The first running of the Colorado Freeride Festival had a bit of a rough go, all due to Mother Nature. Classic afternoon thunderstorms rolled through everyday, hindering or halting the contest. Today was no different with weather rolling through all day. The contest was able to go off though, and the riders all threw down some sick runs.
As the slopestyle contest began under beautiful Colorado skies the crowds lined the hill side looking onto the course.
Casey Groves runs were as exciting to watch as I am sure they were for him to ride. After landing slightly off line from the whale tale he mobbed through the side of the course but was still able to hit the hip with a nice tailwhip
Reece Wallace put down a trick filled first run which was enough to put him into the top ten.
Thomas Genon with a big tuck no handed ally oop over the hip.
Cam Zink's first run was not what he had hoped for in a score. However, he came back and laid out a clean and trick filled second run to secure a fourth place finish.
Not the most favorite trick to capture for photographers, but always a crowd favorite. Martin laying out a stylish 360 double whip.
(L) Martin Soderstrom is always a pleasure to watch ride. His style is unique and his tricks are the same. (R) Propane tanks were put into full use when a mid finals rain storm slowed down the contest for a short break.
Brett Rheeder made an impact in Claymore and again here in Colorado. His solid riding landed him in third place.
Anthony Messere had a rough first run when he landed the front flip to deep into the whale tale. His second run was on fire including a front flip in and back flip out of the whale tale. A missed cork 720 on the final jump ended his chances for a podium.
While most riders tricked the on off feature, Brandon choose to simply skip it all together.
Another view of Brandon's air over the on off box.
Brandon Semenuk and Yannick Granieri discuss their thoughts on this years course to the contest judges.
Colorado Freeride Festival podium; Brett Rheeder 3rd, Martin Soderstrom 2nd, Brandon Semenuk 1st
With a win here in Winter Park, Brandon has now won five FMB events in a row.
Overjumping the wohle on off feature is a timo pritzel signature move ;-) He did that over the school bus at the Red Bull Freezeride, at the Saalbach Contest and he tried to do it in Whistler...
Good job to Rheeder MAD props.. i grew up riding with this kid and saw him progress from when he could barely hop up a curb, but he would still send it huge of DJ's even tho the bike he was riding he could barely fit...He has come a long way from the first couple of Havoc Jam's to now.
Cheers Rheeder keep ripping budd
No seriously what the f*ck ? this is not the first time... I love semenuk but his run isn't the best as claymore and I think he is all the time too favored by judges... It's really obvious and I know soo many people think as me and I start to get pissed that Semenuk is favored unfairly ! The other riders can kill to get a better result than him, you can be sure he win bearclaw invitational ha ha .
Yes.
Yes it will.
The other riders can kill to get a better result than him, you can be sure he win bearclaw invitational ha ha .
Big f*ck for the judges this years