YABULI, China (March 15, 2016) – It was an American sweep at the World Snowboard Federation’s Corona World Championships of Snowboarding slopestyle event, where Brandon Davis (Mammoth Lakes, CA) took the title for the men and Jamie Anderson (South Lake Tahoe, CA) won her second title of the week. Julia Marino (Westport, CT) scored her first major slopestyle podium with a third-place finish for the ladies.
Anderson, who also won the big air world title on Sunday, linked up a technical run to take the win in slopestyle on Tuesday. Tricks like a Cab 720 to switch backside 540 and high-caliber rail riding, finessed with her trademark smooth style, earned Anderson the top spot on the podium. The 25-year-old from Tahoe capped off a stellar season after recovering from a broken collarbone in early December; Anderson’s season included the two WSF World Champion titles, an X Games silver medal, her third-consecutive U.S. Open title and three World Cup wins.
Jamie Anderson plays in the WSF World Championships slopestyle course.
Marino officially made it a breakout year with her podium at the World Championships, after winning the Polartec Big Air at Fenway event in February for her first major win. At just 18 years old, Marino became the first woman ever to land a double in slopestyle competition and she landed not one, but two in the same run—a Cab double underflip on her first jump and a double backflip on her last jump. Marino, who didn’t land her first two runs, had to face the pressure of putting it together on her third and final run, but she didn’t hold back with a safety run. “I fell on my first two runs so the pressure was on for my last one,” Marino said. “I’m so glad I was able to put it down; I’m just flowing with happiness right now. I didn’t do the double wildcat in practice but I really felt it because I did a bunch of singles on the jumps.”
Karly Shorr (Milford, MI) finished ninth, Kirra Kotsenburg (Park City, UT) was 10th and Jessika Jenson (Rigby, ID) was 12th.
The WSF World Championship title was Davis’ second major win of the season, after taking the top spot on his home turf at the Mammoth U.S. Grand Prix in February. “Today was interesting, I was just having a lot of fun,” Davis said. “I had fallen on my first two runs and I was still having a ton of fun up there – that’s really what snowboarding’s about. I kept my energy high and my expectations low and it ended up working out for me.” Davis also gave props to his teammate Chas Guldemond (Reno, NV), who won the last World Champion title in 2012. “The only thing that blows my mind is the last person that won this contest was Chas Guldemond, and Chas is a legend.”
Eric Beauchemin (Grand Blanc, MI) had a great performance, finishing just off the podium in fourth. Nik Baden (Steamboat Springs, CO) was 10th and Ryan Stassel (Anchorage, AK) finished 12th.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Jamie Anderson won the women’s slopestyle WSF World Championship title: Cab 720, switch backside 540, frontside 720, backside 180, half Cab to noseslide 270 out, switch lipslide, boardslide 270 out, 50-50 backside 180 out.
- Brandon Davis won the men’s slopestyle WSF World Championship title: frontside 1080, backside 1260, Cab 1260, crippler, boardslide to 50-50 to frontside 360 out, frontside 180 switch 50-50 to Cab 360 out, half Cab to 50-50 to backside 360 out, stall to opposite 270 out, backside 180 to 50-50 to switch backside 180 out.
- Julia Marino scored her first major slopestyle podium with third for the women: Cab double underflip, backside 360, double backflip, boardslide, 50-50 to frontside 360 out, 50-50, frontside lipslide to 270 out.
QUOTES
Brandon Davis
Today was interesting; I was just having a lot of fun. I had fallen on my first two runs and I was still having a ton of fun up there – that’s really what snowboarding’s about. I kept my energy high and my expectations low and it ended up working out for me. I wasn’t really expecting much; I’m just being too chill I guess. I was just trying to land the run that I had planned. It ended up working out in my favor today and I’m super grateful. The only thing that blows my mind is the last person that won this contest was Chas Guldemond, and Chas is a legend.
Julia Marino
This is one of the best snowboarding experiences I’ve ever had in my life. I’ve been visualizing my run for so long. I fell on my first two runs so the pressure was on for my last one and I’m so glad I was able to put it down. I’m just flowing with happiness right now. I didn’t do the double wildcat in practice but I really felt it because I did a bunch of singles on the jumps. It’s such an awesome feeling. I really look up to (Jamie Anderson and Enni Rukajarvi) for riding—I always have since I was little—and getting to be on the podium with them is an amazing feeling, an amazing experience.
RESULTS
Men’s and women’s slopestyle
