COPPER MOUNTAIN — It was pretty much business as usual Saturday for 2002 Olympic halfpipe gold medalist Kelly Clark. The snowboarder from Mount Snow, Vt., took her first step toward her third Olympics with a dominant performance in the women’s pipe competition at the U.S. Open Snowboard Grand Prix.
Clark, the second-ranked qualifier behind 2006 Olympic silver medalist Gretchen Bleiler of Aspen, established the score to beat on her first of two laps through Copper Mountain’s Main Vein Superpipe, landing a huge frontside air off the first hit before nailing down a frontside 900 and back-to-back 720s, good for a score of 44.50.
“I was really happy with my first run,” Clark said. “I’ve been working really hard on the fitness side of things and really preparing for this season mentally and physically every way I can. I feel like at this point in the season, I’m riding better than I ever have.”
After faltering on the second hit of her first lap, Bleiler regained her composure to land a clean second run for a score of 42.60, which bumped Soko Yamaoka (40.20) of Japan to the third podium spot.
Attributing the early crash to nerves, Bleiler claimed victory in her ability to perform under pressure as the last rider to drop in the pipe.
“I had an option to do an easier run, but I didn’t want to do that today. I just wanted to throw my run,” Bleiler said. “I got around as best I could today, and now I know exactly what I need to do in practice. There’s more to come.”
Scott Willoughby, The Denver Post
