Tanner Hall, one of the winningest freeskiers in history, has announced he is retiring from the competition circuit.

Hall, who has won three back-to-back medals in both X Games slopestyle and superpipe, recently made the decision after breaking both of his tibial plateaus and tearing both of his ACL's after overshooting at jump at Stevens Pass in May while filming with TGR.

"I'm kind of over and done with the contest scene," Hall recently told ESPN. "I came in and it was ten good years of having fun. Now I think it's time for the next chapter in what I want to do and where I want to take skiing, so I'm going to be focusing on making more film projects."


Tanner Hall mid-flatspin at the X Games. Photos by John Vandervalk. www.majestyphoto.com

A few days back we notified you that both Tanner Hall and Wiley Miller had been badly injured on the same jump at Stevens Pass in Washington. Newschoolers Editor Jeff Schmuck got a chance to talk to Wiley about his season, his and Tanner's injuries at Steven's Pass, and how his recovery is coming along.

Interview by Jeff Schmuck of Newschoolers.com

Photos by Wiley Miller & Jeff Schmuck

So, how are you feeling?

Better. Better each day. It's a slow recovery, but my vision is starting to come back and I'm thinking in another month I'll be on my feet and moving around.

Would you like to give your side of the story of what went down that day?

Yeah. We were at Steven's Pass for a TGR park shoot, and on the Thursday it was cloudy and kind of crappy weather and the park builders had just finished the moto jump. So Tanner, Dylan Hood and I started sessioning it and were getting the speed dialed. We didn't use any salt or anything when we were first hitting it so it was all slushy and whatnot, but we knew it was supposed to be sunny on Friday so we just decided to step up and dial in the speed, and then the park builders made it all pretty for the next day. So then Friday came and Tanner was sessioning one of the other jumps, so Schlopy and I went up to the moto jump and started prepping it. We threw some salt down and got the whole thing ready to go. I was the first one to hit it because I'd hit it the previous day, and I was thinking 'whatever this is like a 30-foot table,' so I didn't even think twice about hitting it. So I dropped in, and I don't know if it was the salt or what it was, but when I went off the lip I felt fine, and I didn't realize I was going too fast until I was way past the landing in the air. I remember everything until I hit, but once I hit my memory is pretty much gone until I got to the hospital in Leavenworth. The whole thing was weird because Tanner and I had just had a few good conversations about how awkward it is skiing pow and backcountry all winter and not really landing switch that much save for the odd 180 and 540 here and there, and then then trying to come out in the spring and step to this level of park riding and doing switch 7's and switch 9's. It's crazy.

So obviously everyone knows the extent of your injuries, as that's been well documented, so as opposed to dwelling on that, looking ahead to the future, how long do you think it will be till you get back on skis?

Well I'm hoping to try to head up to Whistler to ride for the last session or two of COC. I won't be able to ride hard so I'll just cruise around and maybe hit some rails and boxes. So that's the best-case scenario, otherwise I won't be skiing till November.

How was your season?

It was great man. It was probably the best season I've ever had. I started filming a lot right off the bat and learned some new tricks and checked some things off the list that I've been looking at for years. Like the Rocker Gap here in Utah, we got that checked off the list, which was great because that was kind of the big elephant in the room for the last year or two. And then I got some really good stuff in Cooke City, Montana, and then I got to go to AK for my first time, which was unreal.

Yeah how was that for an experience?

It was really good. Like I know AK takes years of experience to really dial it in, at least to ride to terrain the way I want to ride it, I know it'll take a couple of years to get to that level. So it was good to get up there and get that started and we really lucked out. We had great weather, great conditions and the snow was fairly safe. So I think it went as good as a first AK trip could go.

Nice. And you go to go back to Europe this year as well.

Yeah I went to Norway on a 4FRNT trip for Megapark and got some heli skiing in over there as well, which was a nice little warm-up to AK. And I got to do some filming with the Field Productions guys, which was a sick opportunity. And then I skied some park and did the Sweet Rumble big air in Trysil, which was cool but it isn't exactly my forte, but it was super fun being able to get involved and participate.

What movies can everyone expect to see you in this fall?

I'll have full segments in Level 1's movie Refresh and then TGR's movie RE:Session, and then I think I'll have some sort of cameo in Field's movie as well.

Obviously after this injury there's been a tremendous outpouring of support for you and Tanner. What would you like to say to everyone out there in response to that?

