7-7-07 // Online Exclusive: Crankworx CO Report #1

Jamie Goldman tailwhipping into first during the Slopestyle Qualifying at the 2007 Crankworx Colorado event. Colin Meagher

So it’s Saturday here in Winterpark—my bad in getting this report out so late, but a poet qualifying sushi binge last night followed by a reporter’s duty to explore the local watering holes kind of put me in the weeds…

In a nutshell, here’s what went down with the slopestyle qualifying:

The original qualifying was supposed to happen Thursday, but a deluge from the heavens that started at 11 am and just kept on coming forced event organizers to push things back to Friday.

Looking over the course, it isn’t the “Boneyard” at Whistler, but it’s a good start to building a solid event for next year. Unlike Whistler, there is only one line. It starts with a 30+-foot drop in off of a rock face, and leads directly to a quarterpipe hit to a hip landing. The course then rolls into the woods with a small step up and then step down combo with a wall ride option. This is immediately followed by two massive doubles and then a step up to a final step down. Short and to the point compared to Whistler, but this is the first year of this event.

Six competitors—all top Crankworx competitors from Whistler last year—are automatically qualified for the competition, with an additional 10 spots available for the semi final. The trick is that there is an open field of 19 riders looking for those 10 spots.

With a forecast for possible afternoon thunderstorms, the qualifiers and event organizers got underway yesterday a bit early, keeping a nervous eye on the weather. We saw a few regulars on the slopestyle circuit: Jamie Goldman (healthy so far all year, and proving why he’s a Santa Cruz Syndicate rider), Geoff Gulevich, and Alex Pro. These 3 top-level athletes were joined by 16 relatively unknown, but talented, riders.

Qualifying went smoothly, with Goldman throwing down a nice variety of tricks to cement a semi spot. His best was his second run, with a tailwhip over the first double, followed by a superman on the second, a no hander on the step up, and a big back flip on the final step down. Other qualifiers included Rocky Mountain’s Alex Pro, Kona’s Pedro Marrero from Puerto Rico, and Justin Wyper.

Big Air comp:

There was a Big Air comp at 4 pm with a $5000 purse: $2500 to first, $1500 to 2nd, and $1000 to 3rd place. With that kind of coin on the table, the pre-qualified slopestylers like Cam McCaul and Paul Basagoitia were on course. The format was Jam style on two different segments of the slopestyle course, 20 minutes per section, as many runs as your legs and lungs would allow, best trick wins. The first portion was set on the two doubles, the second on the final step down.

Some great tricks were seen—especially Justin Wyper’s double Saran Wrap, and Pedro Marrero’s Front flip. Cam McCaul gave a preview of what he’d be doing with a neat tailwhip onto the step up before the final step down, and Mitchell Chubey pulling a classic cliff-hanger off of the second double. Again, a fit Jamie Goldman came out aces with the big money, pulling off a one footed back flip off the massive finishing step down, and earning himself a little spending money at the same time.

Check out the Crankworx Colorado gallery HERE.

The Big Air competition. Mitchell Chubbey with a cliff-hanger. Colin Meagher