The Burton US Open in Vail last week marked the finals of the Women’s World Snowboard Tour for the 2012/2013 season and with the slopestyle finals cancelled, Sarka Pancochova had the best standing in the ranking, earning her the slopestyle crown while Kelly Clark’s domination in the pipe had made it clear all week that there is no one more entitled to the halfpipe crown than her.
Big congrats to both girls, who have continued to push the boundaries of female snowboarding and proven their style as well as their skills several times. Keep it up girls, we wanna see even more next year!
And here some first statements from the two from the official press sources:
Sarka showed consistency throughout her season in both Slopestyle and Halfpipe, coming second at the X Games Slopestyle contest in Aspen. Though not many female riders compete in both Slopestyle and Halfpipe regularly, Sarka did beat competitors like second placed Enni Rukajärvi (FIN), third placed Silvia Mittermüller (GER) and last year’s Champion Cilka Sadar (SLO), who came in fourth this year. ’’I have been working really hard this season, training and competing, it’s the best reward to be the World’s top woman overall snowboarder, then all the hard work pays off!’’
Kelly dominated today’s contest right from the start, grabbing the win with her first run; A Frontside 1080 Indy Grab into a Cab 720 Mute followed by a Lien Air, Backside 540 Mute Fronside 720 Stalefish grab, working every inch of the Halfpipe.
This was Kelly’s 61st win in a Halfpipe contest, an absolute world record. It is her 3rdWorld Snowboard Tour title, and her second consecutive in the Halfpipe category.
‘’It is always a great feeling to be awarded, even if it is the 61st time… All the girls riding pipe, like Hannah and Arielle and I today, will continue to push the sport. It’s great to be the Halfpipe champion, I didn’t win all the contests this year but I won the right ones and it was enough to get me the title.”