For sure there has, and it's much, much appreciated. It's really cool to know that what we're doing is being recognized and it's great to hear that people are supportive and care, and I couldn't be more thankful for all the support. So super big thanks to everyone. I really appreciate it and I know Tanner does too.

Even though he didn't win an event, Shaun White was the man of the hour in the Winter Dew Tour Toyota Championship at Northstar, in Truckee, CA. White brought home both the slopestyle and superpipe overall Dew Cup season titles.

On Friday, Norwegian, Torstein Horgmo, edged out both White, and Truckee local, Charles Guldemond, in men's slopestyle.

In his winning run Horgmo started with a Cab 270 to fakie on the first rail to switch boardslide 450 out on the second. He then stuck a frontside 1080 indy grab on the first jump, and followed that up with a gap on the down flat rail to 270. He finished with a backside 900 melon grab and a switch backside 1260 on the final hit.

On Sunday, Minnesota's own Mason Aguirre, won the snowboard superpipe competition. Shaun White finished third, which of course gave him the season title.


Shaun White airs one out. Photo: Hoppes

Aguirre stepped his game up in his winning run. He threw up a frontside 1080 melon grab on the first wall, and connected it into a Cab 1080 nose grab. He carried his speed into the third wall and busted a fronside 900 melon grab, and followed that up with backside flatspin 540. He then busted an air to fakie, and as he came into the final wall he needed to go huge to guarantee a first place run. He stuck a switch backside 720 rodeo. The run earned him a 94.50 and the Toyota Championship was his.

South Lake Tahoe, CA, shredder, Jamie Anderson, won the women's snowboard slopestyle. She stuck a boardslide to switch on the first rail, a cab 270 to switch on the second, and a switch backside 180 to boardslide to switch. Then linked a frontside 540, a cab 540, and finished with a backside 180.

In the women's superpipe, Australian, Torah Bright, pulled backside 360 into a switch backside 720, she's the only female snowboarder that can do that combo, and with it earned a 95.50, and first place in the event. Kelly Clark finished second with a 90.00, which gave her the overall season title.

Tom Wallisch of Pittsburg, PA, overcame his injuries and won the freeski slopestyle event. He stuck a 270 on to pretzel 270 out on the box into a blidside misery 630 out on the cannon rail. He followed that up with a rodeo 900 with high mute grab, and linked a switch tails over 270 disaster. Then finished with two consecutive switch 1080s on the final two jumps.

In the freeski superpipe it was Tanner Hall who took home first in both the event, and the season title. The Kalispell, MT native won on his second run that consisted of a 1260, consecutive 900s, and an alley-oop flatspin 360 to switch 900. This combo earned him a 93.75.







Here are the Event and Season Results:

Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Finals

1. Torstein Horgmo, Norway, 93.50. 2. Shaun White, Carlsbad, Calif., 89.67. 3. Charles Guldemond, Truckee, Calif., 88.00. 4. Dan Brisse, Richmond, Minn., 78.33. 5. Brandon Cocard, Truckee, Calif., 77.67. 6. Brandon Reis, Peterborough, N.H., 74.50. 7. Tyler Flanagan, Mammoth Lakes, Calif., 73.67. 8. Scotty Lago, Seabrook, N.H., 70.33 9. Mikkel Bang, Norway, 65.50. 10. Nick Poohachoff, South Lake Tahoe, Calif., 63.17.

Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Points

1. Shaun White, 280. 2. Torstein Horgmo, 260. 3. Mikkel Bang, 215. 4. Andreas Wiig, 190. 5. Sam Hulbert, 147. 6. Brandon Reis, 135. 7. Scotty Lago, 127. 8. Eric Willett, 122. 9. Daniel Ek, 121. 10. Charles Guldemond, 120.

Women's Snowboard Slopestyle Finals

1. Jamie Anderson, South Lake Tahoe, Calif., 87.50. 2. Spencer O' (TM)Brien, Canada, 87.17. 3. Janna Meyen-Weatherby, Bend, Ore., 81.50. 4. Chanelle Sladics, Newport Beach, Calif., 76.17. 5. Torah Bright, Australia, 69.00. 6. Christina Curry, Turner, Ore., 56.50.

