Waterville Valley, NH –The final stop of the 2012 The North Face Park and Pipe Open Series (PPOS) concluded on Sunday under sunny, blue skies at Waterville Valley ski resort in New Hampshire. A purse totaling $20,000 in prize money was awarded to the top finishers, with Kolby Ward of Telluride, Colo. and Devin Logan of West Dover, Vt. taking top honors in the park competition. Topping the podium in the nighttime big air event was Erik Hughes of Park City, Utah and Logan, the champion from the women’s park competition.

Qualifiers for the men’s park competition took place on Friday, with over 50 male athletes trying to advance into the semi-finals in a best of two-run AFP judged format. On Saturday, with sunny, clear conditions, 20 competitors battled it out in the park semi-finals narrowing the field down to eight men for finals. Taking top honors for the men was Ward, who skied a very technical and clean run consisting of a switch left-side 720 japan, a switch right-side 720 mute, and a switch left-side 900 mute to Japan on the jump line. He then attacked the rail portion of the course with a left-side 270 onto the “Jersey Barrier” rail, a front swap on the down bar, and finally a switch lip front-side 270 onto the staircase rail, scoring an 89.25.

“After crashing in his first finals run on a switch 1260, Kolby laid down a super technical run consisting of switch spins in both directions, and near flawless rail features., putting himself on the top of the podium.,” stated AFP head judge for the event, Dan Allen.

Rounding out the men’s podium in second place was the park champion from the competition held earlier at Northstar in California, James Campbell of Carrabassett Valley, Maine, scoring an 86.75, and Alex Gorham of Stowe, Vt. in third with an 83.50.

In the women’s park competition, Logan continued her highly decorated competition season by dominating the women’s field by nearly ten points. Logan successfully landed a jump run consisting of a switch left-side 360, a switch left-side 540 mute, and a forward left-side 360 tail. She then 270’ed onto the “Jersey Barrier” rail, switch buttered onto the down bar, and finally slid the staircase rail forward to forward, scoring an 88.75.

In second place was Annalisa Drew of Carrabassett Valley, Maine, laying down a progressive left-side rodeo 720 in her first run to receive a score of 79.50. Rounding out the women’s podium in third was Julia Marino of Lincoln, N.H., with a score of 75.50.

The big air competition took place under the lights at the base of Waterville Valley Resort on Saturday night with hundreds of spectators cheering on all the competitors. A 45-minute jam format, with overall impression criteria, advanced five men into the big air finals for a best run of two to determine the champion of the night.

Taking top honors for the men’s big air was Hughes, laying down a nearly perfect forward to fakie left-side double cork 1260 high mute grab.

“Erik’s double cork 1260 high mute was flawless and got the crowd as equally stoked as the judging panel,” noted AFP judge Jon Lang.

In second place was Alex Beaulieu of Mont Original, Quebec, Canada stomping the landing on a switch left-side double rodeo 900 mute grab. Rounding out the podium was Ward, the top finisher from the park competition, successfully landing a switch left-side 1080 mute to Japan grab.

On the women’s side, only two girls decided to throw down under the lights, and in the end Logan took top honors with a smooth left-side 540 tail grab. In second place was Drew, the second place finisher from the park competition, showing the judges and crowd her talents by attempting a left-side rodeo 720,  just missing a clean landing.