Guldemond Tops U.S. in First Olympic Qualifier

BRECKENRIDGE, CO. (Dec. 15) – X Games gold medalist Chas Guldemond (Reno, NV) finished fifth and secured the top U.S. spot in the first-ever slopestyle snowboarding Olympic qualifier at the Dew Tour iON Mountain Championships Sunday. Top-qualifier and favored U.S. athlete Shaun White (Carlsbad, CA) sat out the event because of a sprained ankle he re-aggravated during the halfpipe final on Saturday. Guldemond takes 1000 qualification points into the second of five qualification events, the Sprint U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain Dec. 21-22.

HIGHLIGHTS

• X Games gold medalist Chas Guldemond (Reno, NV) finished fifth and secured the top U.S. spot in the first-ever slopestyle snowboarding Olympic qualifier at the Dew Tour iON Mountain Championships Sunday.
• Sage Kotsenburg (Park City, UT) and Brandon Davis (Mammoth Lakes, CA) finished sixth and seventh in the final, but went to second and third in the U.S. Olympic qualifications standings.
• Top-qualifier and favored U.S. athlete Shaun White (Carlsbad, CA) sat out the event because of a sprained ankle he re-aggravated during the halfpipe final on Saturday. White finished second in the halfpipe final.
• The final produced some of the most progressive tricks ever performed in competition, with Canadian Mark McMorris stomping a triple cork 1440 and winning with a score of 97.80. McMorris posted a 95.00 in the first round–a full four points above the rest of the riders–so he had nothing to lose when he threw down the triple cork.
• Guldemond's first and highest-scoring run: Front board 180 out, half cab onto the wall ride 180 out, switch backside 900, double back rodeo, half cab on to the box, back lip on the rainbow rail, cab double cork 1260, backside double cork 1080.
• Kotsenburg’s run: Half-cab nose-press backside 180, cab 270 stalefish, frontside 1080 nose, backside double cork 1080 nose-to-tail, backside 180 off chicken coop, switch tail 270 on rainbow, switch backside 720, cab double cork 1260 Japan.
• Selection to the Olympic snowboarding team will be made from athletes who have a top-four finish against the entire field in the selection events. Those athletes will be ranked with their best two of five qualifying events using World Cup scoring (1,000 point scale) comparing only USA athletes.
• Guldemond takes 1000 qualification points into the second of five qualification events, the Sprint U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain Dec. 21-22.

QUOTES
Chas Guldemond
I didn’t get the training I wanted to coming into the event. I really just wanted to be smooth and solid, land my runs and post up a good score. I did that and there’s more in the tank.

It really hasn’t set in yet, but it’s a good feeling. At Copper I’ve got to start working on those big tricks because the end goal is a podium in Sochi. So, I’ve got to get to work.

Sage Kotsenburg
I didn’t want to go all out and do a crazy run. I just wanted to try being one of the top two or three Americans. It’s just better to land a run than to go all out and fall here. I’m stoked to at least be in second.

RESULTS
Men’s Final Results

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