Halfpipe Results

Tara Dakides with her trophy.

Kurt Wastell pulled out a switch backside rodeo 720 and Tara Dakides melon back-flipped to win the Vans Triple Crown Big Air at Sierra-at-Tahoe Saturday, March 6, 1999. The two took home a combined total of $17,500 dollars in cash: $10,000 to Wastell and $7,500 to Dakides.

Riders got two jumps with the best jump counting for the final. Wastell was jumping so well that he could have won the event twice. His first and second runs were the first and second highest scores of the day. "On the first jump I put my hand back a little," Wastell said. "I wanted to get it right in the second jump."

The jump itself was up to riders' standards, however, nearly everyone has some problems with the landing. "The jump is nice, the gap is right, but the landing is pretty flat and icy," said Neil Goss before dropping in.

Shane Smart attempted something that no one had seen in a contest before: a triple front flip. He took off, started spinning, and completed two and a half before slamming his tail into the landing, coming up only 90 degress short of three full rotations. Then Allen "Crazy Al" Traves pulled out his McScary which is a Mistyflip into a Rodeo–a double inverted 720. "I threw it and landed it," Traves said. "Now, where's my money. I did touch my elbow a little I guess."

The landing wasn't the best, and no where was this more apparent than in the women's competition. One bystander summed the women's even up quite well: "It's not on which woman lands a trick, but who comes closest to landing one."

Tara Dakides' landed one melon back-flip but she wasn't alone in her flipping. Janet Mathews did. . . guess what. . . a back flip. Only now she's started grabbing the nose of the board. "Hey, I'm learning new tricks," she said. "Did you see my nose grab?"

Second place finisher Micha Fish pulled out a front flip and Jessica Dalpiaz spun for third.

Both Wastell and Dakides are sponsored by Vans and no one was happier than vice president of promotions Steve Van Doren. "Vans is thrilled with yet another great event," he said. "The best athletes in the world were here in full force, the Sierra staff was exceptional, and the weather was incredible. We're also ecstatic about the performance of Vans' snowboarding team."

For those playing the home game, here is the list of the jumps the men attampted,but not necesarrily landed:

Doren Laybourne Switch Rodeo 720 - Switch Backside Rodeo

Kurt Wastell - Switch Backside Rodeo 720 - Switch Backside Rodeo 720

Bobi Rey - Rodeo 720 - Rodeo 720

Scotty Wittlake - Switch Rodeo 720 - Switch Rodeo 720

Jason Borstede - Switch Rippey Flip - Switch Rippey Flip

Mitch Nelson - ??? - Switch Backside 720

Neil Goss - Switch Fronside 540 - Switch 540

Brandon Ruff - Backside 540 -

Shane Smart - Frontside 900 - Triple Flip

Jarrett Packer - Backside 540 - Backside 180

Rahm Klampert - Switch backside 900 - Switch Backside 900

Chris Coulter - Switch Backside 180/Late 540 - Switch 540

Kevin Jones - Frontside 540 - Frontside 900

Ryan Queen - Switch Rodeo 720 - Switch Rodeo 720

Jesse Burtner - Switch Backside 720 - Switch Backside 720