Wrapping up an exciting weekend at the 2014 Dew Tour Mountain Championships, the Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle brought the heat despite some snowier conditions than seen throughout the rest of the week.

With slopestyle’s defending champion, Mark McMorris, just sneaking his way into the final with the top score in the last chance qualifier, the remaining eleven snowboarders in the final had their work cut out for them. Following two runs each with only their best score ranking, the runs only grew in intensity while the conditions became more favorable.

Tyler Nicholson’s third place run

Moment of Confidence:

Chas Guldemond unleashed a fresh trick during the semifinals called a switch double wildcat, aka switch double backflip, and his first run in the final started right where he left off. Chas’ first run was a banger with both the switch double wildcat as well as a 1260 that instantly launched him 12 points ahead of the rest of the field.

Following Chas we saw rider after rider do their best, give their all but in the end they all came up short. Nobody was able to land the run it would take to unseat Chas, therefore allowing him a long awaited return to the top.

Seb Toots’ second place run

Top Tricks:

Seb Toots — Hard 270 onto the Nixon 20+ handrail, 270 off the Mountain Dew handrail, cab 900 double cork, double backside rodeo, cab to 5-0 on the Toyota rainbow rail, frontside double cork 1080 to a backside 1080.

Tyler Nicholson — Switch board 270 out of the Nixon 20+ handrail, cab 270 onto the Mountain Dew handrail, cab 900, backside double cork 1080, 270 off the Toyota rainbow rail, cab backside 900, frontside 1080 to end it.

Peetu Piiroinen — 270 onto the Nixon 20+ handrail, 270 off the Mountain Dew handrail, backside 1080, frontside 1260, cab 270 onto the Toyota rainbow, switch backside 1080 and a cab 1260 on the final jump.

Winner’s Top Tricks:

Chas Guldemond — 270 onto the Nixon 20+ handrail, 450 off the Mountain Dew handrail, switch double wildcat, cab 1080, cab 270 onto Toyota rainbow rail, 1260 into a backside double cork 1080. 

Chas Guldemond’s winning run

Winner’s Quote:

“Hard work pays off — if you just keep at it, don’t get frustrated and read the signs. Sometimes you aren’t getting judged as well when you are doing the same [stuff], so you have to branch out and redefine your snowboarding — it takes a lot of effort to do that, but when you do it pays off and the judges take care of you. [This win] is a major milestone. I’ve had a couple knee injures, so to come back, feel strong and to keep up with the progression of the sport means a lot… It’s awesome!” — Chas Guldemond