Marino and Toutant shine at slopestyle World Cup Quebec
Aug 31, 2018·Snowboard Park & Pipe
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Julia Marino (USA) and Sebastien Toutant (CAN) have claimed victory in the penultimate slopestyle World Cup event of the 2016-17 season which was staged as part of the 2017 Jamboree presented by Vidéotron Mobile in the Stoneham Mountain Resort, Canada.
And whilst riders had to face some flat light and therefore quite challenging conditions, the top-8 female and best 16 male qualifiers still delivered a great show in the two run best one count final in front of the stellar crowd which braved the cold weather whilst hoping for another top result of the Canadian roster.
The hosting nation's riders had been doing well in the Saturday night big air finals with Mark McMorris and Max Parrot securing a 1-2 double for the maple leaves – so hopes were high for a repetition.
And Team Canada did their home country proud with Sebastien Toutant (84.81) and Mark McMorris (84.60) claiming another 1-2 punch in a super tight showdown.
In a technical final which could have gone either way, it was Seb Toots who impressed the judges just a little bit more with his second run to take his career's third.
The local favourite from Quebec landed a cab double cork 1260 tail to frontside double cork 1080 mute and backside 1440 mute on the three-kicker jump line before stomping a tailslide to 270 out on the creative hip feature whist finishing things of with a 270 on 270 out and a cab 270 in the rail section at the bottom of the course.
However, he had to go through some hard times until he finally was able to stomp the run he had in mind and climb the top spot of the podium.
“Not making the cut in yesterday's big air was for sure a bummer with all my friends and family here. And then I fell on the first jump in my first run, I couldn't believe it,” he recalled.
“I had a ton of pressure in my second run for sure but I tried to stay focused. I knew I had that run which I landed a couple of times in practise.
I'm super happy that I put it down. Taking a win in Quebec in front of my home crowd is awesome,” stated Toutant who did not compete in his backyard since 2011 when he won the big air event in Quebec City.
Beaten by only 0.21, McMorris, who had looked like taking home a back-to-back win, was left standing as second knowing that the decision about the victory had not been in his hands.
The winner of the first ever FIS Super Series had thrown down a switch backside 1260 stalefish as well as a backside triple cork 1440 mute and frontside double cork 1080 mute to tail before stomping a tailslide 270 off, frontside boardslide to boardslide 270 out and a cab 270.
“You know, you can only land your run. I think it could have gone either way, just like yesterday. But I'm happy that I earned another good result. And hey, two Canadians on the podium, it could be worse,” he commented also knowing that “it was hard with the flat light but the level of riding was pretty technical today.”
Another proof for the superb level in the men's final was spinning wonder Markus Kleveland.
After putting down a solid run consisting of a cab 1260 melon to frontside double cork 1080 mute, backside 1440, boardslide prezel 270 out, cab 270 and a switch boardslide 270 out, the Norwegian Viking walked away with a 84.16 and a third rank finish saying:
“To compete with those guys it's a high level of riding. You have to push yourself to the max. It's been really fun.”
US girls dominated the women's final
US ladies atop
And while the men put down some killer runs, the girls didn't want to be left behind with two US ladies taking a double win for the stars and stripes.
Coming off strong of her last nights second rank finish in the big air competition, Julia Marino claimed her career's second, her first in slopestyle though, thanks to her first run with which she set the bar too high for the rest of the field.
Marino was given a 76.43 for her frontside 540 indy to cab double underflip mute, backside 720 mute as well as a frontside nose bluntslide, frontside boardslide and a final 50-50 to frontside 360 therefore relegating Olympic champion Jamie Anderson to the runner-up position (72.78).
“I had a really fun time today although we had some flat light. But as the conditions were consistent it was good. However, it definitely wasn't easy. All the girls put down their hardest runs. But its cool, we push each other,” Marino said.
However, earning another 800 points for her second rank finish, Anderson took over the World Cup lead – despite the fact of being forced to deal with spare gear.
“I'm super happy to put one down after a super tough week here. I lost my bags which just showed up yesterday. So it was all new gear with which I wasn't comfortable with.”
Nevertheless, the US superstar who has had some ups and downs this season, was still able to throw down: cab 720 tail, switch backside 540 indy, frontside 720 mute, tailtap 270 off, frontside gap to boardslide and a frontside lipslide.
The women's podium was rounded out by Brooke Voigt (CAN; 67.43) who jumped on the podium for the third time in her career making the final day of the twelfth edition of the Jamboree one Canadian fans will never forget.
The snowboard freestyle World Cup tour will continue next weekend with the Olympic halfpipe test event staged in the Bokwang Phoenix Park Resort, South Korea from February 17 to 19, 2017.
Results
Full results of this season's fifth and penultimate slopestyle World Cup staged at the 2017 Jamboree in Stoneham can be viewed online:
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