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News, Articles and Results of the
Philips US Open 2004 Snowboard Competition

(If you missed the Opens, THERE'S ONLY ONE PLACE YOU CAN SEE THEM NOW on DVD!
Highlights of the 2004, 2003, and 2002 US Open Snowboarding Championships)

Report from the Philips US Open 2004 -Snowboarding
  by Lauren Traub Teton

  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
US Open 2004 Rail Jam Results from Friday, March 19, 2004

US Open 2004 Halfpipe Results from Saturday, March 20, 2004
US Open 2004 Slopestyle Results from Sunday, March 21, 2004

 
Competitors Wait at Pipe

(Articles courtesy of Burton Snowboards)

US Open 2004 Rail Jam Results from Friday, March 19, 2004

RAHM KLAMPERT AND LEANNE PELOSI WIN PHILIPS US OPEN RAIL JAM

Stratton Mountain, VT - Rahm Klampert and Leanne Pelosi conquered the custom-built rail setup at tonight's Philips US Open Rail Jam, the first finals competition of snowboarding's pinnacle event.

This year's event included women for the first time, with twenty men and nine ladies competing in the one-hour jam. The contest featured one wide artificial urban setup with bleachers on the left and right, giving the thousands of spectators a killer view of the action. The rail setup itself had seven different features with stairs separating them.

Leanne Pelosi was the first female Rail Jam winner in Open history, holding it down for the ladies with an amazing session. She earned the $6,000 check with her 270 on the down-flat-down rail. Tonight's Philips US Open Rail Jam Championship is the first major title Alberta native Leanne has won and she was super excited about it. "I really didn't expect to win," said Leanne. "All the girls killed it and were riding so well, and it was so much fun to ride in front of such a big crowd." The other girls were definitely riding strong and made Leanne work for her first place spot. Erin Comstock had a bunch of strong runs, including a frontside boardslide down the flat round bar and a gap to backside smith down the big box. Natasza Zurek, who placed third, definitely earned her spot on the podium with a boardslide to frontside boardslide on the flat-down box.

As for the men, Rahm Klampert was up against tough competition with defending 2003 Philips US Open Rail Jam Champion Travis Rice in the lead during the first half of the jam. Travis was riding super strong, nailing numerous 270 combos and gapping from the takeoff of the down ledge to the bottom of the down-flat-down, all with the on-point smooth style he's known for.

But in the second half of the jam, Rahm took over with a 50/50 to frontside 540 off the flat of the down-flat-down box. After winning tonight's rail jam title and an Open slopestyle title in 2002, Rahm is one of the few US Open competitors to win two different Open events in the contests' 22 year history. "It was awesome to win," said Rahm. "I think it was the 50/50 that put me ahead of Travis - he was riding super well."

Two other riders got big props for their performance at the rail jam. Vermont native and up-and-comer Chris Rotax and dark horse Marie-France Roy both walked away from the hill $2,500 richer for winning the SoBe Sick Trick Award. Chris' gap 450 to frontside boardslide 180 out on the down ledge and Marie-France's frontside boardslide on the big ledge clinched the award for the riders. To go along with the cash, the Sick Trick winners also took home a Philips Camera Key Ring.

Right after the awards ceremony, the huge rail jam crowd was in for a big surprise when Wu-Tang Clan members Ghostface Killah and Cappadonna put on an hour-long show on the Philips Key Ring Concert Stage.

2004 Philips US Open Rail Jam Results

WOMEN'S RAIL JAM

1st - $6,000 Pelosi, Leanne
2nd - $1,000 Comstock, Erin
3rd - $1,000 Zurek, Natasza
4th - $1,000 Levac, Priscilla
5th - $1,000 Maas, Cheryl

MEN'S RAIL JAM

1st - $6,000 Klampert, Rahm
2nd - $1,000 Rice, Travis
3rd - $1,000 Rotax, Chris
4th - $1,000 Caldwell, Wyatt
5th - $1,000 Cronk, Cory

SoBe Sick Trick Award Winners- $2,500 and Philips Camera Key Ring

Chris Rotax (M)
Marie-France Roy (F)

 

KELLY CLARK & DANNY KASS WIN PHILIPS US OPEN HALFPIPE

March 20, 2004

Stratton Mountain, VT - Kelly Clark and Danny Kass are the 2004 Philips US Open Halfpipe Champions, each taking home $20,000, a Philips Audio Jukebox and one of snowboarding's most coveted titles. Both Kelly and Danny are no strangers to the US Open podium, with Kelly clinching her second Open halfpipe title and Danny landing his third Open halfpipe championship.

