The superpipe at Park City, Utah, the final stop of the U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix Olympic Qualifiers, has some serious Mo-Jo leftover from the 2002 Olympics when the American's swept the podium and brought halfpipe into the spotlight. Thousands of spectators added to the good Mo-jo when they came out to watch tonight's qualifier, but no one left the pipe any closer to knowing exactly who will represent the U.S. in Vancouver. They are going to have to come back tomorrow night to find that out.

The only two riders keeping things steady and predictable have already been named to the team. Shaun White and Kelly Clark both took first place under the lights tonight for the men and women, assuring that their spots on the Olympic team are justified- not that anybody ever questioned either of them. As for the other three spots on the four-man and four-woman teams? Your guess is as good as mine, but lets take a look at tonight's results and see how the rankings are stacking up.

Remember, the top two finishes out of the five qualifiers are counted in the rankings for the Olympic qualifying series. A rider that wins two of the qualifiers gets an automatic spot on the Olympic team.

The same four women have been battling for the three spots since Clark was named to the team after winning the first two qualifiers in a row. Gretchen Bleiler still leads the rankings with a first and a second place, and there was determination radiating from her eyes as she dropped into tonight's event. She wants one more win to assure herself a spot on the team, but fate had something else in mind for Bleiler tonight, and she left the pipe in blatant frustration with a disappointing fourth place. This left room for the other three girls to crank up their chances for making the team.

The battle between Ellery Hollingsworth, Elena Hight, and Hannah Teter intensified as each tried to nab the second and third place finishes. It was Teter who pulled it together for second place and Hollingsworth in third. Hight finished just after Bleiler in fifth. With a second place finish at the first Mammoth Mountain qualifier, Teter now sits neck and neck with Bleiler in the rankings, meaning both of them are in pretty good contention for the team. Hollingsworth and Hight will most likely be trying to usurp one another tomorrow night for the coveted fourth spot on the Olympic team.

Now, it's not so simple for the men, which is making it that much more exciting to follow.

The depth of talent runs deep on the men's side. After four of the five Grand Prix's there are six men all sitting in good contention for the three spots on the Vancouver team. While White has won three of the four qualifiers, the rest of the podium finishes have had more changes than a Lady Gaga concert.

Tonight's qualifier put Frend's Crew member and fan-favorite Scotty Lago back into prime contention when he stole the show in his first run with one of his best runs of the season. Greg Bretz, a young newcomer and previous dark-horse landed himself in third, putting himself back in contention as well. Before tonight's event both Bretz and Lago sat on the further end of the bubble in the rankings.

Louie Vito still has the best chances of making the team with two second place finishes, even with his lackluster sixth place finish tonight. Lago, Bretz, J.J. Thomas, Luke Mitrani and Zack Black are all pretty much neck and neck with high finishes in the four qualifiers, which means there is no safe bet on which of them will make the cut. Only what happens at tomorrow's qualifier will seal the deal, and all five men have as much of a chance as the other.

"This year the competition has been crazy. Just the level of progression is so intense." Lago explains, "I mean, everybody's got their tricks and they have them dialed in you know? All the double corks and what not."

Third place finisher Gretz backed up Lago's statement, "[Competition has] just been so crazy with the Olympics and all. Everyone is riding so well, but it's been really fun."

The naming of the U.S. halfpipe teams will come down to the wire in tomorrow nights final qualifier. Same place, same time, but if things keep going the way they have been, then it will be a whole 'nother story than what went down under the lights at Park City tonight. Check back tomorrow to find out who makes the U.S. Olympic halfpipe team.

It's been a turbulent season for the men's U.S. Olympic halfpipe hopefuls. Last month the snowboard community had visions of another American sweep of the podium in Vancouver, as they did in 2002, or the one-two punch of gold and silver, like they did in 2006.

At the tip of the U.S. spear were riders including Shaun White, Kevin Pearce and Danny Davis, who represented a halfpipe dream team for the Americans. Now, with Pearce and Davis both suffering season-ending and career-threatening injuries in the past three weeks, the vision seems like it could be slipping away.

Pearce was the first hopeful to be tragically taken out of the running when he suffered a traumatic brain injury while training. He remains in a Utah hospital in serious condition.

This past Sunday, Davis' dreams also were dashed when he was involved in an ATV accident in Utah. The damage to his back required surgery on his L3 vertebrae.

With two of America's best riders down for the count, the U.S. team is now operating off of Plan B. Yet during practices this week in Park City, Utah, nobody is dwelling on the setbacks. Instead, riders are rallying, pressing forward with the same goal of dominating, only with different players in mind. Morale, surprisingly, is still high.

