PARK CITY, UT (Feb. 25, 2015) – Snowboarding Sprint U.S. Grand Prix finale action kicked off Wednesday in the King’s Crown terrain park at Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) with the Paul Mitchell snowboard slopestyle qualifications. Karly Shorr (Milford, MI), Eric Willet (Breckenridge, CO), Chas Guldemond (Reno, NV) and Eric Beuchemin (Grand Blanc, MI) threw down solid runs and will represent the U.S. in finals.
Sochi veteran Karly Shorr was the lone U.S. women’s rider to advance to the FIS World Cup finals. Teammate Ty Walker (Stowe, VT) just missed qualifying, finishing ninth. Jenna Blasman of Canada was the top women’s qualifier. Riders had to adjust their runs throughout the day due to strong winds moving in, but Shorr, who had never competed in Park City until today, was able to overcome the challenge and qualify in fourth position.
“Today was really fun,” said Shorr. “It was kind of windy, but I pushed through it and made finals. It’s a really tough field. I just missed finals at the last event in Canada, so I’m really happy to make it.”
Willet, who hasn’t competed in a slopestyle event since a crash at X Games, put together a strong run to land in the top qualifying spot for finals in heat one, with Guldemond qualifying fourth. Beuchemin secured his spot in heat two, qualifying fifth.
“Right when the run started, it got super windy, so we just had to battle that a little bit so you could take speed into the first jump,” said Willet. “You just have to be confident with your riding and go for it.”
Guldemond also had to strategize with the wind factor. The adjustments he made to his run worked in his favor.
“I had a pretty hot run planned,” said Guldemond. “I tried it the first run and almost had it, but I kind of kept my cool and adjusted a bit. I made a new plan, and then had to adjust that right in the middle of my run and go switch backside instead of cab on the first jump. It didn’t look good, but I made it around and pulled through.”
Grand Prix slopestyle snowboarding continues on Friday, Feb. 27 with finals beginning at 9:30 a.m. MST. In addition to Grand Prix podium spots, the top two men and top woman who haven’t already qualified for the Burton US Open will receive an invite to the event. Fans can live stream finals on NBC Sports Live Extra starting at 11:30 a.m. EST.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Karly Shorr, Eric Willet and Chad Guldemond qualified for the slopestyle snowboarding finals at the Spring U.S. Grand Prix in Park City, UT.
- Willet was the top qualifier for the men in heat one, with Guldemond qualifying fourth.|
- Beauchemin, who is in contention to win the overall Sprint tour title, qualified fifth in heat two.
- Shorr qualified fourth, with teammate Ty Walker just missing finals, finishing ninth.
- Finals will be live streamed on NBC Sports Live Extra on Feb. 27 at 11:30 a.m. EST.
- Shorr’s run (rails; jumps): Tail slide 270 out, gap front lip to the down, back one; switch back five, back three
- Willet’s Run (rails; jumps): Front one on half cab out, gap front 270, board slide to switch out; switch back nine, front double 10
- Women’s Final Roster: Jenna Blasman of Canada, Cheryle Maas of the Netherlands, Sina Candrian of Switzerland, Christy Prior of New Zealand, Elena Koenz of Switzerland, Karly Shorr
- Men’s Final Roster: Tuomas Pohjonen of Finland, Eric Willett, Sebbe de Buck of Belgium, Jordan Phillips of Canada, Janne Korpi of Finland, Petr Horak the Czech Republic, Chas Guldemond, Matts Kulisek of Canada, Seamus O’Connor of Ireland, Eric Beauchemin
QUOTES
Karly Shorr
Today was really fun. It was kind of windy, but I pushed through it and made finals. It’s a really tough field. I just missed finals at the last event in Canada, so I’m really happy to make it. The level of riding out here is really high. Yesterday every single girl was just throwing down on the rails. It was really cool to see that, you don’t get to see that very often.
I think I am going to try and put a back five in my run in finals and keep the switch back five. This is actually my first time ever at Park City snowboarding, so it’s been super cool and I’m looking forward to finals.
Eric Willet
Today was good. We had a really good practice. They nailed the course today. Right when the run started, it got super windy, so we just had to battle that a little bit so you could take speed into the first jump. It’s about who has good wax and who can carry an edge into the first jump. You just have to be confident with your riding and go for it.
This is my first slopestyle contest since I got hurt at X Games, so it feels good to finally put down a solid run. The course is super good, the weather is holding up and hopefully it holds on through finals.
Chas Guldemond
I had a pretty hot run planned. I tried it the first run and almost had it, but I kind of kept my cool and adjusted a bit. I made a new plan, and then had to adjust that right in the middle of my run and go switch backside instead of cab on the first jump. It didn’t look good, but I made it around and pulled through.
It’s all about your mental game. Sometimes I do better at the events that have the most staked rider list. The more pressure you put on me the better. Making finals today was an accomplishment for me for sure. To be able to get in here today and go to work on Friday, it’s great. It’s a sick event that the U.S. team puts on.
Eric Beuchemin
I made it to finals, so I’m pretty happy. But it was a nail biter for sure. The whole second field went down and I was in fifth place, so I got pretty lucky. I put down a decent run. The weather got better, so I got to kind of bump it up. I fell on my second run, so this was definitely a blessing.
I put down a mellow jump run in my first run. But then the weather got better and people started throwing down. I didn’t know I was in contention for the overall Sprint tour title until last night, so I’m pretty stoked and I think I might have it.
RESULTS
Men's qualifier results
Women's qualifier results
