Sandbech & Prior win the BEO 2015 slopestyle title
With perfect timing, the clouds cleared at the BEO in Laax for the slopestyle finals, and with the semi-finals cancelled, it was a big 2-run take down, to work out who would walk away with this years slopestyle titles
After two days of variable and stormy conditions, Laax woke up to a stunning bluebird day for the Men’s and Women’s Slopestyle Finals at the Burton European Open presented by MINI. Christy Prior (NZL) and Stale Sandbech (NOR) went away as the 2015 BEO Slopestyle Champions and US$ 15.000 richer.
Since eliminations were cancelled both Thursday and Friday due to weather, today meant all invited riders had their chance at the title. 16 women and 32 men had two runs to impress the judges with their best tricks on the pristine SnowPark course.
It was Christy Prior from New Zealand who put together a beautiful first run complete with a frontside 540 nosetap to half Cab, frontside 50-50, straight air to frontside 540, Cab underflip melon, frontside 720 melon and a backside 540 indy, scoring an 84.00. Prior went away with the BEO slopestyle title at her first time at the event. “I am super stoked!” said Prior. “It’s my first time here, and I had a great week riding fresh powder, and today with bluebird skies—it’s been awesome.”
Holding strong behind Prior, was 2014 Slopestyle Olympic Gold Medalist, from South Lake Tahoe, CA, Jamie Anderson. Her run, consisting of frontside 360 nosetap to backside 180, switch tailside 270 out, switch straight air to Cab 360 out, Cab 540 mute, frontside 720 mute and a backsid 540 indy, scored her a 78.55. Coming in third with a 75.20 was Finland’s Enni Rukajärvi, stomping a clean second run including a backside 180 tailtap to half Cab, tail press backside 180 out, switch straight air to switch backside 180 out, frontside 720 mute, backside 540 stalefish and a Cab 540 mute.
The men lined up after the ladies, and they were ready to throw down for the BEO title. It was anybody’s game up until the final few runs when Stale Sandbech (NOR) and Mark McMorris (CAN) went head to head. While McMorris held on to his first run score of an 85.60 settling into the top spot throughout the finals, Sandbech came back with a flawless last run, scoring a 91.40. McMorris was last to go, but couldn’t hold on, settling in second with an 85.60. Sandbech’s run included a frontside 540 nosetap to Cab 540, frontside blunt 270 out, double crippler indy, backside 1260 mute, Cab 1260 melon and a frontside 1080 indy, landing him his first BEO Slopestyle win. “I wanted to be on the podium so bad and I knew it would be hard with so many good riders,” said Sandbech. “Laax is a very special place for me because I had my first international contest here years ago.”
McMorris’ run was solid as well and included a Millerflip to backflip 1080 indy, hardway Cab 270 on, half Cab to backside 540 indy, switch backside 1260 mute, frontside double cork 1080 mute and a backside double cork 1080 indy.
Torstein Horgmo (NOR) also had a solid run score of 83.25, locking in a switch Millerflip to Cab 540, fronstide 270 on, alley-oop 540 nose, Cab double cork 1080 melon, switch backside 1260 melon and a frontside double cork 1080 mute, which was enough for third.
BEO 2015 Women’s Slopestyle Finals (Top 10)
1. Christy Prior, NZL, ROCKSTAR, 84.00
2. Jamie Anderson, USA, OAKLEY, 78.55
3. Enni Rukajärvi, FIN, BURTON, 75.20
4. Cheryl Maas, NED, ROCKSTAR, 70.10
5. Ty Walker, USA, RED BULL, 68.55
6. Silje Norendal, NOR, NIKE, 66.40
7. Yuka Fujimori, JPN, BURTON, 63.65
8. Sina Candrian, SUI, LAAX, 59.40
9. Aimee Fuller, GBR, ROXY, 57.80
10. Elena Koenz, SUI, VOELKL, 49.05
BEO 2015 Men’s Slopestyle Finals (Top 10)
1. Stale Sandbech, NOR, OAKLEY, 91.40
2. Mark McMorris, CAN, BURTON, 85.60
3. Torstein Horgmo, NOR, DC, 83.25
4. Niklas Mattsson, SWE, ROME, 80.85
5. Peetu Piironinen, FIN, GIRI, 80.75
6. Sven Thorgren, SWE, OAKLEY, 80.35
7. Tyler Nicholson, CAN, ROCKSTAR, 79.80
8. Kyle Mack, USA, OAKLEY, 78.50
9. Jamie Nicholls, GBR, NIKE, 77.15
10. Marcus Kleveland, NOR, VOLCOM, 76.45
From burton.com/beo