Monster Wins For Monster Athletes

Monster Energy would like to congratulate for Henrik Harlaut for an incredible win in Men’s Ski Slopestyle Finals at the Dew Tour in Breckenridge, Colorado. All eyes were on Men’s and Women’s Slopestyle Finals and Monster Energy athletes were out in full force raising the bar on competitive slopestyle skiing.

The men’s field of 12 skiers were first to take the course under grey-bird skies and brisk temperatures. The field was stacked with the best slopestyle skiers in the world all working towards Dew Tour glory, while also hoping to earn points towards making their respective countries’ Olympic teams. It was a big day, and everyone pulled out all the stops on the massive seven-feature course.

Harlaut stood out and was by far the most consistent skier of the day putting up a first run score of 90, and then outdoing himself and the rest of the field with a massive second run score of 95.

His insane style, massive tricks, and super creative trick combos were fan-favorites, and highly regarded by the judges. His second run included a bevy of mind-blowing tricks on the rails, and ended with a gigantic switch double 1620 on the bottom money booter.

Harlaut was beaming after his run, and said, “I’m feeling so great!” When asked if he was under pressure to stomp the 1620, he said, “I don’t feel pressure, it’s more like motivation. I’ve never done a trick like that in a contest, and I’ve only ever done it twice, so it feels really, really, good! I’m super, super stoked, I can’t believe it, thank you!” he exclaimed.

Landing just outside of the podium were Monster Energy Athletes; Evan McEachran who placed 4th, Gus Kenworthy placed 6th, James Woods in 7th, and Colby Stevenson claimed 11th.

Right after the men’s big show, the women’s field took to the course with the top eight skiers laying it on the line. The sun came out, and the course was super fast. Maggie Voisin, 19, of Whitefish, Montana, came out swinging in her third run and put down a massive run, which included three different 900s, including one switch 900. This was enough to boost her into 4th place, just outside of podium contention. Double threat Devin Logan who competes in both Halfpipe Slopestyle, and finished fourth in Halfpipe was also in finals and placed in 8th.

In snowboard slopestyle Monster Energy’s Max Parrot wom his first Dew Tour title scoring a 97.00 on his second run. Teammate Jamie Anderson took second and secures spot on the U.S. Olympic team.

Parrot(CAN) has been competing at the Dew Tour for many years and is no stranger to the podium, but winning his first Dew Tour title was significant even though he already pre-qualified to represent the Canadian Olympic Team.

“I’ve been competing at the Dew Tour for seven years, and while I’ve got second and third, getting that first place spot has always been on my checklist,” said Parrot.

After scrubbing his first run washing out on the last jump, as per usual the mild mannered Canadian made no waves as he casually dropped in to the highly technical course and stomped his second run. Firing things off with a gap to 270 boardslide and a backside 360 to 270 off on the upper rails. Now speeding toward the first jump backwards he set up for a switch backside double cork 900 before spinning three and a half times for a cleanly stomped backside double cork 1260. The fun had only just begun though as he checked his speed for a quick tailslide to 270 out on the middle rail. Now riding switch he floated “mellow” cab 900 double cork before sending the judges minds whirling as he unloaded a fontside triple cork 1440 mute.

With the stakes raised, not only was the prestigious Dew Tour title on the line this year, but the event also doubled as an Olympic qualifier for U.S. athletes. For Anderson, who took gold in 2014 at the Sochi Olympics in the inaugural Slopestyle event, the competition was not only a chance to further her legacy as one of the best women slopestyle riders of all-time, but it was also a bid to secure a spot on the 2018 U.S. Olympic team, which she successfully did.

Though snow conditions were much improved thanks to a quick snowstorm earlier in the week, riders had to contend with flat light as the event began under a blanket of grey skies. Because of that, a total of eight women and twelve men then set out to battle not only their nerves and fellow competitors, but also the very contours that define the inventive course. With two upper rail sections followed by two jumps, riders then had to contend with a middle rail feature before sending it home with two final kickers at the bottom of the course.

First up were the women and as imagined many had a difficult time with the light either over or under-shooting the jumps due to lack of depth perception. For Anderson though, it was apparently just another day at the office as on her first run she put down a 93.33, a score that held up for two more runs en route to securing second place.

Beginning with a gap to front board and a boardslide to 270 off, Anderson then charged towards the first jump throwing down a lazy style backside 540. She followed this with an equally stylish cab 540 mute grab. Though conditions were tough, it appeared as though she could have been riding with her eyes closed considering her effortless demeanor.

After a mellow 50/50 with a backside 180 out on the middle rail, she then stomped a switch backside 180 and a frontside 720 indy grab on the last two jumps, but unfortunately Spencer O’Brien beat her score with a 95.00.

“The flat light made it extremely challenging to get through the course today,” she said before humbling confessing, “I’m just grateful to have put a run down.”

With Anderson and Parrot on top of their game both are locked in to represent the U.S. and Canada for their respective Olympic teams. That said, as two of the most decorated and progressive competitive snowboarders in the world, could this be a preview of what’s to come in PyeongChang, South Korea in February?

Monster Energy would also like to congratulate Cassie Sharpe for earning the win in Superpipe Finals at the Dew Tour on Friday, December 15th in Breckenridge, Colorado. This marks Sharpe’s first Dew Tour win and first major win of the season.

The action got underway bright and early under gorgeous blue skies in the pristine 22’ superpipe. Following Men’s Superpipe Finals, the field of eight women took to the pipe with all the skiers laying it all on the line. As the third qualifying event on the road to the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, every trick needed to be landed perfectly in order to be in podium contention.

After qualifying first on Thursday, Sharpe, 25, was on the top of her game. She put down a big first run score of 88. While this score kept her in podium contention, she took the lead with her second run, which earned a massive 93.66. This was enough to keep her in first throughout the rest of the three-run contest.

Her amplitude, coupled with technical trickery, wowed the judges and catapulted her into the top spot. Her run was one of cleanest and most stylish of the event and showcased the pinnacle of women’s superpipe skiing.

Following the event, the British Columbian native was thrilled with her performance and said, “This is definitely a pretty big boost, it feels so good to go in there and land the hard run I’ve been working on for a long, long time.”

She noted that qualifiers were a hard part of the overall contest and credits her first place finish there as a huge boost to her overall confidence for today’s finals. “Qualifying was definitely tough,” she admitted. “I so was happy to qualify first, that once I got to finals, I felt like I could actually breath again.”

This is a big win for Sharpe who is now one contest closer tor securing a spot on the Canadian Olympic Team.

Sharpe’s Monster Energy teammate Devin Logan also skied solidly in the contest, and earned 4th place for her efforts.

This concludes the ski Superpipe Finals at the Dew Tour,