The competition was definitely one of the most exciting of the snowboarding season. Tens of thousands of spectators lined the pipe and energized the riders. Fans came from as far away as Chile just to see superstars like Ross Powers, Danny Kass, Hannah Teter and Kelly Clark ride.

The ladies started out the contest with a 45 minute jam session in an overcast, icy pipe. Hannah Teter, Kjersti Buaas and up-and-coming Japanese rider Junko Asazuma were definitely crowd favorites, going huge and pushing their riding to new levels. But it was the backside 5 to frontside 5 combo and large frontside 7 grab that put Kelly Clark at a level all her own, landing her in the top podium spot. Stratton Mountain local and Olympian Tricia Byrnes placed second with her seasoned skills and consistent trick combinations and Norwegian Stine Kjeldaas came in third.

Now that Kelly has won the Open halfpipe competition twice and the quarterpipe contest once, she's leaving her mark on the US Open history books. Today's Philips US Open title adds to the long list of events Kelly has won this season, including two Vans Triple Crowns, the Nippon Open, the World Superpipe Championships and a USSA Grand Prix in New Jersey. Kelly says it's focusing on fun that has been the secret to her success this season: "It's super important to remember that the reason we're all here is to have fun snowboarding, and that's what makes the contests even better."

The men's competition was all about landmark moments. Danny Kass threw down one of the best runs of his season, stomping his unbeatable back-to-back1080 combo that won him the 2002 Open halfpipe title and today's halfpipe contest.

Then Ross Powers stepped to the plate and landed his first back-to-back 1080 in a contest finals. Terje Haakonsen, (say Ter-yay) one of the most recognized and influential riders in snowboarding, the only other rider in Open history to win three US Open halfpipe titles, made a surprise appearance in the halfpipe contest after a three-year absence from the Open, treating the crowd to one poached run after another during the finals competition. DCP (David Porcheron), Abe Teter and Heikki Sorsa were also having fun robbing runs during the halfpipe finals, even though they weren't technically competing.

To round out the podium, 2004 X Games Champion Steve Fisher took second for his smooth and consistent trick combinations and 2004 World Superpipe Champion Keir Dillon won his second third place Open halfpipe title with his super smooth style and amplitude. And snowboarding history was made when Danny Kass threw down one of the best runs of his career, becoming one of only two riders in the event's 22 year history to win three US Open halfpipe titles.

When asked about how it felt to be one of only two riders in the world to win three US Open halfpipe titles, Danny responded, " It just feels surreal, and it hasn't kicked in yet. Before I decided to come to the Open, Pat Bridges (editor of Snowboarder Magazine) talked to me about the history of the event and convinced me to come. So I thought since I was here, I'd make a little US Open history of my own."

Following the awards ceremony, Bronx born DJ Funkmaster Flex took to the Philips Key Ring Concert Stage and spun for the tens of thousands of snowboard fans who came out to see the halfpipe finals. Highly respected in the hip-hop community for his No. 1 radio show on New York's Hot 97 and collaborations with artists like Naughty by Nature, Erykah Badu, Missy "Midemeanor" Elliott and Busta Rhymes, Funkmaster Flex was a huge hit with the crowd.

