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Top honours for British boarder at the NZ opens

Sat 11 August 07

Dangerous conditions means the winners of the semis Jenny Jones and Mason Aguirre are crowned slopestyle champs

Gale force winds and a full winter storm hampered proceedings of the Slopestyle contest at Snow Park NZ, Wanaka, at the TTR FIVE(5) STAR Burton New Zealand Open. Despite infrastructure and organization in premium condition, Mother Nature closed in, forcing the cancellation of the Slopestyle Finals. High winds and low visibility sparked safety concerns forcing organizers to declare Semi-Finals results, by TTR World Snowboard Tour Protocol, as the final result of the event, leaving Mason Aguirre(USA) and Jenny Jones(GBR) with their first TTR FIVE(5) STAR titles in their 07/08 Tour Title challenge.

Disappointment can only be measured by the quality of the Snow Park NZ slopestyle course and depth of talent of the participating Riders qualified for the final’s showdown. However rider’s safety is paramount and it did not stop outstanding riding through qualifications and Semi-Finals.

In a class performance, Dan Brisse(USA) added another 3rd place slopestyle finish, following his 3rd place at the opening TTR FIVE(5) STAR event last month, the Burton Abominable Snow Jam, pushing him into World #6. Sensation of the contest, coming out off nowhere, was Alessandro Boyens(GER), who blew people away with a rarely seen double axis rotation claiming a TTR career high 2nd placing. Edging Boyens out for first place by meagre 0.5 point margin was Mason Aguirre(USA) claiming his first career TTR FIVE(5) STAR title, $5000 cash and 850 TTR Ranking Points. Aguirre’s Burton New Zealand Open slopestyle title, added to the results posted at the 07/08 season opening TTR FIVE(5) STAR event, the Burton Abominable Snow Jam, sees him push into an early season TTR Tour lead. The first time he has held the penultimate Tour position.

After a delayed start for the Women’s slopestyle semi-final, a small gap in the weather allowed the 21 Semi-Final competitors to throw down in a two-run, best-run count format. Opening her TTR Tour Championship defence, Torah Bright(AUS) pulled off a respectable 4th place in her first event of the season, and looked like warming up for the finals that did not arrive. Hana Beaman(USA) staked a place on the podium, narrowly behind an impressive Claudia Fliri(SUI) who pulled in 800.95 TTR Ranking points and moving her into the TTR Women’s Top 10. But it was a jubilant Jenny Jones(GBR) that lead the Semi-Finals and claimed $5,000 cash, 850 TTR Ranking points and her second career TTR FIVE(5) STAR title for her endeavours.

In posting her third TTR FIVE(5) STAR result of the season, Beaman pushed into the TTR Tour lead, putting a 100 plus point gap between her and previous leader, Kelly Clark(USA).

Action continues tomorrow at the Burton New Zealand Open at Snow Park NZ, when the Men’s and Women’s Halfpipe Finals are scheduled. A complete domination of US Riders in both genders in the TTR Top 5 and another 850 TTR Ranking Points are up for grabs tomorrow, early season Tour lead jostling is guaranteed

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