Ushering in a new event at Dew Tour Copper, the Women’s Snowboard Streetstyle officially debuted Saturday evening under twilight skies. With seven invited ladies and the top finisher from the second annual G.W.R (Girls Who Ride), each rider was given an introductory first run through the Woodward streetstyle setup and then proceeded to hit the course for a 25-minute jam session.
Earning that transfer spot from the G.W.R. event was Ruby Peyton, and she showcased her comfort on the course with a gap out to switch lipslide on the kinked handrail and then a picture-perfect boardslide through the waterfall rails.
Minnesotans Alexis Roland and Emma Crosby were ranked first and second at the halfway mark, further proving that the upper Midwest produces some of the most talented street snowboarders.
Alexis Roland stomped so many crazy tricks, but her boardslide to switch 50-50 then pretzeling back to regular and switch frontside boardslide through the kicked handrail certainly stood out. Crosby was also seen navigating her way throughout the entire course, but up top she sent an indy off the pole-jam to firecracker down the stair set that got the entire group revved up to throw down.
“There is a lot of room for a bunch of different lines and creativity,” said Crosby earlier in the week. “I think it is fun, and there are a lot of transfer options and features than I am used to seeing, and so it should be more fun than the typical jam.”
As the contest neared its close the judges gave an update that Maria Thomsen had hopped ahead of Roland and Crosby. Thomsen was throwing down switch lines on the course from top to bottom, which was clearly impressing the judges and ultimately earned her the win.
“There were amazing women out there and they were all killing it, and it was putting a lot of pressure on me,” laughed Thomsen after receiving her award. “It was a sick course! It took a little bit of time to figure out your lines but it was a really fun course.”
Thomsen continued to give praise to the course and expressed her pleasure in landing the gap out to switch backside lipslide on the kinked handrail, having just recently learned the trick.
Finishing with a shoutout to her fellow riders, “They were all killing it, I want to shout them all out! Jill Perkins, Alexis Roland, Nora [Beck], Emma [Crosby]… everybody. I am so stoked to be here!”
Earning the Best Trick on the evening was Roland for her lipslide 270 over the closeout setup, a very difficult trick that everyone agreed to be the best of the evening. The contest came to a close with a fired-up crowd, almost as fired up as the sky with an alpenglow to make the evening all the more memorable.
Women’s Snowboard Streetstyle Results
1.) Maria Thomsen
2.) Alexis Roland
3.) Emma Crosby
Best Trick – Alexis Roland – Lipslide 270 over the closeout
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