Spencer O'Brien and Roope Tonteri claim Gold in World Championships slopestyle

Jan 21, 2013

Author: Oliver Kraus

Spencer O'Brien (CAN) and Roope Tonteri (FIN) clinched the slopestyle World Championships title in Stoneham, Canada, today. O'Brien secured the first ever FIS Snowboard World Championships Gold to be one by a female Canadian rider on home soil by scoring the day's high of 93.25 points in the first run, which consisted of a Backside 540 Mute, Switch Backside 180 Indy, Frontside 720 Lien, Frontside Lipslide, 50/50 to Front 180 out.

"It's incredible to win the World Championships in my home country," said O'Brien. "Actually, I never had competed in Canada before. So, it's really cool to win Gold here in front of a home crowd. It's indescribable."

Sina Candrian (SUI) was the only one to come close with 81.50 points thus earning a well-deserved Silver. 2010 Olympic Halfpipe Champion Torah Bright (AUS, 77.50) rounded out the podium as third.

On the men's side of things, Tonteri, who dropped in as fifth to last rider of the finals, edged off Mark McMorris (CAN, 92.50) from the top spot by earning a total of 93.75 for his stunning run made up of a Cab 1260 Indy, Frontside 1080 Lien, Backside 1260 Mute, Half Cab to Lipslide, Boardslide to 270 Out .

"I'm really stoked I won the World Champs slopestyle," Tonteri said. "I just tried my best and put all in. And it just happened that I landed the run. I didn't expect anything special. I just tried my best and wanted to see what comes out."

As a result, McMorris, who was the first slopestyle World Cup winner in history had to settle with Silver. Janne Korpi (90.75) took home Bronze thus making the first event day of the World Champs in Canada a perfect Finnish one.

L-R Mark McMorris (2nd), Roope Tonteri (1st), Janne Korpi (3rd)

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