BRECKENRIDGE, CO (Dec. 12, 2015) - American skier David Wise (Reno, NV) won the men’s superpipe event under snowy conditions at the Dew Tour Breckenridge on Saturday. Wise, who won Olympic gold at the inaugural ski halfpipe event in Sochi, was the top qualifier going into the final and he won the comp with the last run of the day after falling on his first run. U.S. team member Alex Ferreira (Aspen, CO) joined Wise on the podium with a third-place finish.
Fresh snow had been falling all day, as well as throughout the previous night, so conditions were challenging. However, the superpipe had improved slightly since the snowboarders rode earlier in the day and the women’s ski slopestyle was postponed until Sunday.
Wise buttchecked on his first run, leaving himself well outside of the top three. “I fell on my first run, which isn’t really characteristic of me,” Wise said. “Usually if I’m going to do well I land it on my first run. That was a lot of pressure for me and I kind of enjoyed that, sitting up at the top and realizing, ‘alright, there’s no coasting on this one—you gotta throw it down.’”
Twenty-one-year-old Ferreira has a number of major podium finishes, including a pair of X Games bronze medals, but it was his first time on the Dew Tour podium. “Tonight was a roller coaster of emotion, to say the least,” Ferreira said. “I’ve never been on a Dew Tour podium and I really wanted to get in there.”
Alex Ferreira had two impressive runs to take third. (Dew Tour-Topher Baldwin)
Beau-James Wells of New Zealand took second with a run that included three double corks.
The rest of the Americans: Taylor Seaton (Vail, CO), sixth; Kyle Smaine (South Lake Tahoe, CA), seventh; Lyman Currier (Boulder, CO), eighth; Birk Irving (Winter Park, CO), ninth; Broby Leeds (Vail, CO), 10th; Aaron Blunck (Crested Butte, CO) 11th;
For all the rest of the Dew Tour action from Breckenridge, check out the online schedule. Then, go to the Dew Tour livestream to watch your favorite athletes in action. Or tune in to the TV broadcast on NBC.
HIGHLIGHTS
- David Wise’s winning run: rightside 900, leftside double cork 1260, rightside 1080, switch corked 720, rightside double cork 1260
- It was Alex Ferreira’s first time on the Dew Tour podium; his run included two double cork 1260s.
QUOTES
David Wise
Honestly seeing Alex Ferreira stomp his run right in front of me gave me the energy I needed. The pressure was off, now there was an American on the podium, and I just needed to go out there and go for the win, and that’s what I did.
Alex Ferreira
It was pretty slow all day today and I only weigh 140 pounds; I was just really trying to land high on the walls to keep my speed so I had enough time to get the second double 1260 around. I was really worried coming in with the conditions, but you just gotta keep believing.
RESULTS
Men’s Ski Superpipe
