Tom Wallisch Wins 2009 Dew Tour Freeski Slopestyle

Wallisch lands biggest victory of his career, Turski wins with busted shoulder

Words: Justin Broglio

After spending the morning taking practice runs with Tom Wallisch, PK Hunder and the rest of the Winter Dew Tour Toyota Championship field of slopestyle riders, you'd never know they were competing against each other for well over 10 Gs.

"It's not about the money, it's just fun!" Wallisch told me on the lift ride up before Saturday's finals. "I'd be happy to just ski park everyday and travel around with my friends learning new tricks and filming."

Wallisch, who's unbelievable talent on the rails and smooth, casual landings, claimed top spot yesterday with a 92.83, added later that his winnings were going straight to the bank to pay for school. Alexis Godbout came in a close second Saturday with a 91.83 and Jossi Wells locked in third with a 90.50.

PK Hunder claimed sixth for the day and the overall Dew Cup when he went forward double cork 1260 to switch double cork 1260 on the last two hits of the course, but dropped a hand during transition. Hunder said after the comp that his right knee wasn't feeling very strong and a loose ACL was partly to blame. ACL or no, PK is $25 grand richer with the Toyota Championship Crown.

Saturday's slopestyle competition saw a variety of runs and you knew the deck was stacked when guys like Aussie Russ Henshaw threw a double cork 12 only to place dead last for the day.

When it was all over it's hard to say what the judges were looking for. They scored high for runs like Jossi's super clean switch right 10 to switch double cork 10 and Godbout's switch lip to inward 270 off on the first rail to switch misty 9 mute on the first hit. But then scored extremely low for tour favorites like Bobby Brown's switch 270 on to 630 out followed by a massive cork 9 with a nose grab and Simon Dumont's 450 disaster to 270 out followed by a misty 12 mute that looked good to me.

On the women's end it was tough-as-nails Kaya Turski who took home the top spot Saturday with a 93.50, followed by local favorite Michelle Parker in second with an 88.67 and Meg Olenick with an 83.67

Even after dislocating and re-locating her shoulder during practice runs Turski managed to throw down a solid run that included a switch lip on to the down rail followed by a switch 270 on and off the flat box into a styled out mute 360 on the first jump. She finished out with an awesome switch 540 into switch 720. Well worthy of the score she was awarded.

Included in the other five women of the day (why they invited only five women freeskiers is beyond me) was Gillian McIver with a huge rodeo 7 and Claudia Bouvier out of Vail, Colorado who threw and landed the only 900 seen in the women's exhibtion.

Slopestyle Finals
1) Tom Wallisch - 92.83
2) Alexis Godbout - 91.83
3) Jossi Wells - 90.50
4) Sammy Carlson - 89.83
5) Charles Gagnier - 89.17
6) PK Hunder - 89.00
7) Simon Dumont, - 85.67
8) Nick Martini - 85.50
9) Mike Riddle - 83.00.
10) Bobby Brown - 82.83
11) Matt Walker - 79.00
12) Russ Henshaw - 79.00

Dew Cup Results
1) PK Hunder - 230
2) Alexis Godbout - 220
3) Bobby Brown - 205
4) Jossi Wells - 205
5) Sammy Carlson - 185
6) Henrik Harlaut - 170
7) JF Houle - 165
8) Simon Dumont - 146
9) Charles Gagnier - 137
10) Nick Martini - 136

Women's Results
1) Kaya Turski - 93.50
2) Michelle Parker - 88.67
3) Meg Olenick - 83.67
4) Claudia Bouvier - 81.83
5) Gillian Mciver - 75.00