Day 3 ANTPM: 2nd Day of Competition

It’s our third day out in Oregon up here at Mt. Hood. So far it has been one of the best trips I have ever been on, and it’s all thanks to Snowboarder Magazine’s second annual America’s Next Top Pro Model competition. Some of the heaviest names in snowboarding have made their way out to show off the board with their name on it and as a result we have seen quite a show. Today was the last day for the on snow competitions. Right away this morning was the Spin to Win, early this afternoon the campers at High Cascade gathered around to watch the Highest Air and just before the hill closed was the “anything goes” Chinese Downhill race.

We had an epic view for the Spin to Win. They used a table top with two lips, so while the pros twisted something fierce off the bigger of the two, which was about 30 ft., Paul and I, an assortment of photographers and a few others got to watch the spins from atop the table in front of the smaller lip. Getting to watch the pros in flight with a perspective that close is pretty impressive. The best trick of the entire day was hands down the super delayed, tweeked to the teeth 360 Chris Bradshaw threw in practice. Unfortunately it was in practice and a 360 doesn’t really count for much in Spin to Win, but it thoroughly impressed us all. The riders all got six spins, three backside and three frontside. There were some pretty high numbers of degrees revolved, but not all of them had a successful landing to follow them up. Pat Moore won it last year, but with him out of the picture Kyle Clancy spun in to become the new Spin to Win champ, and Joe Sexton came in second.

Chris Bradshaw and his super style 360

Kyle Clancy

Joe Sexton

Shortly after that it was time for the Highest Air contest in the pipe. All the campers gathered in close to watch the guys reach for the sky. Some of the guys just kind of relaxed and played around in the pipe more so than trying to beat out the competition, and it was a perfect sunny relaxed day for that kind of riding as well. For example, Chris Grenier was getting pretty proficient in his cripplers, and I’m pretty sure I heard Eero Niemela, who is sitting out with a dislocated shoulder, making bets with campers for ice cream on who the winner would be.  We also were treated with a couple special guest appearances. One of whom was this years women’s 6th place Olympic Halfpipe snowboarder from Canada, Mercedese Nicoll who is working out at High Cascade this summer. We also got to see the shred styles of the men’s 8th place Olympic Halfpipe rider Kazu Kokubo, and that kid RIPS! He is so sick. Oh yeah, and a member of Kazu’s entourage, who went down the pipe shirtless and pretty much scraped off his nipples in a graceful face first digger. Never good. After all that fun and the guys finished getting down to busyness it was a close call between Kyle Clancy, Bryan Fox and Austin Smith. The lead seemed to teeter back and forth and as of right now we don’t have an official say on who actually won. That would be another one to check out at SnowboarderMag.com because they will have a full list of official placings and much more info.

Heikki Sorsa

Kyle Clancy

Kazu Kokubo

Kazu's shirtless photographer

Next up was the Chinese Downhill. We had a little time to burn before the race got started so I personally chose to utilize that time by testing out the High Cascade air bag. My first attempt went pretty smooth with just a little method to get a feel for it, but my second attempt I decided it would be a good idea to try my very first back flip. That was a total epic fail and by then it was time to take our places to watch what would happen in the Chinese Downhill. It was pointed out that there were officially no Chinese riders in the Chinese Downhill, and someone made a guess that there was probably an American Downhill race happening in China at that exact moment. A snowball was thrown in the air and when it hit the ground the riders were off. Well, Lauri Heiskari said some of the guys took off a little early, but at least the more honest riders took off when the ball hit the ground. The race was over before it started, they cruised down that hill so fast. The course was set up winding through the High Cascade park starting at the top of the mini pipe and ending at the bottom of the big pipe. There was a load of mayhem and confusion in the race down, but it was Bryan Fox that rode through the rope first.

Bryan Fox winning the Chinese Downhill

Tomorrow afternoon is the last contest of America’s Next Top Pro Model, and though it may not be on the snow it is probably the most important of them all. The Silent Auction will be held at the High Cascade home base and the campers will bid on which board, or rider, they like the best. Then the awards ceremony will take place and a new champion will be named the best over all riding America’s Next Top Pro Model board.We also have a lot more pictures we’ll get put up on Facebook and Flickr so be sure to keep looking for those.

For full details be sure to check out SnowboarderMag.com