not to mention ongoing snowfall that have been covering Laax since Wednesday's night. Fortunately enough, the brand new superpipe features an artificial lightning, which enabled spectators to actually see something and pipe riders, who after a long discussion with organizers received a greenlight, pull off sick tricks everybody was looking forward to.

First off were a field of riders compromising of 31 men. Each rider had two runs from which the best score counted to get into the final ten (women were represented in less numbers and only 6 out of 16 got into the finals). I especially liked French killer Arthur Longo, who is a joy to watch. Style, air and flow, he has it all. Iouri Podladtchikov is a machine. Technical combos alternated with huge airs, this guy's riding is super strong. I was also looking forward to the 15 year old who almost beat Shaun White at the last X Games, Ayumu Hirano. This kid is very talented and was flying through the air like a ripe plum. He finished 9th as he didn't score well in his first run and had to play it safe in his second but I think we will yet to see best of him in the finals, his airs are massive.

Arthur Longo and his stylish method

Iouri Podladtchikov

Girls killed it too. Apart from a solid performance of Kelly Clark, the gold medalist from Sochi, Kim Chloe or Queralt Castellet did not disappoint either. Especially young Spanish female rider looked super strong and her run consisting of frontside 9 or backside 540 put her into lead and thus straight to Sunday finals. Stay tuned!

Kelly Clark going big

local female rider Nadja Purtschert made it also to the final six

Kim Chloe

BEO 2015 Halfpipe Elimination Men Results

1 Pates Jake, USA - 84.50pt
2 Podladtchikov Iouri, SUI - 82.50pt
3 Gold Taylor, USA - 81.25pt
4 Longo Arthur, FRA - 80.75pt
5 Ravnjak Tim-Kevin, SLO - 77.50pt
6 Habluetzel David, SUI - 77.25pt.
7 Scherrer Jan, SUI - 75.75pt
8 Haller Christian, SUI - 74.75pt
9 Hirano Ayumu, JPN - 73.50pt
10 O`Connor Seamus, IRL - 73.25pt

BEO 2015 Halfpipe Elimination Women Results

1 Castellet Queralt, ESP - 71.25pt
2 Clark Kelly, USA - 68.75pt
3 Kim Chloe, USA - 67.50pt
4 Purtschert Nadja, SUI - 67.00pt
5 Thovex Mirabelle, FRA - 66.75pt
6 Crawford Holly, AUS - 63.75pt

Photos: © Dave