Oakley Arctic Challenge 2011 | the contest
Chas Guldemond (USA | 89,1) sent it clearly from his first run on the finals. Showing an absolute solid run, concerning the flow of the tricks from obstacle to obstacle and the trick themselves. Cab 270 frontboard, Switch 50-50 Method on the cannon rail, Cab 1260, BS 1080, 50-50 BS 360 and a double BS Rodeo, let him rank 1st from the beginning, stay there and take the win home! Not knowing obviously, he had to continue performing that way though, till the very end fearing his competitors, who tried hard but were not able to get close enough. Fellow Americans Tyler Flanagen (USA | 88,9) with his massive stomped landings, or Sage Kotsenburg (USA | 86,4), who did 2nd and 3rd place. Also Eric Willett doing incredible switch BS 12 Double Corks, impressed everyone and gave reason enough, for Chas to keep it up untill he finally got crowned.
„The competition was great, the weather was great and the course was the best it`s been for the whole week. The level of riding was amazing, and I can`t believe my run went through and stuck through all the way to the podium. I feel amazing right now, and couldn’t be any happier, says Chas Guldemond. -It means a lot to me to do well here at The Oakley Arctic Challenge, and it feels so good to be here in Norway, because it reminds me of home„.
On the girls‘ side of the slopestyle competition it was up to Jamie Anderon (USA | 87,4) to stand up and take the 1st place. Her winning run consisted of a Noseslide at the first element, a 50-50 BS 180 Mute, a huge Switch BS 540, BS 360, a Tailslide 270 out and a BS 540 Indy on the last jump. Other female riders Spencer like O’Brien (CAN | 85,1) and Jenny Jones (GBR | 75,7), who ranked 2nd and 3rd contributed to a huge and solid female snowboarding performance, giving it everybody straight, that female snowboarding is progressing! Jamie Anderson was today the first female rider to ever win an Arctic Challenge.
„I was never crowned the prom queen, but finally I got my crown”, she commented at the prize ceremony„. We really cannot understand that anyway, but we are still happy that she made it!
Organizer, Terje Haakonsen on the event: „It’s cool to watch when the overall level is that good, with minor details determining the winner, was his comment on today’s riding„.
Everybody was stoked and enjoying a really cool and high ranked TTR event, under perfect conditions and bluebird all day long, what impacts on the spectators, riders and everyone else immediately.
It should be quite interesting to get to know what the International Olympic Comitee (IOC), has to say about this contest, which attended the event, also on the background of currently running negotiations and process to turn the slopestyle format into an Olympic Discipline for Snowboarding in future. To read further about this issue, please have a look on Terje’s letter to the IOC from early 2011 and the recent signeed 180 Charta. Keep up on checking on ShredOn Mag for upcoming video footage of the event soon.
