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
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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
