Copper Mountain, CO – After winning the Dew Tour competition at Breckenridge Resort in Colorado last month, American snowboarders Jamie Anderson and Chas Guldemond again swept the slopestyle finals at the Paul Mitchell Progression Session at the Sprint U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain on Friday.
Despite snowy conditions that made for slow in-runs, Guldemond, of Reno, Nev., was able to float his signature double 1260 that earned him a winning score of 92.50.
“My first run was for the U.S. Snowboarding team and my second run was for me,” said Guldemond. “As always I try to have a good time snowboarding no matter what. It feels so good to be on top and start the Olympic qualifying period. It’s my goal to continue this success to the best of my abilities.
Finnish rippers Roope Tonteri and Peetu Piiroinen completed Friday’s men’s podium.
“The weather was tough, but back home in New Hampshire I grew it with this kind of weather and it makes you tough,” Guldemond added. “I have really been working hard to perfect my run and it is going well so far, I am happy with how my dub 12 is coming together.”
In the women’s competition, South Lake Tahoe, Calif.’s Anderson got back on track after a disappointing practice session and nailed her backside 540 mute-grab that earned her a score of 83.
“This has all been unreal, I feel so lucky. I am so grateful to be here, I have had wonderful support from the U.S. Snowboarding team and I’m truly looking forward to the adventure of the Olympic qualifying period,” said Anderson, whose winning run consisted of a backside tailslide on down rail, 50/50 on bus stop, frontside 360 mute, backside 540 mute, backside 180 indy over the big kickers. “It has been my goal to center myself from my mind, body, and to my soul and so far it has been working out for me.”
Norway’s Kjersti Buaas and Isabel Derungs of Switzerland rounded out the podium in second and third, respectively.
“I tried to ride smart and I’m really surprised to come out on the podium,” Buaas admitted. “I had a really bad crash here in practice and bruised my hip and lower back, so I took two days off but sometimes that works.”
The Grand Prix marked the first opportunity for athletes to garner Olympic qualifying points and 5Star World Snowboard Tour points. In addition to its status as a World Cup event, the competition also doubled as the U.S. Snowboarding Championships with Guldemond and Anderson taking national slopestyle titles.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
FIS Snowboard World Cup
Sprint U.S. Grand Prix – Copper Mountain, CO – Jan. 11, 2013
Snowboard Slopestyle
Men
| Rank | Bib | Name | Year | Nation | Points |
| 1 | 28 | GULDEMOND Charles | 1987 | USA | 1000.00 |
| 2 | 96 | TONTERI Roope | 1992 | FIN | 800.00 |
| 3 | 93 | PIIROINEN Peetu | 1988 | FIN | 600.00 |
| 4 | 118 | SMITS Seppe | 1991 | BEL | 500.00 |
| 5 | 2 | MORGAN Billy | 1989 | GBR | 450.00 |
| 6 | 42 | PARROT Maxence | 1994 | CAN | 400.00 |
| 7 | 103 | THORGREN Sven | 1994 | SWE | 360.00 |
| 8 | 43 | PHILLIPS Jordan | 1989 | CAN | 320.00 |
| 9 | 86 | ISHIDA Takahiro | 1984 | JPN | 290.00 |
| 10 | 80 | BRAATEN Gjermund | 1990 | NOR | 260.00 |
Women
| Rank | Bib | Name | Year | Nation | Points |
| 1 | 11 | ANDERSON Jamie | 1990 | USA | 1000.00 |
| 2 | 43 | BUAAS Kjersti | 1982 | NOR | 800.00 |
| 3 | 52 | DERUNGS Isabel | 1987 | SUI | 600.00 |
| 4 | 65 | KOENZ Elena | 1987 | SUI | 500.00 |
| 5 | 40 | PRIBOSIC Urska | 1990 | SLO | 450.00 |
| 6 | 62 | PANCOCHOVA Sarka | 1990 | CZE | 400.00 |
| 7 | 36 | LUXTON Stefi | 1991 | NZL | 360.00 |
| 8 | 29 | O BRIEN Spencer | 1988 | CAN | 320.00 |
| 9 | 38 | TORR Rebecca | 1990 | NZL | 290.00 |
| 10 | 60 | ENNE Merika | 1992 | FIN | 260.00 |