Vito, Farrington, Dorey and Groenewoud Win Grand Prix

December 13th, 2010


Byron Wells at the USA Halfpipe Grand Prix, Copper Mountain. Image:: Courtesy Snowsports NZ

USA Halfpipe Grand Prix

The USA’s Louie Vito and Kaitlyn Farrington claimed the USA Halfpipe Grand Prix snowboarding top spots at Copper Mountain on the weekend 11 – 12 December while Canadians dominated the skiing with Justin Dorey and Rosalind Groenewoud taking the honours in the inaugural ski halfpipe Grand Prix.

Touchingly the Canadian duo are boyfriend and girlfriend and the victory double happened on Groenewoud’s 21st birthday. Dorey secured fist place over team mate Mike Riddle (second) and the USA’s Simon Dumont (third) with a double cork 1260 and a nearly flawless run, despite slow conditions in the pipe

In the snowboarding Louie Vito’s was the only run of the day to include two double corks, which gave him the edge over team makes Luke Mitrani (second) and Scotty Lago (third). The women’s field was noticeably missing the majority of the sport’s biggest names, Torah Bright, Gretchen Bleiler and Hannah Teter but 20 year old Farrigton, who beat the USA’s Kelly Clark (second) and Japan’s Rana Okada (third) earned her top podium finish.

New Zealand’s Byron Wells represented skiing Down Under, working up to a seventh place finish from a ninth place qualifier with a solid run that included switch 1080. Younger Wells brother Beau-James finished 33rd in the field of 68. Older brother Jossi elected to sit out the Grand Prix but is expected to start in the first stop of the Winter Dew Tour in Breckenridge on 16 December.

Men’s snowboard final results
1. Louie Vito, U.S., 27.9
2. Luke Mitrani, U.S., 26.7
3. Scotty Lago, U.S., 25.5
4. Matt Ladley, U.S., 25.3
5. J.J. Thomas, Breckenridge, 25
6. Kohei Kudo, Japan, 24.3
7. Kazumi Fujito, Japan, 23.7
8. Zack Black, Breck., 22.9
9. Nathan Johnstone, Aus., 22.1
10. Spencer Shaw, U.S., 21.9
11. Brett Esser, Breck., 21.8
12. Benjamin Farrow, U.S., 19.9

Women’s snowboard final results
1. Kaitlyn Farrington, U.S., 28.3
2. Kelly Clark, U.S., 26.8
3. Rana Okada, Japan, 24.2
4. Soko Yamaoka, Japan, 23.4
5. Holly Crawford, Aus., 22.5
6. Queralt Castellet, Spain, 20.9
7. Ellery Hollingsworth, U.S., 18.8
8. Sarah Conrad, Can. 18.1

Men’s ski results
1 Justin Dorey CAN 48.0
2 Mike Riddle CAN 47.3
3 Simon Dumont USA 45.3
4 Tucker Perkins USA 44.5
5 Antti-Jussi Kemppainen FIN 44.3
6 David Wise USA 42.0
7 Byron Wells NZE 41.2
8 Thomas Krief FRA 40.8
9 Torin Yater-Wallace USA 37.6
10 Benoit Valentin FRA 36.9
11 Patrick Baskins USA 33.8
12 Dan Marion USA 31.5

Women’s ski results
2 Jen Hudak USA 44.6
3 Jess Cumming USA 41.3
4 Brita Sigourney USA 39.5
5 Dania Assaly CAN 38.9
6 Jamie Crane-Mauzy USA 38.3
7 Anais Caradeux FRA 36.0
8 Maddie Bowman USA 34.1
9 Kimmy Sharp USA 32.5
10 Angeli VanLaanen USA 26.2
11 Keltie Hansen CAN 16.2
12 Devin Logan USA 15.2