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