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7th August 2010

Challenging, snowy conditions didnt prevent the worlds top halfpipe riders from raising the bar in the finals of the Volkl NZ Freeski Open halfpipe competition Saturday at Cardrona Alpine Resort.

 
Taylor Boosting first hit...                                                                image: Camilla Stoddart

Taylor Seaton of the United States narrowly edged out Wanaka local Byron Wells in the mens final. Canadas Noah Bowman rounded out the podium.

 
Byron Wells

Taylor and Byron showed the most amplitude of all the riders, said Head Judge Rafael Regazzoni. In the end the difference for Taylor was that he was able to combine more tricks in his run and was slightly better technically.

Regazonni specifically pointed to Seatons huge alley-oop 900 as a difference-maker. Byron went huge, but he missed out on his final hit and that cost him, said Regazzoni.  And Noah threw a big double flare but was unable to land it cleanly.

In the womens halfpipe final, Megan Gunnings final run score of 94.25 separated her from the rest of the field. Wanaka local Janina Kuzma was second, and US rider Jamie Crane-Mauzy was third.

 
Megan Gunning, battling the snowy conditions to take Gold

Megan threw down a huge cork 1080, a trick that not many women can pull off, said Regazzoni. She was impressive. It was a fantastic halfpipe but the conditions made it difficult for everyone.

Wanaka locals Ryan Read and Raphael Beazley finished 18^th and 19^th, respectively, in the mens final. After Kuzma, the top New Zealand women were Mikey Austin (5^th) and Hannah James (7^th).

Combined Podium - Janina Kuzma, Byron Wells, Meg Gunning, Taylor Seaton, Noah Bowman, Jamie Crane-Mauzy

The Bolle Young Gun Awards went to Canadas Gunning (1^st); Nick Goepper of the US (2^nd) and Jonas Hunziker of Switzerland (3^rd).

The Volkl NZ Freeski Open continues on 16 August with the North Face Big Mountain Competition at Treble Cone.