Women's Snowboard Slopestyle Points

1. Spencer O'Brien, 280. 2. Jamie Anderson, 275. 3. Jenny Jones, 220. 4. Chanelle Sladics, 210. 5. Bev Vuilleumier, 185. 6. Kjersti Ostgaard Buaas, 170. 7. Christina Curry, 155. 8. Kimberly Fasani, 145. 9. Megan Ginter, 140. 10. Torah Bright, 115.

Winter Dew Tour Toyota Championships at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009 Truckee, Calif.

Men's Freeski Slopestyle Finals

1. Tom Wallisch, Pittsburgh, 92.83. 2. Alexis Godbout, Canada, 91.83. 3. Josiah Wells, New Zealand, 90.50. 4. Sammy Carlson, Tigard, Ore., 89.83. 5. Charles Gagnier, Canada, 89.17. 6. Per-Kristian Hunder, Norway, 89.00. 7. Simon Dumont, Bethel, Maine, 85.67. 8. Nick Martini, Winchester, Mass., 85.50. 9. Mike Riddle, Canada, 83.00. 10. Bobby Brown, Breckenridge, Colo., 82.83.

Men's Freeski Slopestyle Points

1. Per-Kristian Hunder, 230. 2. Alexis Godbout, 220. 3. Bobby Brown, 205. 4. Josiah Wells, 205. 5. Sammy Carlson, 185. 6. Henrik Harlaut, 170. 7. J.F. Houle, 165. 8. Simon Dumont, 146. 9. Charles Gagnier, 137. 10. Nick Martini, 136.

Men's Freeski Superpipe Finals
1. Tanner Hall, Kalispell, Mont., 93.75. 2. Simon Dumont, Bethel, Maine, 92.50. 3. Colby West, Breckenridge, Colo., 87.00. 4. Kevin Rolland, France, 86.50. 5. Xavier Bertoni, France, 84.25. 6. Matthew Philippi, Breckenridge, Colo., 83.75. 7. Matt Margetts, Canada, 80.25. 8. Tyler Peterson, Sandy, Utah, 78.75. 9. Mike Riddle, Canada, 67.00. 10. John Strenio, Burlington, Vt., 62.75.

Men's Freeski Superpipe Points

1. Tanner Hall, 280. 2. Simon Dumont, 260. 3. Justin Dorey, 220. 4. Duncan Adams, 169. 5. Colby West, 160. 6. Mike Riddle, 144. 7. Kevin Rolland, 135. 8. Xavier Bertoni, 135. 9. Taylor Seaton, 126. 10. Peter Olenick, 124.

Winter Dew Tour Toyota Championships at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009 Truckee, Calif.

Men's Snowboard Superpipe Finals

1. Mason Aguirre, Duluth, Minn., 94.50. 2. Steve Fisher, Breckenridge, Colo., 87.00. 3. Shaun White, Carlsbad, Calif., 81.75. 4. Jack Mitrani, Stratton, Vt., 77.00. 5. Jarret John Thomas, Breckenridge, Colo., 73.75. 6. Ross Baker, Reno, Nev., 72.25. 7. Louie Vito, Bellefontaine, Ohio, 71.75. 8. Elijah Teter, Belmont, Vt., 70.25. 9. Michael Goldschmidt, Truckee, Calif., 58.25. 10. Scotty Lago, Seabrook, N.H., 56.00.

Men's Snowboard Superpipe Points

1. Shaun White, 270. 2. Steve Fisher, 215. 3. Scotty Lago, 190. 4. Mason Aguirre, 181. 5. Danny Davis, 175. 6. Elijah Teter, 175. 7. Greg Bretz, 135. 8. Louie Vito, 130. 9. Jarret John Thomas, 108. 10. Kevin Pearce, 102.

Women's Snowboard Superpipe Finals

1. Torah Bright, Australia, 95.50. 2. Kelly Clark, West Dover, Vt., 90.00. 3. Hannah Teter, Belmont, Vt., 83.50. 4. Ellery Hollingsworth, Darien, Conn., 80.50. 5. Elena Hight, South Lake Tahoe, Calif., 78.50. 6. Elizabeth Beerman, Weston, Vt. 70.75.

Women's Snowboard Superpipe Points

1. Kelly Clark, 280. 2. Hannah Teter, 245. 3. Elena Hight , 205. 4. Kjersti Ostgaard Buaas, 195. 5. Ellery Hollingsworth, 185. 6. Elizabeth Beerman, 160. 7. Molly Aguirre, 160. 8. Torah Bright, 128. 9. Charmaine Ironside, 115. 10. Kaitlyn Farrington, 105.

