Tor Bruserud

Team Blue Window began the Vans Triple Crown season by throwing down five podium places here in Breckenridge this morning. A few fresh inches and continual on and off sneezing snow made the course all the nuttier, and visibility was always a factor. Ine Poetzl pulled down the win as the female represent on the Blue Window Team. Then she watched her team fight for a win between them.

Phillip Conte pulled away from Team Blue Window captain and ISF Presidente' Bertrand Denervaud. Berti held back Tor Bruserud, another Blue Window, in the finals. Conte took the win noting "that was a very nice course, I really enjoyed it. I got here for the first time yesterday and it was in pretty good shape, but then the final was very hard, I had a pretty hard time with those guys on my team. We are all very good so I was expecting some contact into that first bank, fortunately I avoided it. I went out first and into the second bank and heard there were some crashes. Then I was leading with Bertrand all the way along, so it was a good race for me." It was a day for all the Team Blue Window.

"All agreed the course was fun, but maybe a bit short. The spectator capacity wasn't there either, but the free flipping spectacle of serious talent was everywhere to be seen..."

Ine pulled away from many a fearless fraulein all looking for that $7,500 first prize. Maelle Ricker stepped up beside her on the podium in second place with $4,500. Doris Krings also of Austria got hung up early in the final heat on Ine's board. "I heard someone hit my board coming out of the second berm. I think it was Doris," Ine said. Nillard Pilavakis was working on an injured knee and got taken out on top of the course as well, somehow pulled down in the final heat.

Too many ripping females to mention. Americans Amy Johnson surprised the pack and took fourth in front of Brittney Mahanna. Last year's Swatch World Boardercross champion, Nillard ended up in sixth. Country superstar and last year's winner here, Leslee Olson rode strong as usual back form her knee injury. She's riding as powerful as ever pulled down seventh leading out the consolation. Marguerite Cossettini got denied the finals but still made a strong showing in ninth.

	Maierhofer

Although the Palmer team didn't make a big showing, the men's field was stuffed with talent. The Americans Mark Schultz and Jason Brown held 8th and 9th, respectively. Canadian Scott Gaffney stole fourth and Drew Neilson stuck seventh. More rulers included Andy Hetzel, Jeremy Jones, and Ross Powers. All agreed the course was fun, but maybe a bit short. The spectator capacity wasn't there either, but the free flipping spectacle of serious talent was everywhere to be seen. The Big Air kicker splits the Halfpipe and lower Boardercross course making shooting this a hectic, in your face free-for-all. Stay tuned for more top talent converging in Breckenridge this weekend.

— Hans Prosl, tearin' it up with Phatty for MountainZone.com