Swiss snowboarder Ursina Haller took victory in a closely fought women’s halfpipe final at the O’Neill Evolution in Davos.

“I didn’t expect to win,” said Ursina. “I was hoping for top five or top three – so I am even more stoked with the win!”

The sun came out for this first day of competition at the O’Neill Evolution 2010 to highlight the impressive halfpipe riding from the women. “The pipe was really good and the weather worked for us too today. We had a good time,” said Ursina.

Her winning run of 84.5 from her first run of the final, consisted of a FS 5 into a BS 5, a Stalefish, a BS air, and a FS 7 at the bottom.

“The whole vibe of the competition was not to put too much pressure on the riders,” she said. “We had so much fun in the qualifications, which was a jam session, so it felt like you were riding with your friends. Then in the finals we had three runs too, so we just continued to have fun!”

18-year-old Slovakian snowboarder Cilka Sadar – the youngest rider in the final – was surprised but delighted with her second place finish – after coming from fifth on her final run.

“I wasn’t nervous because I got fifth in the qualifiers and then before the final run I was also fifth. So I didn’t really expect to do that good,” said Cilka. “I am clearly better when I am not that nervous!”

Finishing off the top three was another Swiss rider, Manuela Peska, who finished in first place in the qualification round, and with her consistent runs ended the competition in third place.

Although finishing 6th, Sarka Pancochova was the one partying the hardest at the award ceremony – with each of the top eight finalists receiving a bottle of champagne – as she maintains her Swatch TTR World Tour lead.

Dutch rider, Cheryl Maas moved up to second place, and now the world number three is Cilka Sadar.

With women competing at the O’Neill Evolution for the first time in three years, it proved a decisive and important stop on the Swatch TTR World Tour.

“When I saw that women were back at Eovlution on the TRR page I was really stoked,” said the winner Ursina. “It’s not far from my home, and I always thought it was a great event – with the halfpipe and having it in the village. Hopefully they have it again here next year – that would be great!”

Tomorrow the halfpipe opens to the men – when the qualification round begins at 11am.

FINALS RESULTS
1. ($8,000) Ursina Haller (SUI)
2. ($6,000) Cilka Sadar (SLO)
3. ($4,000) Manuela Pesko (SUI)
4. ($4,000) Kjersti Ostgaard Buaas (NOR)
5. ($2,000) Caroline Beliard (FRA)
6. ($1,000) Sarka Pancochova (CZE)
7. ($500) Nadja Purtschert (SUI)