Another Winter X Games has come and gone, but not without high drama, record breaking performances, familiar domination, and even a double back flip on a snowmobile.

The town of Aspen was rocking out once again as massive crowds braved the dumping snow throughout the weekend to enjoy the winter sports version of the Super bowl.

Once again the King of X Games, Shaun White, did not disappoint, winning Gold in SlopeStyle and SuperPipe. White scored the highest point total in X Games SlopeStyle history with a 96.00 . It wasn't as easy in Superpipe after falling on his first 2 runs, in typical legend fashion, White threw down a 91.66 to edge out Kevin Pearce's 90.66. With his 2 gold medals he became the all time leader in gold medals with 9.

The most hyped moment of the event was Levi LaVallee's attempt at a double back flip on a snowmobile. The crowd held their breath as Lavallee flew high into the night sky. Lavallee rotated perfectly only to be bucked off on the landing. Didn't matter to him nor the crowd though, as Lavallee was stoked to be alive after nearly pulling the impossible.

A major upset went down on opening night of Winter X in the men's Ski SuperPipe Final. We expected to see a Tanner Hall, Simon Dumont showdown, but an unknown skier from France, Xavier Bertoni, shocked everyone by overtaking both Hall and Dumont, to win his first ever gold medal.

Australians own Torah Bright surprised no one by winning gold in Women's SuperPipe. She owned the pipe all weekend, in the elimination round she scored the highest point total in Women's pipe with a 97.66.

In the 2 fan voted events, mens big air in snowboard and ski, Travis Rice and Simon Dumont took home the gold. The fans were wowed by Travis Rice's backside-double-cork 1080 in Snowboard, and Simon Dumont 's famous double flip superman pose.

The weekend was full of highlights, check out the results below from each competition courtesy of our friends at ESPN.
ESPN X GAMES




Mens Skiing Super Pipe Results
1. Xavier Bertoni / 93.66 / Bib 333 / La Clusaz, France
2. Tanner Hall / 92.00 / Bib 305 / Kalispell, Mont.
3. Simon Dumont / 91.00/ Bib 303/ Bethel, Main

Womens Sking Super Pipe Results
1.Sarah Burke Whistler, BC, Canada 93.33
2.Jen Hudak Aspen, Colo.92.66
3.Jess Cumming Wilton, Conn. 84.00

Women's Snowboard Slopestlye Final Results
1. Jenny Jones / 84.33 / Bristol, Great Britain / Bib 526
2. Spencer O' (TM)Brien / 80.33 / Whistler, BC, Canada / Bib 530
3. Megan Ginter / 76.66 / Seattle, Wash / Bib 525

Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Results
1. Shaun White 514 Carlsbad, Calif. 96.00
2. Scotty Lago 507 Seabrook, N.H.94.66
3. Mikkel Bang 501 Oslo, Norway 91.33

Women's Snowboarder X
1. Lindsey Jacobellis 634 Stratton, Vt. 110.619
2. Helene Olafsen 638 Oppegard, Norway 113.266
3. Sandra Frei 645 Flims-Dorf, Switzerland 113.505

Men's Snowboarder X
1. Nate Holland 608 Truckee, Calif. 100.523
2. Graham Watanabe 620 Hailey, Idaho 101.153
3. Stian Sivertzen 615 Kongsberg, Norway 105.193

Snowcross Final Results
1. Tucker Hibbert 68 Arctic Cat 1128.255
2. Robbie Malinowski 4 Ski-Doo 1164.864
3. Dan Ebert 602 Arctic Cat 1169.036

Men's Sking Slopestyle
1. Tj Schiller 316 Vernon, BC, Canada 93.00
2. Sammy Carlson 301 Hood River, Ore. 91.00
3. Colby West 315 Breckenridge, Colo. 90.00

Snowmobile Freestyle Final
Final:
1. Joe Parsons 700 Yakima, Wash. 93.66
2. Justin Hoyer 904 Ellsworth, Wis. 82.00

Bronze Match:
3. Heath Frisby 270 Bellevue, Idaho 90.66
4. Daniel Bodin 900 Malung, Sweden 88.00

Men's SuperPipe Finals:
1. Shaun White 514 Carlsbad, Calif. 91.66
2. Kevin Pearce 550 Norwich, Vt. 90.66
3. Antti Autti 542 Rovaniemi, Finland 87.33