Results: FMB Gold Slopestyle - Tom van Steenbergen Invitational At Big White Freeride Days

The stage was set for the FMB Gold Slopestyle which welcomed back spectators for the first time in two years due to Covid. Around 2000 spectators filled the grounds of the slopestyle centre to see the athletes throw down. After a brief wind hold and a couple of quick practice runs the action got underway.

With names like Dawid Godziek, Nicholi Rogatkin, Sam Pilgrim, Tom Isted and David Lieb on the start list the action was bound to be world class and we certainly weren't disappointed.

The event's namesake, Monster Energy and Big White athlete Tom van Steenbergen said before the event, "From what we saw yesterday it's one of the biggest courses on the circuit and the guys were a little timid at first and now they're just double flipping the biggest jumps here and it's going to go off for sure. Some of the guys were talking last night about doing some stuff no one's ever seen in person so it's going to be real exciting."

When asked how he thinks he'll go Nicholi Rogatkin said, "Definitely going to go for a winning run. The level's going to be high and there's gonna be some crazy runs out there - I'll be sending it, that's for sure".

RUN 1
Hayden Zablotny who won the whip off with massive amplitude last night kicked off the action in the Gold event. He styled out a straight air off the first feature to test the wind and then dialed it up with some solid tricks to finish scoring 55.33.

Finley - winner of the Bronze Men Slopestyle was due to drop next but after a brief wind hold and tricky conditions, decided to pull out of his run.

The boys hit the course with a train to re-test the course and get a feel for the conditions.

Brayden Barrett-Hay started with a 360 tuck no-hander followed by a flip tuck no-hander and a super cab, no look flip off the whale tail and then another no look laid out flip on the final feature. He set the early score to beat, 60.00.

Finley Kirschenmann dropped and cruised the course with a table top, 360 onto the whale tail and then a nice no-footer to finish, Some of the less experienced riders looked to be choosing safety over gnar.

Jesse Munden laid out two massive flat spins, then another off the whale tail finishing with a straight air. There were low scores only to this point due to the conditions.

Liam Baylis flat drop backflip in, 360 x-up onto the whale tail, huge backflip on the 4th feature but then went down with a backflip double tail whip on the last. He was checked over briefly by medics but then jumped to his feet. It was definitely looking like the best run so far.

Marc Diekmann all the way from Germany was next up. With a clean run top to bottom including 4 backflips he set a score of 66.33 which was a new course high.

Christian Arehart from Wilton, NY cruised the first two features and straight aired with a single back flip in the middle of the course and finishing with the same - 43.00.

Truck driver from Max Langille followed by a huge backflip, backflip tuck no hander, flip whip out and a massive front flip to finish. The crowd lost it and the athletes got around him for a huge celebration. New score to beat was an 87.00.

Derek Priest, last night’s Best Trick winner started conservatively then amped it up at the end with a double back-flip. The run was super clean top to bottom with enough technicality to score a 74.33 and slot into a temporary 2nd place.

Kaidan Ingersoll dropped in with a 360, huge backflip off the boner log, backflip tail whip off the big jump, truck driver into the whale tail, backflip out and a 360 tail whip to finish, slightly casing the landing.

All the way from Australia, Mike Ross - no, not the actor from Suits - kicked things off with a massive spinning air attempt but couldn't bring it round and bailed.

The windy conditions continued to wreak havoc with the athletes but there were definite breaks for the athletes to drop.

Chance Moore started with a corked 720 to get the crowd going, 360 tail whip onto the whale tail, backflip tail whip out and a massive flip on the final feature but failed to land it.

Canyon athlete, Lucas Skiöld who trains with Emil Johansson, began with a 360 double bar spin, backflip to whip, front flip on the step up, nose bonk 360, one foot out off the whale tail and then a back flip to finish. 73:00 was the score putting him in provisional second spot.

Ben Thompson dropped in with a clean truck driver followed by a double tail whip. A massive front flip tuck no hander. He lost some speed with a slipped pedal which impacted his run enough to stop him at the whale tail.

A man who needs no introduction Sam Pilgrim, dropped in and went off the boner log with a backflip one foot x-up, flip whip to table, flip tuck off the whale tail and a smooth back flip to finish. 75.00 and temporary second place was the result.

