U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix: Vito and Clark three-peat

By Published On: December 13th, 2008Comments Off on U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix: Vito and Clark three-peat

The U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix, presented by Sprint, kicked off the season Saturday at Copper Mountain, CO. Overall champions Louie Vito and Kelly Clark, both Americans, won their third Grand prix halfpipe competitions in a row.


The U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix, presented by Sprint, kicked off the season Saturday at Copper Mountain, CO. Overall champions Louie Vito and Kelly Clark, both Americans, won their third Grand prix halfpipe competitions in a row.

Vito’s twin runs included back-to-back 1080s, back-to-back 900s and a straight air. Upping the amplitude of his second run put it out of his competitor’s reach. Teammate Steve Fisher took second, over coming a first-run fall and Antti Autti of Finland finished third.

For the women, Clark signed her name to the two highest scoring runs of the day. Japan’s Soko Yamaoka, the only international female rider to make the finals, capitalized by taking second. Olympic gold medalist Hannah Teter came out of  a one-season hiatus from competition, straight to a podium, landing in third. The podium finish is a win-win, for Teter and the people of Kirindon, Kenya, a village she is donating her winnings to.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2009 U.S. SNOWBOARDING GRAND PRIX – PRESENTED BY SPRINT
Copper Mountain, CO – Dec. 13, 2008

Men’s Halfpipe
1. Louie Vito, Sandy, UT, 47.20
2. Steve Fisher, Breckenridge, CO, 44.00
3. Antti Autti, Finland, 43.60
4. Daniel Friberg, Switzerland, 43.40
5. Dustin Craven, Canada, 42.00

6. Andy Finch, Truckee, CA, 41.60
15. JJ Thomas, Golden, CO, 33.70
17. Broc Waring, Edwards, CO, 31.50
18. Danny Davis, Highland, MI, 28.30
19. Ross Baker, Squaw Valley, CA, 20.30

Women’s Halfpipe
1. Kelly Clark, West Dover, VT, 43.20
2. Soko Yamaoka, Japan, 37.60
3. Hannah Teter, Belmont, VT, 37.50
4. Madeline Schaffrick, Steamboat Springs, CO, 36.60
5. Elena Hight, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 32.30

6. Gretchen Bleiler, Aspen, CO, 29.30
7. Kaitlyn Farrington, Bellevue, ID, 24.20
8. Clair Bidez, Minturn, CO, 17.70


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About the Author: Pete Rugh