Simon Dumont Rules The Honda Ski Tour

J Dogg — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 17:03:20 -0400

Rating

The Halfpipe side of the inaugural Honda Ski Tour (THST) concluded today at the fourth and final stop in Squaw Valley USA, CA. Skier Halfpipe competitor Simon Dumont made history Saturday by winning his third Honda Ski Tour Halfpipe title to clinch the overall Tour title as THST Halfpipe champion and a brand new Honda Element. Dumont scored a 93.50 on his second run to win the Squaw Valley USA stop and another $25,000 giving him a total of $80,000 in earnings from The Honda Ski Tour.

THST is North America’s new elite, four-stop mountain festival and skiing competition that features the world’s best halfpipe and ski cross skiers competing for a total of $500,000, the biggest purse in skiing and a brand new Honda Element as the overall Tour champion.

Unlike the first three THST stops, sunny skies and temperatures hovering around 60 degrees in Alpine Bowl at Squaw Valley USA welcomed halfpipe competitors to the pipe that had just been constructed a week ago. A mass of spectators basked in the sun lining the deck of the pipe and the corral finish area and were treated to a world-class display of halfpipe skiing.

New Zealand’s Jossi Wells, 16, who made his second THST appearance after breaking his collarbone six weeks ago at the Winter X Games, scored an 87.25 on his first run starting with a massive flair nose grab into consecutive 900s (the first rightside and the second leftside) followed by a rightside 540 and a 1080 tailgrab.

Carbondale, CO, native Peter Olenick, who placed 2nd at THST stop #2 in Breckenridge, CO, did not attempt his signature double whiskey flip on his first run electing to save it for his second run. Canadian Mike Riddle, who sat in 2nd in the overall Tour standings heading into the event, threw a 1080 to a switch 720 at the end of his first run putting him in second behind Wells after the first run prior to Dumont’s first run. Dumont dropped in for his first run and wowed spectators and himself by soaring higher than the 20-foot Honda tower marker with a cork 540 lead mute grab followed by a rightside 540 mute to a huge 1260 to a an alley-oop flatspin 900. (Keith Carlsen/MSI photo)

“Honestly, today was the first time I’ve ever been scared skiing into a halfpipe wall,” said the 20-year-old Maine native following his historic victory. “I got my skis waxed in the morning and they put this powder stuff on them right before my run, and I went so fast into the wall and popped as hard as I could.”

On the second run, Olenick landed his massive double whiskey flip off the first hit matching the height meters and followed that up with a 900 tailgrab and 1080 tailgrab jumping Riddle in the standings with a score of 84.75, which put him in third place earning $7,500. After Wells crashed on his second run, Dumont had a victory run and did not disappoint throwing the same first run but with increased amplitude to score the highest run of the day with a 93.50.

Following the competition, 2nd place finisher ($15,000) Jossi Wells, making only his second appearance in a halfpipe since his injury asserted, “This competition has got that professional feel about it, but it’s also really relaxed and chilled. This is the Cadillac of new ski competitions. I love coming here and hopefully I’ll be back next year.”

On the music side, Donavon Frankenreiter and his acoustic/bluesy beats attracted thousands to the BaseCamp Pavilion on Friday night’s BaseCamp Music Experience. “It was a great time up here in the mountains,” said the former pro surfer Frankenreiter. “There are a lot of great, different bands playing here at different venues. I love how they have it set up so that people can mosey from one place to another.” And fans did just that following Frankenreiter’s jammy show where Matt Costa played at the Crocs Lounge – Bar One, DJ Logic spun at the Zenbu Lounge in front of hundreds, Kamphire Collective and Wisdom performing at the Plaza Bar, and former pro skiers Matt Reardon and Shane Anderson playing late into the evening over at the OVL.

Sunday’s Ski Cross Finals showcase an epic battle for the overall Ski Cross Tour title with Canadian Stan Hayer only 10 points ahead of Casey Puckett on a challenging Squaw Valley USA course. In addition, Saturday night’s BaseCamp Music Experience featured such renowned musical acts as G. Love & Special Sauce, The Wailers, and George Clinton on the final night of the THST BaseCamp Music Experience.

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For videos, stories, photos and general information and BaseCamp Music Experience ticket information, go to The Honda Ski Tour website www.theskitour.com

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Simon Dumont Rules The Honda Ski Tour