Mammoth Lakes, CA – The 6Star Roxy Chicken Jam slopestyle and halfpipe finals both went down under sunny skies at California’s Mammoth Mountain ski area last Wednesday, and Finland’s Enni Rukajarvi has been officially declared the women’s Swatch TTR World Snowboard Champion for the 2009-10 season.nSina Candrian of Switzerland was able to post a sixth place finish in the slopestyle finals to defend her World No. 2 position and Sarka Pancochova of the Czech Republic squeezed in a fifth place in slopestyle to finish her season in World No. 3. In addition to the prize money, all three will receive automatic invites to all major TTR events for the 2010-11 season.
Wednesday began with slopestyle finals under the blazing California sunshine, making the course a little bit slow as the women powered through the slush and put on a great showing. The slopestyle course was larger than in years past, consisting of a 65-foot jump, 55-foot jump, a rail section, pole jam and a 50-foot kicker. It was American rider, Jamie Anderson, who had the speed and style on the course and was able to throw down a run that included a backside 540, switch backside 540 and a Cab 540 mute to take the top spot of the day.
For the final TTR tour rankings, Rukajarvi came in ninth place, but that was enough to keep her in the TTR World No. 1 spot with the halfpipe finals still to go.
There was a two-hour break after the slopestyle competition wrapped up before the halfpipe finals kicked off. Over the past couple of years, the Chicken Jam was running an 18-foot pipe but this year’s contest featured an Olympic-size 22-footer. It was West Dover, Vt.’s Kelly Clark putting up her signature huge airs and smooth spins to take the top spot for the day in the pipe. Japanese rider, Rana Okada, was also going big and took the third place spot and American Elena Hight rounded out the podium in third.
With none of the riders on the pipe podium in contention for a top TTR Tour finish, Rukajarvi was able to clinch the TTR World Champion title at the close of the Chicken Jam with Candrian officially finishing in World No. 2 and Panchochova in World No. 3.
“I feel awesome. I am so happy and stoked and also surprised,” said Rukajarvi of her tour win. “I did not expect to be Tour Champion at all at the beginning of the season.”
With her TTR Tour Champion title win, Rukajarvi takes home $50,000. Candrian was be awarded $25,000 and Pancochova walks away $15,000 richer.