Outstanding week for Canadian half-pipe team

VALMALENCO, Italy and LAAX, Switzerland – Canadian half-pipers have shone in international competition this week.

In Wednesday’s World Cup action in Valmalenco, Sarah Burke of Squamish, B.C., clinched the women’s half-pipe overall title with a second-place showing and Matthew Hayward of Red Deer won the men’s overall title despite falling and suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.

Hayward, 18, crashed on his first run and was unable to do his second run. However, 29 points for his ninth-place showing and earlier-season wins in France and Japan gave him the men’s overall title with 229 points.

“It means a lot to me. This is up there,” said Hayward of winning the crystal globe after growing up in the sport, first with moguls and aerials.

Mike Riddle of Sherwood Park, Alta., won Wednesday’s World Cup, ahead of silver medallist Kalle Leinonen of Finland, to finish third in the overall men’s half-pipe standings.

Combined with two earlier-season wins in France and Japan, Burke edged out Jennifer Hudak of the United States for the World Cup women’s half-pipe crown, 280 to 260 points. Rosalind Groenewoud, 18, of Calgary mounted the World Cup podium for the first time, after two fourth-place showings, to place third in the overall standings.

“It definitely feels good. It feels good to finally be on the podium after just missing the podium twice,” Groenewoud said. She then kept the momentum going at Friday’s pro event, the European Freeskiing Open, in Laax, Switzerland.

Burke, 25, who wasn’t entirely happy with her showing in Valmalenco, couldn’t complain about leading a 1-2 Canadian women’s finish in Laax. Burke, who grew up in Midland, Ont., and Groenewoud, a three-time national half-pipe champion, scored 91 and 87 points, out of 100, as part of a four-medal Canadian showing.

The other Canuck medallists were winner Mike Riddle and third-place Justin Dorey of Vernon, B.C. in the men’s half-pipe on the beautifully prepared site.

Groenewoud left an early impression, edging out Burke in the qualifier with a run that featured her ever-improving corked 900, spins both ways, and a stomped 720. “I felt I was skiing like myself,” said Burke, in comparing herself to her World Cup effort Wednesday. “I upped my tricks.”

In the men's event, the top qualifiers were eventual silver medallist Xavier Bertoni of France and Leinonen of Finland, with Riddle a close third and Dorey fifth.

Then the Canadian team went into overdrive. Burke broke out a gigantic 900 in the middle of her run en route to victory. Groenewoud, immediately following Burke’s run, produced a huge 900 to clinch the silver medal.

In the men’s final, it appeared Riddle's first run might be one of the highest scores ever, until his final hit, when he couldn’t hold the landing off a massive switch alley-oop
900. With everything on the line for his second run, he rose to the challenge.

It has been an on-and-season for Riddle, but a hugely successful week.

“It couldn’t have gone any better,” said the 26-year-old.

Dorey moved temporarily into second after huge switch 1080s, flatspins, and a ridiculously big 360 to switch.

“In general our (half pipe) team has had quite an amazing season, and the sport is gaining more and more attention,” said Groenewoud of the positive crowd response in Europe.

posted March 16, 2008