Nissan Freeride Tram Face Comp Squaw Valley Day 1 - Delivers

The only US of A stop on the Nissan Freeride World Tour is at Squaw Valley, Lake Tahoe - and this just makes sense. Scott Schmidt, Glen Plake, Tom Burt, Shaun Palmer, Shane McConkey - the list of legendary local shreds (and filmers) goes on and on. When both snowboarding and skiing decided to go "extreme" in the 80s, Lake Tahoe and all its brethren led the charge...

After an exhilarating day in Squaw Valley's Silverado Bowl, day one is done! The snow pack could have been deeper, but under the California sun the hill was riding well enough. I ride here often and see rippers go huge all the time, but getting 53 of the world's best in one spot, on some of the gnarliest terrain anywhere - was just bonkers. As I like to wonder, how much bigger can a human feasibly go?!?! I feel a new Discovery Channel show coming, with CGI and the works: "Just how many backflips can Shane McConkey do on skis before it's, well, just humanly impossible to do anymore." FYI - Shane started out the whole comp sticking a backflip boost off of the Tram Face building roof (see photos).

FYI: Squaw Valley's Freeride venue was relocated from the Tram Face due to an inclement weather forecast over the weekend. If conditions improve on the 70-degree face, the competitors will take on the Tram Face next week. The athletes and organizers are anxiously awaiting the snowfall predicted this weekend.

Day 1 Results from the Nissan Tram Face on Silverado:

MEN SKI
1- Reine Barkered SWE
2-Henrik Windstedt SWE
3-Aurelien Ducroz FRA

WOMEN SKI
1-Elyse Saugstad USA
2-Marja Persson SWE
3-Jen Ashton CAN

MEN SNOWBOARD
1-Jeremy Jones USA
2-Jonas Emery SUI
3-Xavier de Le Rue SUI

WOMEN SNOWBOARD
1-Susan Moll USA
2-Aline Bock GER
3-Charlotte Hagen NOR

The snowboarders Jeremy Jones and Susan Moll won the first day of competition with an excited crowd cheering on all the athletes and their amazing runs. Jeremy Jones, the emblematic rider from Squaw Valley, mastered the terrain with a fluid line and great jumps. Jonas Emery from Switzerland took second with one of the most original lines of the day coming down the center. Xavier de Le Rue from France, Freeride World Champion 2008, opened up one of the toughest lines of the day with complete control.
For the snowboard women, Susan Moll, winner of the Freeride World Qualifier in Crested Butte, won again today ahead of the favorite from Germany, Aline Bock, winner of the Nissan Russian Adventure. The women truly impressed the spectators present at the bottom of the face, especially the Freeride World Champion 2008, Elyse Saugstad. She won the women's ski competition hands down with a fast run that could have competed with the men. Marja Persson from Sweden took second taking a similar line as Elyse. She was followed by Jen Ashton from Canada who went for the steepest area of the face taking third.
With the most original and risky line of the day topped off with an incredible jump, the Swede Reine Barkered surprised everyone taking first ahead of the favorites Henrik Windstedt also from Sweden, Freeride World Champion 2008, and Aurelien Ducroz from France, second at the Nissan Russian Adventure, who took the same line. Cody Townsend, from Squaw Valley (and favorite) took fourth, just a few points from the podium. Impatient to take on the Tram Face, Cody has already proclaimed, "The Tram Face will separate the men from the boys!"