The slopestyle finals absolutely went off at the Burton US Open – the oldest and most prestigious competition in snowboarding – yesterday. Mark McMorris and Jamie Anderson, the two riders who’ve dominated the discipline for the past few seasons, took the top spots.

The competition was far more exciting and closely fought than that final result might suggest.

But the competition was far more exciting and closely fought than that final result might suggest. In the men’s particularly, McMorris was run very close by Stale Sandbech, the Norwegian style-master who beat him at the Olympics, while Max Parrot (the Canadian who beat McMorris at the X Games) finished third.

Interestingly the top four all threw similar tricks over the three kickers – cab 1260s, followed by 1080 variations and then backside triple cork 1440s – meaning that it was just the details (amplitude, execution, grabs etc.) and their rail lines that made the difference between the scores.

The women’s was a more straightforward affair. Jamie Anderson’s first run put her in the lead and she never lost it, despite the best efforts of Spencer O’Brien and Isabel Derungs. Both of them scored well on the kickers (Isabel’s backside rodeo on the final jump in particular was incredible) but neither could match Jamie on the rails.

And in the end, it was the experience of both the riders that paid off, and in the difficult conditions, that was what counted.

BURTON US OPEN 2014 SLOPESTYLE RESULTS

Women’s Slopestyle Finals Results:
1. Jamie Anderson (USA) 87.55
2. Spencer O’Brien (CAN) 80.00
3. Isabel Derungs (SUI) 71.90
4. Miyabi Onitsuka (JPN) 43.20
5. Ty Walker (USA) 33.95
6. Cheryl Maas (NED) 30.50

Men’s Slopesyle Finals Results:
1. Mark McMorris (CAN) 87.50
2. Stale Sandbech (NOR) 87.20
3. Maxence Parrot (CAN) 84.30
4. Sebastien Toutant (CAN) 83.35
5. Roope Tonteri (FIN) 81.70
6. Darcy Sharpe (CAN) 78.05
7. Tyler Nicholson (CAN) 72.60
8. Emil Ulsletten (NOR) 60.95
9. Brandon Davis (USA) 38.55
10. Kyle Mack (USA) DNS