I've gone every year for four years now and it's fantastic- oh and humbling. The Grand Prix is a pro level half pipe competition in Breckenridge. Some of the best names in the sport arrive from all over the world to take three runs. The best of three runs wins. For those unclear on the rules for judging and difficulty, I can't help you. Backside, front-side, cab 180, 360 mute grab, back to back 900's, 1080's, Mic-twists, switch to fakie backside 720, what? I've tried to figure it out, but what's even more baffling is the obnoxious Aussie announcer (affectionately called Dingo) seems to understand it even if he sounds like he couldn't tie his own shoes. What I can tell you is that when the music starts pumping and wind starts a massive curling wave of snow-spray up the icy walls of the pipe and a lone rider drops into the tempest to launch himself high into the air, it's humbling. They spin in ways I can't spin in video games. When they fall they get up and slide down; I hold rattled body parts and writhe in agony. 
I learned that the order of the tricks matters. If you pull a really difficult trick at the very start of your run, it's worth more. The chances of falling and scoring nothing on the run are increased so the score increases. This made me feel like a pro as I always shoot my hardest trick on the beginning of my pipe run. Then again, its my only trick, and it doesn't even qualify as a trick with these judges. Actually, each run is required to have at least one non-spinning trick so maybe my sad airs that just clear the lip are judge-able. The women had big names like Gretchen Beiler and Kelly Clark - who won the ladies competition. Some of you may remember the famous run she had in the superpipe at the Olympics. She took fourth because she fell, but to this day it stands as the most explosive leap any female has made in the sport of snowboarding. 
Notably absent was the Flying Tomato, Shawn White. Last year he was here and he really is a step above the rest. Having Shawn in the line-up makes everyone else go a little higher, a little stronger, and go away a little sadder as he still dominates the crowd of contenders. I noticed Kier Dillon, a long-time Burton rider, at the competition but not riding, which is disappointing because his big sweeping tricks and smooth style are what has kept him in competiton for a long time by rider standards - maybe nine years as a pro, and made him a blast to watch. 
And RipperRoo was there. I'm not sure if Ripper is a marsupial or a dog, but he's always up for getting in a good photo. 
(Jason Brewer, Ken's assistant, authored this article and took the photos. He is an all-round athlete who is trying to convince Ken to get in shape.) |
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