Justin Dorey and Jen Hudak win US Open Halfpipe

Today, we saw closure in the stunt ditch here at Copper, with Jen Hudak slaying the pipe on the women’s side and Canadian (I know right?) Justin Dorey making the entire men’s field, his bitch. Sunny skies and warming temps were the order of the (long) day today. From semi-finals to finals to getting paid, the US Open here at Copper dominated everyone’s minds.

Semi-finals saw nine women and twelve men advance to the big show this afternoon. Tricks on tricks were thrown down, as everyone vied for those coveted spots. It was absolute mayhem in the halfpipe… Scott Hibbert is doing one thing, then the next thing you know, Stripedog is doing his thing. But then there were the finals.

As tradition states, women dropped in first. Three runs in which to do their thing, the girls got down, with great amplitude and trickery across the field. Last year’s winner Jess Cumming took a couple fives and a 720 to the 3rd place spot, while Frenchwoman Anais Caradeux boosted her way into 2nd. But in the end, it was THE HUDAK whose big air, solid style and alley oop 540 took it to the pipe, elevating her into the top podium spot. And then came the men.

The final twelve men were weeded from the pack of 29, and then things got dirty. Peter Olenick (celebrating his 6.25 birthday today) boosted absolutely huge, whose back to back flatspins are the best in the industry. Tucker Perkins, fresh off injury skied so smoothly that people were calling him ‘Smooth.’ Taylor Seaton’s alley oop 540s and switch 720s are amongst the hottest tricks today. Duncan Adams does a switch straight air which is just crazy.

But in the end, Mike Riddle took 3rd. His run started off with flawless back to back 540s, his signature 900 mute, alley oop flatspin 360 ‘bwarrow’ grab and the tightest switch 900/1080s you’ve ever laid eyes on. In 2nd, Matt Philippi started things off with switch 1080, and continued with spins that would make you call him a whirling dervish. 1080s, switch 720s, 900s… you name it MP did it. But in the end, there was really only Justin Dorey. A massive double flip paved the way for back to back 900s to alley oop flatspin 360 to switch 1080 to end things off. This run not just catapulted him into the top spot, but actually people think he won the entire podium.

“Dating Justin Dorey is like a tanning salon, it’s pimp,” says an elated Rosalind Groenewoud.

“Ain’t nobody that good.” – Everyone on Justin Dorey today.

No doubt, the US Open, in it’s 12th year, delivered a great halfpipe contest (and even managed to go until 3:30+ in true US Open fashion). As competitors jet off to Japan for the World Championships, there is little time to reminisce on today’s performances, no matter how commanding they were. The book is now closed on a wonderful US Open (sort of, there is a Junior Halfpipe contest tomorrow). Big shout out to Wahoos for catering lunch and the sun for being so damn warm and inviting today. And BIG shout out to Copper Mountain for hosting the event.

Men’s Results

1) Justin Dorey
2) Matt Philippi
3) Mike Riddle
4) Taylor Seaton
5) David Wise
6) Duncan Adams
7) Matt Duhamel
8) Tucker Perkins
9) Dan Marion
10) Tyler Petersen
T-11) Peter Olenick and Evan Schwartz

Women’s Results

1) Jen Hudak
2) Anais Caradeux
3) Jess Cumming
4) Rosalind Groenewoud (roz-g.com)
5) Katrien Aerts
6) Claudia Bouvier
7) Jenny Lee
8) Em Lonsdale
9) Charity Mersereau