Wednesday, March 19

2003 US Open Slopestyle Finals

By Glen Seelenbrandt
EXPN.com

Spring came out in full force to support Sunday's slopestyle finals at the 21st annual US Open Snowboarding Championships. Sunny skies and 60 degree temps may have thrown the board tuners into a tizzy, but not the spectators.

The action was hot right from the start. Some of the early contest standouts included JP Solberg, Alex Soroken, and Danny Kass. Solberg had a solid run which included a switch 900 and some 270 rail dancing. Soroken also came with his friends Mr. cab 900 and Senor frontside 720.

Kass had a near flawless run with 720s, 540s and perhaps the raddest rail trick of the day, a cab noseslide flipped over to a frontside noseslide. However, as good as those runs were, none would reach the podium.

Flying pirate tomato in the sky, Shaun White, on his way to first place during the 21st US Open Slopestyle competition.

After a round of first runs that were marred with lots of butt checks and ground patting, the gang turned up the volume in the second round. Last year's winner Rahm Klampert, put on another strong showing. Switch rails, backside 720, 540, and a cab 900 were all controlled and styled.

Nate Sheehan, who just a few weeks ago won the Triple Crown's overall points series, came out to prove that he is no fluke. Get this line -- backside 720, switch backside 540, frontside 900, and a cab 1080 -- good lord man! His cab 1080 would go on to win the best trick prize.

Travis Rice took his last run and made a charge. Smith grind 180 off the first rail, cab noseslide the second, huge backside 180, cab 900, backside 900, and a frontside 720 to end it. That could have been the end of it all, but Shaun White still had one run left.

Let's dissect Shaun's run for a second -- Cab noseslide 270 out, noseslide to frontside slide to revert, switch 540, frontside 720, backside 720, and an inverted cab 900. Now I know what your thinking, "how do you judge between the three scorching runs of Sheehan, Rice and White?"

Let's just say that the determining factor was that White's run was about a smooth as a baby's butt. And that's that my man, you just can't front on the steez.