At the European X Games in Tignes, France last week, Breckenridge athletes were dominant. Eric Willett took first in snowboard slopestyle, while Keri Herman took second in women’s ski slopestyle, and Bobby Brown skied to silver in ski slopestyle as well.
Eric Willett’s run was impressive; Cab 9, Backside 7, Frontside 10 Double Cork, Backside Rodeo 5 to Switchback 9, and a double backside Rodeo.The 22-year-old O’Matic, O’Neil, and MeGlad rider from Breckenridge, Colorado won gold with 91 points ahead of American Sage Kotsenburg and Slovenian Marko Grilc.
The ladies ski competition pool was strong, with names like Sarah Burke and Grete Eliassen in the mix, but Keri Herman won her second straight X Games silver medal. The only female to utilize the flat-down rail at the top of the course, she spun a bit less, but held strong grabs on her left and right 360s and 540s- something the judges are careful to spot.
Anna Segal, another Breckenridge rider and the 2009 X Games gold medalist, was the only lady to go inverted with her lincoln loop on the first jump.
Women’s Final Results:
1) Kaya Turski
2) Keri Herman
3) Ashley Battersby
4) Anna Segal
5) Lena Stoffel
6) Grete Eliassen
7) Sarah Burke
8) Roz Groenewoud
On the men’s ski side, Breck team rider Bobby Brown grabbed silver, with Tom Wallisch edging him out for gold and Jossi Wells rounding out the podium. Bobby’s run was impressive, and he stomped everything to his feet. See the video of his winning run on ESPN.
Men’s Final Slopestyle Results:
1) Tom Wallisch
2) Bobby Brown
3) Jossi Wells
4) TJ Schiller
5) Henrik Harlaut
6) Andreas Håtveit
7) Elias Ambuhl
8) Alex Schlopy
Photos, credit Freeskier.com.