2008 Stihl Colorado Freeride Championships Go Off

Wow the 2008 North American Snowboard Freeride Tour started off insane as the riders came to Snowmass, Colorado for the Stihl Colorado Freeride Championships. Having Snowed 16 inches at the beginning of the week, Sunny skies and warm temperatures ruled all week leaving conditions a little less then ideal. The Two Trees area is an elevated snowfield with a mandatory air from 25 to 80 feet, which is also the toughest line on the venue. The ladies started off the day and Shannon Yates separated herself from the rest of the field by smoking the Dogleg and then dropping 15 feet off the rock shelf to a first place. Local lady rippers Nathalie Nevin and Onna Konicek rounded out the top Three.
For the men the day was started off by Ben Crocker dropping a front flip off the Two Trees shelf which would set the bar for the Day and end up in the Local Paper. He was followed directly by Eli Lieberman who started out in dogleg then sent a perfect back flip over the lower rock shelf. Newcomer Jason Nielson decided to drop the Diving Board for a huge 60 footer to set the crowd on fire. Tyler Dewitt stoked the crowd by splitting the trees with mad speed. Jonathan Penfield showed everyone at the venue how to ride The Double with smooth style no matter what the speed. Local shralper Casey Vandenbroek was on his way to the run of the day doubling the Two Trees shelf til he knocked himself out landing the bottom air. Most of the riders decided to test their skills in the Two Trees Area but it was Snowmass local and last years champion Dave Watson who wowed the crowd with some nice jump turns and the most solid stomp of the day. The field was cut to 11 and here is how it went
1. Dave Watson
2. Riley Gessele
3. Wallace Westfeldt
4. Jonathan Penfield
5. Tyler Dewitt
5. Ben Crocker
7. Jason Nielson
8. Matt Fulop
9. Jake Laskin
10. Jeff Adeler
11 Eli Lieberman
The final day would see blue skies, warm air, and 65 athletes in The Burn Cliffs looking for ways to end up on the podium. The order would be switched and run in reverse order. So the women skiers led off followed by snowboard women. Gluteus with a short, tight chute was one of the few places to sneak through the cliff band with out leaving your feet. All of the ladies used this chute except Shannon Yates who went up onto the pillows between Gluteus and Triple Drop doubled off the top and then Finished her winning run with smooth turns down to the finish.
1. Shannon Yates
2. Onna Konicek
3. Natalie Nevins
The men were faced with the task of sweeping up the rear after 40 Men’s skiers had torn up the venue as we had done for them the day before. Matt Fulop and Jeff Adeler both dropped out of the final due to injury and illness leaving 9 riders. Eli led things off with a nice smooth line down the Triple Drop. Jason Nielson stepped it up big again by boosting off a little nub next to the rope in Stihletto for another sixty plus air and a sickbird nomination. Tyler dewitt stepped up huge off the top of triple from 35 ft onto a narrow shelf and navigating the bottom 2 cliffs then cart wheeling in the bumps at the bottom to dash any hopes of the podium. Wallace, sitting in 3rd left the top hoping to make up points on Riley and Dave. Picking Triple drop which he rode to victory 2 years ago he wasn’t able to move up with the sun dropping, the crust forming, and the snow getting hard. Riley then dropped into XXX which had the best pillow lines in the venue and he picked a good one. Lining up a double it was obvious he had found some soft north facing snow. Dropping 40 onto this little pillow and then another 15 out of the cliffs, Riley charged down the bump field to the finish as the onlookers up at Gwynn’s High Alpine went crazy. Watson finished off the comp with a Triple drop run that could only be considered crispy at best. Trying to keep it fluid and fast he chose to split the rocks at the top but landed in a bomb hole and had to push out. Stomped the second cliff and then sent it over the third with tons of speed, coming down through tree branches and pulling off the high speed landing and avoiding trees in front of him at the last minute. Unlike the ladies field, the podium for the men was up in the air and would be announced 2 hours later at the awards ceremony. Here is your 2008 Podium.
1. Riley Gesselle
2. Dave Watson
3. Wallace Westfeldt