2004 Philips US Open Halfpipe Finals Results

MEN'S HALFPIPE

1st - Kass, Danny - $20,000 & Philips Audio Jukebox
2nd - Fisher, Steve - $10,000 & Philips Camera Key Ring
3rd - Dillon, Keir - $5,000 & Philips Audio Key Ring MP3 Player
4th - Aguirre, Mason - $2,000
5th - Powers, Ross - $1,500
6th - Kokubo, Kazuhiro - $750
7th - Brunner, Therry - $500
8th - Schmidt, Christophe - $250
9th - Hoffmann, Xaver - $250
10th - Nakai, Takaharu - $250
11th - Lamoureux, Justin - $250
12th - Finch, Andy - $250
13th - Ishihara, Takahiro - $125
14th - Caldwell, Wyatt - $125
15th - Moore, Pat - $125

WOMEN'S HALFPIPE

1st - Clark, Kelly - $20,000 & Philips Audio Jukebox
2nd - Byrnes, Tricia - $10,000 & Philips Camera Key Ring
3rd - Kjeldaas, Stine - $5,000 & Philips Audio Key Ring MP3 Player
4th - Teter, Hannah - $2,000
5th - Bidez, Claire - $1,500
6th - Bright, Torah - $750
7th - Elena, Hight - $500
8th - Asazuma, Junko - $250

 

US Open 2004 Slopestyle Results from Sunday, March 21, 2004

LANDMARK MOMENTS MARK THE 22nd ANNUAL
PHILIPS US OPEN SNOWBOARDING CHAMPIONSHIPS

RAHM KLAMPERT, LEANNE PELOSI, KELLY CLARK, DANNY KASS, PRISCILLA LEVAC AND JAKE BLAUVELT ALL CLINCH CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES

Sunday March 21, 2004, Stratton Mountain, VT

The 2004 Philips US Open wrapped up today with the slopestyle finals and Nick GAS Junior Jam events. Up-and-comers Priscilla Levac and Jake Blauvelt won the slopestyle contest, both claiming the first major contest titles of their careers. And Danny Kass won the Jeep Most Outstanding Athlete award and a pimped-out Jeep® Wrangler Unlimited for winning the men's halfpipe, placing fourth in the slopestyle event and making a strong showing in the rail jam contest.

The weekend was filled with landmark moments. Women competed in the rail jam for the first time, throwing down and showing the huge crowds how far women's snowboarding has progressed. Kelly Clark won the halfpipe event and joined the elite group of two-time US Open halfpipe champions, increasing her recent winning streak to six major contest titles this season alone.

In today's slopestyle contest, the weather held for the women's finals, but took a major turn for the worse by the time the men's contest started. But the women got lucky, and Kelly Clark, Priscilla Levac and Hana Beaman took advantage of the break in the weather. Kelly and Priscilla both threw down super solid runs with Kelly nailing a cab 3, cab 180, backside 3 and backside 7 indie on the jumps and showing smooth style on the rails.

Priscilla also rode really strong and nailed a cab 5, backside 3, a straight air and frontside 5. The two runs were so close that the judges had to deliberate for several hours before making a final decision. In the end, they gave the first place spot, the $20,000 and a Philips Audio Jukebox to Priscilla. Kelly Clark took second and went home to her nearby hometown of West Dover, Vermont $30,000 richer. Hana Beaman, the 2003 Philips US Open slopestyle champion, claimed the third spot on the podium.

Just as the women wrapped up, the bad weather rolled in. Full on blizzard conditions socked in the mountain and the course practically turned into a powder run by the time the men's competition wrapped up. But the riders still charged and definitely earned their prize money. Stowe, Vermont local Jake Blauvelt put together a solid run with a frontside 7, cab 7, switch backside 5, backside 5 and a frontside railslide to 270 out on the bottom rail. Jake's run won him the contest, $20,000 and a Philips Audio Jukebox and he was super stoked. "I've never even won a Vans Triple Crown or a Grand Prix," said Jake. "I didn't even expect to land because there was so much snow, so I can't believe I won." Travis Rice, who's used to plenty of powder after growing up in Jackson Hole, took second, rounding out his weekend's winnings to $11,000 after placing second in the rail jam as well. And German rider Christophe Schmidt took third place.

