Shaun White, Kelly Clark win '07 US Snowboard Open Halfpipe

Shaun White dominated the field and Kelly Clark went bigger than anyone else in winning the 2007 Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships Halfpipe competition. Another RadXSports video.

The 2007 Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships took place the day after the infamous St. Patrick's Day Blizzard. Just staging the halfpipe contest was a challenge for athletes and park crew alike, but when the powder settled the usual suspects prevailed.
The weatherman was a big player in the 2007 US Snowboarding Open Championship. A blizzard dumped 2 feet of powder on Stratton Mountain the night before the halfpipe competition. Mother nature threw the Open a big league major curve ball and the event staff and Stratton crew both had to adjust.

A halfpipe is a U-shaped ice sculpture designed to propel human bodies to great heights at high speeds. The blizzard left a layer of powder in the transition, making it slow and uneven. The Stratton crew did what they could to sweep the pipe but almost every rider had problems with bumps on the bottom, losing speed and balance in the transition. Still, it was the same pipe for every competitor, the proverbial even playing field.

This year's field was notable for its stars missing in action. Olympic gold medalist Hannah Teter is still rehabbing her knee, silver medalist Danny Kass bowed out for personal reasons, while Elena Height and Andy Finch were no shows for the competition. It didn't help the field when Molly Aguirre injured a shoulder in the prelims and had to withdraw.

Still, this is the US Open with the best riders in the world strutting their stuff. Let's look at the riding.

The men's field took a hit when slopestyle champ Travis Rice went down in the finals and didn't come back.

Shaun White was on fire early, staking a claim to the big prize in his first run.

Danny Davis came right back with a series of big rotations but not as much amplitude, leaving him only a few points back of White.

Steven Fisher had the best score in the semi finals and was the top seed. The powdery pipe got to him and he fell on his first two runs.

The international contingent was well represented by halfpipe specialist Markus Malin. He is, of course, a Fin.

White was taking no hostages as he set out on his third run, still in first place. He knew what Fisher could do and he wasn't letting up.

The pressure and conditions were too much for Fisher. He fell for a third time on his last run.

When it was all done, White had conquered the difficult pipe conditions and outclassed the field. Danny Davis took second for the second year in a row, with Markus Malin from Finland the only new face on the podium.

The women's competition was a showdown between the reigning champ Torah Bright, and Olympians Kelly Clark and Gretchen Bleiler.

Clark nailed her first run, setting the standard for everyone else to shoot at.
Bleiler, the Olympic silver medalist, was good, but not perfect.

Bright didn't have a run in her that could top either Clark or Bleiler. When Bleiler fell at the top of the pipe on her final run, the victory was Clark's

At champagne time Kelly Clark popped the cork on her third open crown, with Bleiler in second and Bright in third. Familiar faces all.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• snowboard
• Shaun White
• Kelly Clark
• halfpipe
• Burton
• Stratton
• Vermont
• travel
• tourism
• action
• extreme
• snow
• winter
• outdoor
• recreation
• active
• resort
• mountain

[missmarissanicole1]

skaterdog1000 yoooouuu are soooo right !!

[GerryPallor]

It has to do with the physics of mass and momentum, but I'm no scientist. I think Hannnah Teter was the first woman to do a 900 and I hear she's working on a 1080 - so it can be done.

[orisilver10]

WHATS SONG IS IN THE FINAL ?

[GerryPallor]

Communications Breakdown, Led Zep. They were playing it onsite.

[odcoolshark75]

Jake Burton Carpenter(CEO of Burton Snowboards)urges all snowboarders to peacefully invade skier territory so that the fascist ski resorts will lift their sorry ban on snowboarders. Happy Poaching!

[GerryPallor]

In case you didn't notice, Telluride already caved.

[omgaw]

kelly is so unimpressive. especially after watching shaun.

[burtondude994]

kelly clark looks like a man

[shanqwakee96]

You are amazing Kelly-3

[SuaveSweetie]

I'm in love with him.

[TalimRose11]

i wonder why girls dont get very good air at all.... hmm.... u'd think they'd get super high bcuz girls are shorter n lighter, sometimes.... its strange.... or maybe they r super tall..... idk but... it just makes me think, (which is a scary thing o.o) how come boys r always better than girls! DX

[boardersibs]

i love this song and shaun I LOVE HIM BEST SNOW BOARDER EVA!!!!!!!!!

[danielalien]

@765lbsquat

Alot of people listen to music while doing these things. She just happens to sing along:p

[KitiiGatoProductions]

lol u gotta a bad sense of humor, if i was on the deam id be jamn b4 a race

[DrLove0378]

I wouldn't worry about it -- she's still baaaaddd-aaaasssss!!!

[765lbsquat]

isn't Kelly Clark that weirdo that sings and talks to herself before her runs? she belongs in a psych ward, not on a halfpipe

[Totalmachine09]

Did the girl win too? Why?? Where the rest of them that bad?