Mammoth Mountain, CA (Sunday, January 26, 2003) - Tommy Czeschin (Mammoth Lakes, CA) has been right there all season, but finally put it together Sunday in his home pipe winning the second stop of the Vans Triple Crown with 90.5 points. Fellow U.S. Snowboard team member Gretchen Bleiler (Snowmass Village, CO) racked up 94 points for two wins in seven days after taking last weekends Continental Cup in nearby June Mountain.

Also doubling up on podiums this week was Olympic champ Ross Powers (South Londonderry, VT) with 85.5 points after nabbing the No. 2 spot at June Mountain, while top qualifier Joe Eddy (Steamboat Springs, CO) was third with 81.25 points. On the women’s side it was red-hot Hannah Teter (Belmont, VT), who turns 16 Monday, finishing four points off Bleiler followed by Lisa Wiik of Norway with 86.25 points.

“I finally pulled it together,” said Czeschin, the ’02 Vans Triple Crown Champion. “All year I’ve been a little hesitant on my tricks, but today I just went for it and landed everything smooth. It was a lot of fun to ride well at my home pipe and to get the win in front of my family.”

Huge walls during training were shaved down for competition day because they were “too big.” But sunshine and 40 degree temps highlighted a perfect pipe as Czeschin nailed a winning run headlined by a huge corked nine to a cab 540 followed by a corked seven to cab seven complete with smooth grabs on each hit.

“During training the walls were way too big at 22 feet,” said Czeschin, “but the guys did a great job smoothing out the bumps and getting it ready for today. It was almost like spring conditions and I’m feeling really confident going into next weekends X Games after finally getting this win.”

“It was a super duper pipe,” said Bleiler, the women’s Vans Triple Crown Champion from last season. “It was just ridiculous the first day of practice with bumps everywhere, but today the weather was beautiful and these are my favorite conditions to ride in.”

The trip to California was good to Bleiler after taking her second win in as many contests from the Golden State. After perfecting her crippler during the second stop of the Chevy Truck U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix, Bleiler stomped a perfect run that included a backside 540 to frontside 540 capped with her now second nature crippler.

VANS TRIPLE CROWN - (Second Event)
Mammoth Mountain, CA – Jan. 26

Men’s Halfpipe
1. Tommy Czeschin, Mammoth Lakes, CA – 90.5
2. Ross Powers, South Londonderry, VT – 85.5
3. Joe Eddy, Steamboat Springs, CO – 81.25
4. Halvor Lunn, Norway – 80
5. Wyatt Caldwell, Sun Valley, ID – 78.25

Women’s Halfpipe
1. Gretchen Bleiler, Snowmass Village, CO – 94
2. Hannah Teter, Belmont, VT – 90
3. Lisa Wiik, Norway – 86.25
4. Stine Brun Kjeldaas, Norway – 79.25
5. Molly Aguire, Mammoth Lakes, CA - 77