Dew Tour Copper Mountain 2023 champion Ayumu Hirano successfully defended at Dew Tour Copper Mountain 2024, after fending off pressure from fellow Japanese snowboard star Yuto Totsuka and a surprise podium finish from American Lucas Foster. The level of riding was so high that the top five riders all had scores in the 90s.
Hirano led from Run 1 with a 95.33, after landing the frontside triple cork 1440 to Cab double cork 1440 combo at the top of his run that has become his signature. But Totsuka answered in Run 3, taking over the top spot, earning 96.33 for a run that opened with a switch backside double cork 1260 stalefish, the first time he’d ever landed the trick in competition.
“Yuto put down a spectacular run but I knew that if I focused on myself it would work out.”
Hirano said, after upgrading the backside 900 from his Run 1 pass to a backside 1260 in Run 3 for the walk-off win as the last rider to drop in.
Here’s the full run Hirano did under pressure for the win: Frontside triple cork 1440 truck driver, Cab 1440 Weddle, frontside 540 slob, backside 1260 Weddle, frontside double cork 1260.
It’s Hirano’s second consecutive Dew Tour win and third career Dew Tour podium.
“I love Dew Tour because of how many people come out,” Hirano said. “The crowd that shows up always has the best energy and because of that it’s a contest that I’ve always been competing in, since 2012!”
Totsuka, the 2021 Dew Tour champ, was briefly in the lead and was proud to land a new trick in the contest, but says he knows he’s ultimately going to need to start bringing triples to his runs if he’s going to keep contending for the top spot. His Run 3 pass: Switch backside double cork 1260, stalefish, Cab double cork 1080 Weddle, frontside double cork 1260 Indy, backside double cork 1260 Weddle, frontside double cork 1440.
“I’m so happy to make the switch 12, but I knew Ayumu could still beat it,” Totsuka said. He has landed triples outside of competition but has yet to try one in a contest. “I spent some time this week trying to build up to a triple for my run but was just spinning too slow. Ayumu is crazy.”
One of the biggest contest highlights was Lucas Foster’s alley-oop double McTwist Japan. It took him three tries to get there, but he stomped it in Run 3 and the crowd went wild. It’s the first time he––or anyone else––has landed it in a full competition run. His Run 3 pass: Backside 540 Weddle to stalefish combo grab, frontside 1080 tailgrab, Cab double cork 1080 Weddle, alley-oop double McTwist Japan.
“As I’ve been working on this trick I’ve been wondering how the judges are going to score it when I put it in a full run,” Foster said after seeing his 94.00 on the screen. “That’s the biggest score I’ve ever gotten, so I guess I have my answer! I’m still working on a triple and other tricks in that direction, but I think it’s important to have your own signature trick. Halfpipe gets so repetitive if you just do the same thing as everybody else! I want to do what I can to stand out and be Lucas, not just another halfpipe rider.”
Dew Tour 2024 Men’s Snowboard Superpipe Results
- Ayumu Hirano (JPN) Run 3: 97.00
- Yuto Totsuka (JPN) Run 3: 96.33
- Lucas Foster (USA) Run 3: 94.00
- Kaishu Hirano (JPN) Run 2: 91.33
- Ruka Hirano (JPN) Run 1: 90.00
- Chase Josey (USA) Run 1: 83.00
- Alessandro Barbieri (USA) Run 1: 77.00
- Chase Blackwell (USA) Run 1: 71.00
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