"What happened to Danny [Davis] and Kevin [Pearce] has been hard on the whole community," says Olympic team contender J.J. Thomas. "I think that it has made us all be a little more thoughtful on and off the hill and it's a reminder to appreciate your health. It's important to remember that Danny and Kevin will comeback and be back at the top. They are both some of the worlds best and if they want they will be right back where they left off."

The idea of a "Dream Team" may be gone, but results of the first three qualifying events indicate that there's still a powerful squad in the works. Each hopeful's top two finishes out of the five qualifiers count toward their ranking.

White, the 2006 Olympic gold medalist, has already secured his slot thanks to two qualifier victories. Louie Vito, the standout on last fall's hit TV show "Dancing With the Stars," has emerged as the No. 2 man heading into the final week of qualifiers. His consistency and technical aptitude have kept him sure-and-steady, but Vito's performances lack the serious risk factor that some of his teammates are famous for.

Davis, for example, is best known for never compromising his radical approach. While not as consistent as Vito, he has wowed fans and judges, as he did two weeks ago when he defeated White via what's widely considered the best run ever in halfpipe competition.

Vito stays within himself, utilizing only tricks he knows he has dialed and keeping his amplitude under control. Whether this is just a tactic Vito is using to secure his slot on the team or if this is the same riding we'll see in Vancouver is anybody's guess, but it's this author's inkling that Vito has a few surprises in store.

While Vito has climbed the ladder, the third and fourth slots on the men's halfpipe team are now wide open to a handful of unassuming rider's to put in their bid for the team.

The names already sitting in the No. 3 and 4 slots headed into this weekend's final selection could be surprising: 2002 Salt Lake City bronze medalist, J.J. Thomas, and the virtually unheard of Zack Black from Breckenridge, Colo.

Thomas, now 28 years old, returned to the competitive scene this season with a new gusto for pipe riding. While he's routinely honored for rounding out the first podium sweep in Salt Lake City, he's considered the "old guy" in the pipe. Yet his years of experience are paying dividends in the qualifiers. Thomas' ease with the contest scene and total show of confidence under pressure is what got him back up on top where, by the looks of it, he never should have left.

The biggest surprise, however, is 18-year-old Black. He's the mysterious dark-horse who no one saw coming and no one knows much about, other than he prefers the same go-for-broke approach that put Davis and Pearce on everybody's watch list. What we do know is that Black has been honing his act in the perfectly cut pipes that Breckenridge is known for.

Other American riders like Luke Mitrani, Scotty Lago and Greg Bretz still have a legitimate shot at a team spot and shouldn't be counted out yet. If there's one thing we've learned in this tumultuous race to Vancouver, things can change in the blink of an eye.

With so much uncertainty now on the halfpipe side of things, the final two qualifying events in Park City, Utah, this weekend promise to be the most exciting events in the series.

"It comes as no surprise to us that it's coming down to the last two events to name the Olympic team," says U.S. Snowboarding halfpipe head coach Mike Jankowski. "With the level of riding that's been going on and the intensity that's increasing, the competition is tight. It's nice to see everyone from people who have been in the game a long time like J.J. [Thomas] and Kelly [Clark], as well as new guys like Zack [Black] and Louie [Vito], who are coming on strong."
Both the men's and the women's U.S. halfpipe teams will be announced after the last event on Saturday, Jan. 23, at Park City Mountain Resort.

MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN, Calif. - Competitors who win two of the five U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix Olympic Qualifiers receive an automatic "in" to next month's Vancouver Olympics.

Kelly Clark was the first to achieve that honor by winning the first two events, and Saturday that honor went to Shaun White, who took the first event at Copper and later in the day captured the third overall event.

If anyone was making bets on Shaun's performance before the Olympic Qualifiers they would have been disappointed last Wednesday. Most observers thought White was the overwhelming favorite to win every Grand Prix race. But in Wednesday's race White finished second behind Danny Davis, who was riding in tribute to his best friend Kevin Pearce, who is currently critically injured.

Apparently White's second-place finish fueled the fire for his performance Saturday.

White came out firing, posting a score of 47.00 on his first run. White's strong opening run allowed him to sit back and watch the rest of the competition as they tried to best his solid score. When no one overtook White he was able to take it easy on his next attempt and impress his fans with a victory run.

And impress he did. During his victory run White wowed the crowd with a trick most riders would consider unthinkable, a double McTwist 1260, and he nearly stuck it.

"It's a trick that's been messing with me for a while, but I'm excited to try and put it down in Park City and hopefully at the Games," White said.