David Lieb backflipped the bones, backflip double bar spin next, a couple of steezy straight airs, switch 360 and a huge front flip to end his run. He'll be at Crankworx next week for Joyride looking to dial it up.

Alex Alanko started with a backflip double bar spin, corked 720 and then cased the landing on the 3rd feature blowing his rear tire.

Next up was Tom Isted who did a massive front flip off the boner log, looked strong for his whole run to lose it on the final feature, falling on the McTwist.

Out of Poland, NS Bikes rider Dawid Godziek recently won an X-Games gold medal and was looking to lay it all out on his first run. Double tail whip off the bones, backflip double bar spin, small 360, front flip tuck no-hander into the whale tail he was laying it all down and then crashed on the final feature. Athletes seemed to be struggling on the last jump and it was robbing a couple of the boys of their runs. Tom van Steenbergen put some water on the landing to improve conditions on the final feature.

Riding for Specialized and arguably the crowd favorite Nicholi Rogatkin out of Boston, Massachusetts did a huge cash roll off the boner log and then after three rotations off the next jump he looked to land perfectly but blew his tire and that was it. Devastation! One more chance to nail it.

After the first round we had Max Langille in first on 81.66, veteran Sam Pilgrim in second place on 76.33 and David Lieb rounding out the preliminary podium places in third with a 75 even.


RUN 2
Zablotny tricked out a few of the features but overall took it pretty cruisy to kick things off in round 2 with a 52.66.

Local hero Brayden Barrett-Hay backflipped into the step up, a beautiful Indian Air onto the whale tail and then a huge spill on the last - he lef this bike behind, hit the deck and rolled three times clutching his arm. There was some initial concern but he was okay.

Liam Bayliss smashed out a massive double-backy mid-course, he did a switch double tail whip and finished with another huge backflip to lay down a super clean run and score 76.00 even to slot into third place.

Max Langille took advantage of a lull in the wind to nail a similar run to his first with a couple of extra tricks thrown in to score an 87.00 to solidify his position in first place. Two super tricked out runs from Max showed he was a force to reckon with on the day.

Kaidan Ingersoll dropped next and showed the biggest amplitude of the day through the middle of the course, He was super clean over the whale tail finishing with a 360 tail whip. A 75.66 secured him 4th place.

Mike Ross back flipped off the top drop and then cash rolled off the boner log and went down. This guy is tough as nails - he shook it off and received a consolation slow clap from the crowd.

Squamish lad Jake Murray better known for his enduro exploits laid down a super solid run but wouldn't challenge the top placed riders.

Ben Thompson, another Squamish rider who practices regularly on an air-bag back home cleaned the whale tail this time and finished with a huge backflip double bar flip. It was big enough to put him into 3rd place with an 82.66.

Sam Pilgrim currently in fourth was looking to improve and bump Max from top spot. A flip superman onto the step up, he cased a 360 tail whip onto the whale tail which ended his second run. He finished just out of the placings.
You'll see him next week at Crankworx for sure!

A backflip double bar spin, backflip 360, truck driver out of the whale tail and then finishing with a switch corked 720 which he couldn't land. It looked like a great run but no dice.

Tom Isted otherwise known as Ice-T began his run with a huge front flip off the boner log, a cork 720 stomped on the box jump, truck driver into the whale tail but again, another athlete crashing on the final jump.

Dawid Godziek threw a massive 360 tuck no hander off the flat drop, backflip double bar spin, step up 360 1 foot 1 hander, front flip tuck no-hander onto the tail whip and finishing with a massive twister no-hander and landing it super clean. That was the run of the day... a huge 94.00 that could be it folks but with Nicholi to come, no one was calling it just yet.

Oh - no!!! Nicholi down after the first flat drop and that was it. Dawid Godziek is your winner!!

The crowd was stoked, the athletes were stoked and the champagne was already spraying in the athlete's tent all over Max Langille the Crankworx Joyride Wildcard winner!!!

That's a wrap on another epic Freeride Days at Big White and an incredible FMB Gold, Tom van Steenbergen Invitational Slopestyle.

Thanks to all our sponsors, the spectators and most of all the athletes for throwing down and risking it all for our entertainment.

Final Results
1. Dawid Godziek - POL - 94.00
2. Max Langille - CAN - 87.00
2. Ben Thompson - CAN - 82.66
4. Sam Pilgrim - GBR - 76.33