09.02 Anderson Completes American Golden Double in Olympic Snowboard Slopestyle
ROSA KHUTOR, Russia, February 9 (R-Sport) - Jamie Anderson won the United States its second gold in the space of two days in the new Olympic discipline of snowboard slopestyle Sunday.
The 23-year-old produced an outstanding second run to score 95.25 and win by 1.75 from Finland’s Enni Rukajarvi, who had been aiming to win her country’s first Winter Olympic gold in 12 years.
"I just want to break down right now and cry," Anderson said. "At the top [before the second run] I felt nauseous and I felt sick. I thought: 'Let's go through what I'm more consistent with' and, oh my god, it paid off."
Anderson’s win comes a day after gold for Sage Kotsenburg of the United States in the men’s event. Rukajarvi said she was amazed to win silver because she "gave up already" on hopes of a medal when a knee injury limited her preparations for the Sochi Games.
Britain’s Jenny Jones came in third on 87.25, making her the first British medal winner in an Olympic event on snow.
"I'm just so pumped. I'm so chuffed. I'm so proud," Jones said. "I just wanted to make it look nice."
Skier Alain Baxter finished third for Britain in the slalom at the Salt Lake City 2002 Games, but was disqualified after failing a drug test. Baxter argued the substance was not on the banned list but failed in his appeal.
Two favorites in particular struggled Sunday at the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park as Switzerland's Isabel Derungs and Australia's Torah Bright, the 2010 Olympic halfpipe champion, both failed to put together clean runs. Both looked strong in their second runs until landing in the back seat on jumps.
There was a heavy crash for Sarka Pancochova of the Czech Republic, who finished fifth. On her second run, she landed with her board side-on, causing it to dig in and catapult her forward. Pancochova remained immobile for a while after her crash, but eventually was able to move off the slope.
Slopestyle’s first Olympic showing has come amid controversy over the course, which was altered to lower the height of the jumps in light of complaints from athletes that it was unsafe.
Norwegian boarder Torstein Horgsmo’s Olympic dream was ended when he broke his collarbone in training Monday, and U.S. star Shaun White withdrew from slopestyle Tuesday to focus on halfpipe, citing the injury risk.
The men’s competition Saturday was won by Sage Kotsenburg of the United States.
Slopestyle sees competitors perform tricks on various rails and jumps as they speed down a specially prepared slope. There are six judges, from which the top and bottom scores are discounted.
Slopestyle’s Olympic debut includes men’s and women’s ski and snowboard events.