Meanwhile, hearts were torn at the bottom of the pipe. White has always been a fan favorite, but Davis' victory in the last Qualifier had many hoping to see him return to the podium, proving to any doubters that Wednesday's win was no fluke.

Experts agree that Davis has what it takes to repeat his perfect, victorious run. But Saturday wasn't that day. He fell in both of his runs, leaving the doors open for White to claim his second Grand Prix victory and an automatic spot on the Olympic team.

Louie Vito, the crowd favorite dancing snowboarder, came in second with a highly technical and complex run, including a double cork and a cab double cork. His score of 45.60 edged out former Olympic bronze medalist J.J. Thomas, who laid down one of the more flawless runs of the day, keeping his amplitude consistently huge and linking his tricks with carefully practiced ease.

Vito, Davis and Thomas sit high on the list for making the U.S. Halfpipe Olympic Team, which will consist of four members. With two more Qualifiers later this month in Park City, Utah, each of them will be vying for one of the elusive spots on the team.

"I landed, I got a top three," said Vito. "That's all I really wanted and all I could hope for. Everyone's riding well and I have to keep stepping it up and I'm hoping for the best and what gets me to Vancouver."

Gretchen "GB" Bleiler won her first Grand Prix of the season in the ladies pipe final with a score of 44.10. Elena Hight finished second, at 43.30, by linking back-to-back 9's, a trick not many ladies can accomplish. Hannah Teter finished third with a score of 42.80.

OFFICIAL RESULTS 2010
Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix
Mammoth Mountain, CA - Jan. 9, 2010 Halfpipe

Men

1. Shaun White, Carlsbad, Calif., 47.00
2. Louie Vito, Sandy, Utah, 45.60
3. JJ Thomas, Golden, Colo., 45.00
4. Luke Mitrani, Mammoth Mountain, Calif., 44.20
5. Zack Black, Breckenridge, Colo., 43.30
6. Steve Fisher, Breckenridge, Colo., 41.90
7. Scotty Lago, Seabrook, N.H., 39.40
8. Matt Ladley, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 39.30
9. Elijah Teter, South Lake Tahoe, Calif., 37.90
10. Dylan Bidez, Minturn, Colol., 30.40

Women

1. Gretchen Bleiler, Aspen, Colo., 44.10
2. Elena Hight, South Lake Tahoe, Calif., 43.30
3. Hannah Teter, South Lake Tahoe, Calif., 42.80
4. Kelly Clark, Mt. Snow, Vt., 41.80
5. Ellery Hollingsworth, Stratton, Vt., 41.60
6. Holly Crawford, Australia, 33.30
7. Clair Bidez, Minturn, Colo., 26.50

Do I really even need to tell you who won today? Didn't most of us hedge our bets before this season even started? Yes, Shaun won, but more on that in a minute.


If they make a wax figure out of Shaun White they should probably make it in this pose, he gets to claim a lot of wins. Red Bull can and all. (P) Nate Abbot

Greybird skies, bitter cold temps and light flurries crept back into Copper for Saturday's finals, which contributed to many riders not being able to land their runs today.

Once in a while this kind of thing happens. A qualification day like Friday's Grand Prix's qualifications will have a higher level of riding then the day of finals. You almost have to feel sorry for the 1,000 or so spectators that braved Colorado's Interstate 70 to come watch the best riders in the world. If only they knew what they missed the day before. The field of riders yesterday just trying to make it into finals was so stacked that everyone had to give it their all. Just making it to today's finals was a victory- some of the favored to podium today's event didn't even make it in, including Kevin Pearce, Luke Mitrani, Torah Bright and Mason Aguirre.

When the pressure of the importance of these finals (due to them being an Olympic Qualifier and all) and the less than ideal weather sunk in first thing this morning, those thousand or so live spectators were treated to some pretty early-on carnage. Hit after hit, run after run, riders were bailing on their landings. It took standing up an entire run, consistency, and perseverance to make it to the top today. Luckily there weren't too many major injuries.

Let's get back to who won and why. On the men's side of things all eyes were on Shaun, as they almost always are, to take the win. Each rider had two chances to impress the judges. Most riders play it safe on their first run to get a solid score, and then go all out on their second run, but not Shaun. By the time Shaun finished his first run (with his infamous back-to-back double cork 1080's) he had won the entire event with a score of 47.00.


