Oslo, Norway – The clouds broke over Oslo Vinterpark Saturday for the men’s and women’s slopetyle finals at the 6Star Oakley Arctic Challenge. The women took to the course in the morning for a heated session, where America’s Jamie Anderson once again pulled ahead of the other competitors to take the win. The men’s finals went down in the afternoon and American Chas Guldemond was awarded with the win for his flawless run on the progressive slopestyle course, leading an American podium sweep. Both were rewarded with the lion’s share of the event’s $100,000 USD prize purse and 1000 Swatch TTR World Ranking points.nWith her win Saturday, Anderson solidified her World No. 1 position and is going to be tough to overtake in the women’s race for the TTR World Tour Champion Title. Guldemond moved up a couple of notches to World No. 16, which sets him up nicely for a run towards a piece of the $200,000 USD TTR end-of-seaon prize purse.
The men’s final all came down to the last runs as riders tried their best to get ahead of Guldemond, who stomped a nearly perfect first run on the long slopestyle course consisting of a Cab 270 to frontside boardslide on the down rail, a switch 50-50 to method on the canon rail, Cab 1260 on the step-down jump, backside 1080 on the step-up jump, a 50-50 to backside 360 on the flat rail before finishing with a crowd pleasing double backside rodeo on the last jump.
“I’m really happy with the way I rode and to stay in first place through the last run really means a lot to me,” Guldemond said. “I think it was my day today and it all came together perfect. What an amazing experience!”
Young American rider, Tyler Flanagan, pushed his skills to the max in his last run to take second place, scoring just two points below Guldemond. And young gun Sage Kotsenburg also threw down some impressive tricks to take the third spot on the all-American podium.
In the women’s competition, Anderson ruled the slopestyle course with her signature style and is now in an excellent position to take the 2010/11 Swatch TTR World Tour Champion title after her win in Oslo. Anderson won the women’s competition with a run made up of a noseslide, 50-50 to backside 180, a huge switch backside 540, backside 360, tailslide to 270 out and ended her run with a stylish backside 540. Behind Anderson was Canadian rider Spencer O’Brien, who put down a very smooth run. And it was British rider, Jenny Jones, who honed her veteran skills on the slopestyle course to take third place.