Horgmore & Comstock take Burton Abominable Snow Jam Slopestlye

The 4th Annual Burton Abominable Snow Jam at Mt Hood, Oregon, wrapped up with Slopestyle contest in what proved to be an outstanding TTR FIVE(5) STAR season opener. Class performances by Danny Kass(USA) and Gretchen Bleiler(USA) in Wednesday’s Halfpipe contest were followed by storming performances by a courageous Torstein Horgmo(NOR) and stylish Erin Comstock(USA) in the Slopestyle contest. As the 07/08 TTR World Snowboard Tour gears up for it’s Southern Hemisphere leg in August, Chas Guldemond(USA) sits in TTR Tour Championship Title lead following a combined Halfpipe 6th and Slopestyle 2nd placing’s, while Kelly Clark(USA) leads the Woman’s TTR Tour Title charge bagging a Halfpipe 2nd and Slopestyle 5th.



The Woman’s Halfpipe event saw Gretchen Bleiler(USA) blast past all comers to claim her first TTR Tour Title as she pulled down frontside alley-oop, frontside 540, backside 540 and a frontside 720 to take first place and $5,000 in the hour jam session. Ranked 38th on the 06/07 TTR Tour, Bleiler only posted 3 of the required 6 results last season. Her win proved yet again she is a rider to watch this year and a force to be reckoned with. Highly decorated 06/07 World #7, Kelly Clark(USA) pulled in a high value 2nd with Claire Bidez(USA) claiming 3rd and best trick with a 900 earning her a Mac Book Pro.

The Men’s contest was equally as intense with Danny Kass(USA), who lead the 06/07 Tour for a week after posting two 3rd places at last years Burton Abominable Snow Jam. Upping the anti this season, Kass claimed his first TTR Tour Title, putting down a flawless run which included back to back 1080s and an alley-oop backside 720 to earn the top spot and $10,000. As with Bleiler, Kass only posted 3 of his required 6 results last season but held off a star-studded line up of the Tour’s heavy weights to claim the 4th Annual Burton Abominable Snow Jam Halfpipe Title. Contenders included 06/07 World #10, Scotty Lago(USA), who spent 12 weeks in the Tour’s penultimate position last season, posting a 3rd place. 06/07 World #4, Kevin Pearce(USA), announced his intentions and Tour aspirations, posting a well deserved 2nd place result.

With a Volvo C30, Harley-Davidson XL 1200N Nightsters, Sony HDV Cams, prize money and 850 TTR Ranking points up for grabs the Slopestyle competition was always going to be fierce. Expectations were not only me but surpassed on another epic riding structure at High Cascade Snowboard Camp, Mt Hood. It proved the perfect platform for riders to show their Slopestyle wizardry.



The Woman’s contest showcased the ever-increasing level of Woman’s snowboarding. Possibly the surprise of the day was Kelly Clark(USA), generally more known for her precision pipe riding, skills pulling off a 5th place, pushing her into TTR Tour Championship Title lead. Familiar names filled out the podium places, with Megan Ginter(USA) claiming 3rd, Hana Beaman(USA) pulling down a solid 2nd place and an ever improving Erin Comstock(USA), posting her first career Tour Title and impressing all to take out the 4th Annual Burton Abominable Snow Jam slopestyle Title. Best trick of the Woman’s contest was claimed by Marie-France Roy(CAN) who stomped a 720 truck driver for the honour.

The Men’s contest was an old fashioned, no holds barred huckfest, pitting experienced campaigners against a hungry rookie contingent. It was the latter that won the day, 06/07 World #10, Scotty Lago(USA) took 9th place and best trick with a Rodeo 540, but the podium was populated by Dan Brisse(USA) in 3rd and Chad Guldemond(USA), who pushed into TTR Tour Championship lead following his 6th place in the Halfpipe. But it was a courageous Norwegian, Torstein Horgmo, in his first contest back after breaking his back at the Burton European Open in January, proving his is not only fully recovered, but fully charging. The Slopestyle win was his second career Title, and moved him into World #2, his highest ever recorded position on the TTR World Snowboard Tour.

Horgmo’s win also saw him bag the Volvo C30 for best Overall Rider Award. “I can’t explain it, it’s crazy. I never predicted I could do so good in any contest,” said Torstein Horgmo. “I broke my back in January and it feels so good to come back. I wanted to prove to myself that I could. I’m stoked, that’s for sure.” The two Harley-Davidson XL 1200N Nightsters up for grabs for the Most Inspired Rider Award were ridden away by two stoked individuals, Scotty Lago for the Men and Hana Beaman for the Women.

No less than three weeks sees the Tour circus head South for the Burton New Zealand Open.

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