Before the slopestyle event, there was plenty of action in the superpipe as well with the future stars of the sport getting down to business in the Nick GAS Junior Jam. Ellery Hollingsworth and Ross Baker took the top spots and went home with a Philips Camera Key Ring. Highlights from the Junior Jam will air on Nick GAS.

Not only was the level of riding off the hook at this year's event, the musical acts also put on a killer show. Wu-Tang Clan's Ghostface Killah and Cappadonna took to the Philips Key Ring Concert Stage on Friday night after the rail jam. And Bronx born DJ Funkmaster Flex, known for his No. 1 radio show on New York's Hot 97, performed after the halfpipe finals and kept Saturday night partiers dancing late into the night.

The Open Snowboarding Championships are the pinnacle snowboarding events of the season. Founded by Jake Burton, the Opens have grown from grassroots events to global spectacles attracting tens of thousands of spectators and riders from around the world. The Opens welcome all riders to compete, giving locals, amateurs and pros an equal shot at a world-class title. With events spanning three continents, The Burton European Open, Nippon Open in Japan and the Philips US Open in Vermont set the standard for snowboarding events around the globe.

To re-live all the action, check out Philips US Open coverage on NBC on April 11, 2004 from 1:30-3:00 pm EST.

2004 PHILIPS US OPEN FINAL RESULTS OF ALL COMPETITIONS

WOMEN'S RAIL JAM

1st - $6,000 Pelosi, Leanne
2nd -$1,000 Comstock, Erin
3rd - $1,000 Zurek, Natasza
4th - $1,000 Levac, Priscilla
5th - $1,000 Maas, Cheryl

MEN'S RAIL JAM

1st - $6,000 Klampert, Rahm
2nd -$1,000 Rice, Travis
3rd - $1,000 Rotax, Chris
4th - $1,000 Caldwell, Wyatt
5th - $1,000 Cronk, Cory
SoBe Sick Trick Award Winners-
$2,500 and Philips Camera Key Ring
Chris Rotax (M)
Marie-France Roy (F)

WOMEN'S HALFPIPE

1st - Clark, Kelly - $20,000 & Philips Audio Jukebox
2nd - Byrnes, Tricia - $10,000 & Philips Camera Key Ring
3rd - Kjeldaas, Stine - $5,000 & Philips Audio Key Ring MP3 Player
4th - Teter, Hannah - $2,000
5th - Bidez, Claire - $1,500

MEN'S HALFPIPE

1st - Kass, Danny - $20,000 & Philips Audio Jukebox
2nd - Fisher, Steve - $10,000 & Philips Camera Key Ring
3rd - Dillon, Keir - $5,000 & Philips Audio Key Ring MP3 Player
4th - Aguirre, Mason - $2,000
5th - Powers, Ross - $1,500

WOMEN'S SLOPESTYLE

1st - Levac, Priscilla - $20,000 & Philips Audio Jukebox
2nd - Clark, Kelly - $10,000 & Philips Camera Key Ring
3rd - Beaman, Hana - $5,000 & Philips Audio Key Ring MP3 Player
4th - Macleod, Jamie - $2,000
5th - Zurek, Natasza - $1,500

MEN'S SLOPESTYLE

1st - Blauvelt, Jake - $20,000 & Philips Audio Jukebox
2nd - Rice, Travis - $10,000 & Philips Camera Key Ring
3rd - Schmidt, Christophe - $5,000 & Philips Audio Key Ring MP3 Player
4th - Kass, Danny - $2,000
5th - Emond, Tyler - $1,500

BOY'S JUNIOR JAM

1st - Baker, Ross - Philips Camera Key Ring
2nd - Tomlinson, JJ - Philips Camera Key Ring
3rd - Ladley, Matthew - Philips Audio Key Ring MP3 Player

GIRL'S JUNIOR JAM

1st - Hollingsworth, Ellery - Philips Camera Key Ring
2nd - Beerman, Elizabeth - Philips Camera Key Ring
3rd - Shaw, Brooke - Philips Audio Key Ring MP3 Player
 

"Let's Ride!"

 

 

 

 

 

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