Tom Wallisch and Tanner Hall took to the booth for men's streetstyle skiing, one of the highlights of the competition season last year. The crowd was bumping for the 20th anniversary, and the rider list was truly stacked for the opening ski contest of the 2024 Dew Tour. Round 1 was comprised of three heats in a best-run-counts format before moving to a head-to-head format for round 2 and finals
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Round 1
Heat 1
A Hall had a super clean first run, he closed things out with a switch tail 2 onto the waterfall rail backed up with a lip on to Ray Charles on the last down rail. His Tokyo drift front swap combo on the top feature wasn't bad either... 92.00. Siver Voll had a throwaway run. Andrew Egan put down the next banger, with a blind 3 swap to regs and a wallride to rail transfer back 2 on the bottom feature, 81.33. Pete Koukov did some one-foot madness but didn't put down clean enough to challenge the top spots.
For run 2 A Hall put down a new line, bobbled a bit but still laced an effortless 3 swap, he wouldn't improve his score. Siver Voll had some trouble putting down a clean run for a second time, he was chasing big tricks on all the long rails. Eagan stepped it up, final back 2 was cranked to a 4. He skis with pace, the top wallride switch 2 continuing 2 was buttery and the switch lip disaster onto the waterfall was sick, 87.33 to improve his breathing room at 2nd. In true Koukov fashion, Pete took a whacky as line through the course, the creeper on the waterfall rail is wild but he couldn't keep it together for a dangerous score. Alex Hall wouldn't improve his score but the lip back swap blind 2 on the closing rail was steezed out, with Wallisch-esque style and after bang.
Siver Voll shows his rail tech, with a left 2 front swap to forward on the top rail, to left 2 to switch on the next hit. He couldn't put his last rail down how he wanted and that kept his score to 85.00 just shy of advancing. Egan looked to add a back 2 to his back 3 swap transfer so that could be dangerous later on. Pete would put a run down, sneaking through the shipping container feature, but a lack of technicality kept him in third. A Hall and Andrew Eagan would advance.
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Heat 2
Tucker came out flying with both-way lip 2s on the top features, firing out a huge 450 out over the down of the flat down, a disaster 2 on the final rail too earned him an 87.00. Jackson Karsteter put down some real tech with a switch 2 back 2 on the waterfall and a 2 pretz 4 on the final rail 90.66 and first for now.
Cal Carson put down a Wallie Lincoln loop which Tanner and Wallisch named the 'egg roll' so I'm running with it, he closed his run with a back 6. Sam Zahner had both-way 3 swaps, back 3 back 2 canon transfer, front 3 83.33
Tucker turned things up, the front 450 on the flat down turned into a front 3 swap to regs, followed by a 2 pretz 2 on the final rail, steezed out, deservedly scoring a 93.00 and bumping Jackson to 2nd. Jackson was turning things up before he gave everyone a heart attack - catching his tips on the switch lip 2 onto the waterfall rail. He survived. Cal had the most butter run in this heat, the "egg roll" a super clean k fed on the flat down and the back 6 were perfect. 85.66 which wasn't enough to get in the top 2. Sam Zahner had a perfect run on the go but lost a shoe on the transfer rail.
Tucker switched his run up, he had a shuffle on his front 3 to regs, but the final tricks went lip 2 to regs on the waterfall, filthy, and then a 2p2 on the final rail. He wouldn't improve his score but signalled his intent. Jackson upped his run, going 3 onto the shipping container, continuing 2 onto the rail 2 out, switch lip 2 continuing 2 on the waterfall and an attempted super elusive on the final rail was his undoing, but this would have been a mega scoreline. Cal lost a shoe on the back 8 attempt but his run was sick until that point. Sam put it down, the consistency on the back 3 swap back 2 is wild, he laced the transfer and then put down a front 3 swap pretz 2 on the final rail. He would score an 89.66 and miss out on 2nd by a point. He had the trick of the night, it was close and some boos happened... it was close but likely fair.