Men's Podium: Zach Black 3rd, Shaun White 1st, and Louie Vito 2nd

That didn't stop anyone from trying to beat him though. It only got more exciting during second run as every rider threw out their best to beat unstoppable White. Louie Vito, who was nipping at White's heels during qualifications yesterday, stood almost 5 points behind White after first run. Vito was the last rider before White to drop, and with no one else coming close to White's first run score, Vito knew he needed something cleaner and bigger for his second run.


Pretty impressive for a dancing hobbit. Rider: Louie Vito (P) Nate Abbot


And that is exactly what he did. Vito's second run was close to flawless, highly technical, and consistently huge.

You could have heard a pin drop as the judges tallied Vito's second run score. Vito and Shaun (and quite possibly everyone in the crowd) held their breath. Shaun stood strapped into his board at the top of the pipe to drop in for his second and final run, waiting to find out if his first run score was enough to take the win.

Vito's second run score was announced as a 45.60, confirming that White had clinched it by a mere 1.40 points. It was one of those "crowd went wild" moments, although it was hard to tell if the crowd was going wild for White winning, or for Vito barely losing to the red-headed wonder.

And with that, White dropped in for a victory run, and he went absolutely huge.


Louie "Twinkle Toes" Vito- Barely missing the win but happy with the results of today's finals. (P) Nate Abbot

It's hard to get noticed with names like Shaun White and Louie Vito taking center stage, but the underdog story of the day goes to third place finisher and local boy Zach Black. With top riders like White, Vito, Scotty Lago, Jack Mitrani and Danny Davis all in the finals and scrambling to get in the 2010 Winter Olympics, being an underdog and finishing third is quite possibly the biggest feat of the day- maybe even more so than back-to-back doubles. The 19 year old Black earned some street cred today by doing two things the judges love to see, keeping it consistent and maximizing altitude, and that earned him a score of 44.10. (He also did a flawless Switch BS 1080, which definitely helped his score.)

With a showing out of Black like today, it's safe to say yet another name has been added to the mix of Olympic Hopefuls for Vancouver.

On the girls side of things it wasn't so clear cut going into the day who was the favored to win. As always though, the major battle was between American's Gretchen Bleiler and Kelly Clark. Bleiler won thursday's finals but it was Clark who stepped it up for the big win today, narrowly knocking Bleiler into second place with a two point lead. For the third place finish it was Japan's Soko Yamaoka who has shown us year after year not to count her out as a threat.


Women's Grand Prix at Copper Podium: 3rd Soko Yamaoka, 1st Kelly Clark, 2nd Gretchen Bleiler

Having a win or a top finish at this first of five Grand Prix's is important for the United States Olympic Halfpipe hopefuls since the Grand Prix series is the major deciding factor for which athletes will represent the U.S.A. in Vancouver this February. There are still four more chances in the series though, so it was not crucial to place high today. Riders like Danny Kass who didn't make it to the Copper Mountain event, or like Scotty Lago, Luke Mitrani and Danny Davis, who didn't even place top 10 here, will all have more time the season to prove their worth and make it onto the exclusive team.

Stay tuned to GrindTV.com and the 2010 U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix Series. With so many talented American riders in the mix this season, these competitions deciding who will be named to the U.S.A. Snowboard Halfpipe Team may be more exciting to follow than the Olympics itself.




Results from the 2009/2010 U.S. Snowboard Copper Grand Prix:

Men:

1. Shaun White, Carlsbad, CA, 47.00
2. Louie Vito, Sandy, UT, 45.60
3. Zack Black, Breckenridge, CO, 44.10
4. Fredrik Austbo, Norway, 41.20
5. JJ Thomas, Golden, CO, 41.10
6. Greg Bretz, Mammoth Lakes, CA, 40.00
7. Steve Fisher, Breckenridge, CO, 39.40
8. Tore-V Holvik, Norway, 34.80
9. Ryo Aono, Japan, 34.00
10. Jack Mitrani, Mammoth, CA, 28.80
11. Elijah Teter, USA, 22.1
12. Charles Reid, Canada, 18.8
13. Danny Davis, USA, 18.8
14. Scotty Lago, USA, 16.0
15. Dustin Craven, Canada, 9.0
16. Nathaniel Johnstone, 8.6

Women's Results:

1. Kelly Clark, Mt. Snow, VT, 44.50
2. Gretchen Bleiler, Aspen, CO, 42.60
3. Soko Yamaoka, Japan, 40.20
4. Quera Castellet, Spain, 30.50
5. Ellery Hollingsworth, Stratton, VT, 35.80
6. Madeline Schaffrick, Steamboat Springs, Co, 35.50
7. Holly Crawford, Australia, 24.00
8. Clair Bidez, Minturn, CO, 13.60