If you win two of the five U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix Olympic Qualifiers then it's an automatic "in" for this winters Vancouver Olympics, and just about everybody who shows up for this contest wants that to happen. Kelly Clark was the first to achieve that honor by winning the first two events back-to-back, and today that honor went to Mr. Shaun White himself, who took the first event win at Copper and won again at today's third event at Mammoth Mountain, CA.

If anyone was making bets on Shaun's performance before the Olympic Qualifiers began, then they might have lost some money this past Wednesday. While everyone thought that White was a shoe-in to win each Grand Prix, Danny Davis, riding in tribute to his best friend Kevin Pearce who is currently critically injured, gave White a serious run for his money and won the second stop at Wednesday's Grand Prix, also here in Mammoth.

Apparently this only fueled the fire for White at todays final, the third Olympic Qualifier.

White took the win on his first run with a score of 47.00, a situation he prefers to be in. By lacing his first run he can sit back and watch the rest of the competition as they try to best his solid score, and by the time he drops (he was the last rider in his heat since he qualified for today's finals) he is able to take it easy 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." said White.

Meanwhile, hearts were torn at the bottom of the pipe. White has always been a fan favorite, but since Davis' win at the last Qualifier many were hoping to see Davis back up on the podium, perhaps proving to any doubters that Wednesdays win was not a fluke.

As any expert will agree, Davis does have what it takes to repeat his perfect, victorious run. Alas, it was not in the stars for Davis today. He fell in both of his runs, leaving the doors wide open for White to claim his second Grand Prix win and an assured spot on the Olympic team.

One thing is for sure though, you still can't count Danny Davis out.

Louie Vito, everyone's favorite dancing snowboarder, came in second with a highly technical and complex run, including a double cork and a cab double cork. Former Olympic bronze medalist J.J. Thomas 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 all sit high up on the list for making the U.S. Halfpipe Olympic Team, of which only four men will be a part of. With two more Qualifiers to go 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. 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," explains Vito.

For the ladies pipe final today it was Gretchen "GB" Bleiler winning her first Grand Prix of the season, something she's been aiming to do since the first event in Colorado. Elena Hight followed Bleiler up with second by linking back to back 9's, a trick not many girls can do, and Vermont's Hannah Teter rode herself into third.


OFFICIAL RESULTS 
2010
Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix

Mammoth Mountain, CA - Jan. 9, 2010
 Halfpipe



Men


1. Shaun White, Carlsbad, CA, 47.00

2. Louie Vito, Sandy, UT, 45.60

3. JJ Thomas, Golden, CO, 45.00

4. Luke Mitrani, Mammoth Mountain, CA, 44.20

5. Zack Black, Breckenridge, CO, 43.30

6. Steve Fisher, Breckenridge, CO, 41.90

7. Scotty Lago, Seabrook, NH, 39.40

8. Matt Ladley, Steamboat Springs, CO, 39.30

9. Elijah Teter, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 37.90

10. Dylan Bidez, Minturn, CO, 30.40



Women


1. Gretchen Bleiler, Aspen, CO, 44.10

2. Elena Hight, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 43.30

3. Hannah Teter, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 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, CO, 26.50

8. Maddy Schaffrick, Steamboat Springs, CO

The battle is set to continue between America's snowboard prodigy, Shaun White, and the newest threat on the scene, Danny Davis. The battleground will be in Mammoth Lakes massive 22 foot halfpipe for the thrid stop of the Grand Prix Olympic Qualifier series.

White has long been the favorite to win, but with Davis laying down the winning run, and what many are calling the best halfpipe run ever executed at the last Grand Prix, the industry seems to have become divided as to who should own the title of the all-time best pipe rider.

White won the first stop of the Grand Prix series at Copper Mountain, CO and now that Davis' has the win from this weeks second stop in Mammoth Lakes, CA they are going into the third stop neck and neck.

Both White and Davis' rode extremely well in qualifiers today, setting themselves up in prime position for tomorrow's finals by taking the number one and number two qualifying spots respectively. In fact, Davis only scored six tenths of a point below White's top score of 45.80. Qualifiers don't always tell the tale of what will happen in the following finals though, so with White scoring just tenths of a point ahead Davis' it can not be assumed that White will take the win tomorrow. It's anyone's game.

Many other popular riders qualified in the top 15 spots today and will move onto tomorrow's final, including Olympic Bronze medalist J.J. Thomas, Dancing with the Stars Louie Vito and the Frends crew brothers Luke and Jack Mitrani.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2010 Sprint U.S. SNOWBOARDING GRAND PRIX Stop 3
Mammoth Mountain, CA - Jan. 8th, 2010
Halfpipe Qualifiers

Men's
1. Shaun White, Carlsbad, CA, 45.80
2. Danny Davis, Detroit, MI, 45.20
3. Dylan Bidez, Minturn, CO 43.10
4. Jarret Thomas, Golden, CO, 41.40
5. Elijah Teter, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 43.00
6. Louie Vito, Sandy, UT, 43.40
7. Nathan Johnstone, Aus, 40.70
8. Zachary Black, Breckenridge CO, 39.50
9. Steve Fisher, Breckenridge, CO, 39.70
10. Matt Ladley, Steamboat Springs, CO, 39.40
11. Mathieu Crepel, France, 38.90
12. Luke Mitrani, Mammoth, CA, 38.20
13. Andy Finch, Truckee, CA, 38.00
14. Jack Mitrani, Mammoth, CA, 37.90
15. Brad Martin, Canada, 37.20

Women's
1. Kelly Clark, Mt. Snow, VT, 45.60
2. Hannah Teter, Belmont, VT, 44.00
3. Gretchen Bleiler, Aspen, CO, 41.30
4. Clair Bidez, Minturn, CO, 39.90
5. Holly Crawford, Australia, 38.90
6. Ellery Hollingsworth, Stratton, VT, 38.30
7. Elena Hight, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 37.90
8. Maddy Schaffrick, Steamboat Springs, CO, 37.20