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Heat 3
Colby Stevenson came out swinging with nosebutter 4 pretz 2, switchup combos to boggle the mind and a k-fed over the propane tank, his 95.33 was a statement. Matt kicked things off with a switch 2 on cont 6, left two sev to regs onto the waterfall to other way lip 4 back 2 to close things out, a little mess on the 3 swap docked some points. Harald skied a similar run to Pete, with a creeper on the waterfall Oscar laced a huge transfer off the A-frame to regs was gnarly, followed up by a back 2 to regs on the shotgun transfer that has been 3 swap central all night, he miscued the final rail which would scratch the score.
Colby took another line for run 2, it was a throwaway overall but he stomped a 2p4 on the bottom down rail which was perfect. Matt Douff didn't hold back, back swapping the canon to down rail transfer on the left side of the course, he tried a left cork 270 wallride to rail transfer on the final feature that has huge potential. Harald was looking for a transfer on the final rail, did a one foot safety grab on the waterfall but would stay in third. Oscar would scratch run 2.
Colby would cruise through with a front 3 swap pretz 2 and a 2p2 that were super clean. Matt Douff went hard with a switch 2 continuing 6 and a 4 on continuing 2 on the flat down at the bottom, this would boost his score to 91.00 and give him some breathing room in second. Oscar laced his run, the biggest transfer of the night, 3 swaps and a front swap front 4 that was a little back seat. He wouldn't advance. Colby and Matt Dufrense would go the the head-to-head round.
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Head-to-Head
This was judged on overall impression in a head-to-head format.
Alex Hall Vs Jackson Karsteter
Alex Hall didn't put down a clean run, but it had some bombs in there. Jackson would respond with a great run but taking a bit of a fall on the final feature. Pretty comparable runs. A Hall went for a different run altogether, switch right 2 continuing 2, back 3 swaps to regs, and a switch lip K-fed showed some variation. Jackson would have a chance to steal the show but he bobbled on the 3 onto the shipping container and split the final rail. A Hall's dominance must be hard to up against. A Hall would move into finals and have a guaranteed podium.
Tucker Fitzsimmons Vs Matt Dufrense
Tucker looked unphased by the pressure, a similar run from qualies. both way lip 2s, switch 2 to regs, and a front 3 swap, closing things with a 2 to switch. Matt would take a bail after going for the switch 4 cont. 4 on the wallride. Tucker's run was perfection and would be hard to beat, he upped the 2 to switch to a 2p2. Matt wouldn't be able to top this.
Colby Stevenson Vs Andrew Eagan
Colby vs Eagan was contest skier vs street skier. Colby opened the gates with a switch right 2 continuing 2, his comfort level was insane the right 2p2 on the final hit was efforltess. Eagan had the same opening trick and a similar back 3 swap but went for the continuing 2, backslide on the waterfall to regs and the wallride to slide front 2 was a nice looking run. Colby's run was near perfect, the drone angle they are using is sick, it really shows the run from a great perspective. Colby had so many cobos they'd be boring to read... Eagan would lace a switch 4 on and a back 6 out of the final feature but it wouldn't be enough to beat such a perfect comp run from Colby.
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Finals
A Hall continued with his Tokyo drift nonsense and a 4p2 but would bobble and perfection would be needed to take home the W. Tucker put down his run from the head-to-heads but cleaned it up for finals. This would earn 90 and set the bar. Colby continuing to lace bonkers shit, the nosebutter 4p2 was a highlight, he came off a little early on one of the rails but it wouldn't harm his score, earning a 92.33. Alex had some wizardry on the go, whe was unhappy with something, but he did a 180 to switch tails under 2 onto the waterfall. His final feature creative take was a little loose for a high score. Colby and Tucker would duel it out for gold and silver, although Tucker wouldn't improve on his first run score so Colby would take a victory lap. We'd replicate last year's podium to the tee. Go watch the replay of Colby's run coz words can't explain, though scores might. 96!
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GOLD: Colby
Silver Tucker Fitzsimons
Bronze: Alex Hall
Replay
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