While the Mammoth Grand Prix Superpipe event was received about as well as the $10,000 checks doled-out to Dunn and Kingwill, a manmade quarterpipe towering above the Main Lodge deck quickly became the focus of attention following the awards ceremony. The sun had dropped at about 2pm, bathing a deck-full of Saturday afternoon après skiers and boarders as MC Mark "Sully" Sullivan of Snowboarder Magazine took the mike for the Doritos Loud Air and Style Big Air Quarterpipe showdown.

	Lance Pittman

At about two stories high, this mega-kicker was built with a four-foot-wide flattop and landing zones dropping steeply to each side. Technically it wasn't an actual quarterpipe, as there was no vert or reentry. Nevertheless, it was massive. And as Forest Gump would say if he were a snowboarder, "Massive is as massive does."

Organized similar to the halfpipe format, riders were given two runs; best of the two wins takes home $5,000 for each the men's and women's classes. As the sun lit the west-facing landing zone and Flogging Molly took the sound stage, 8 women and 16 guys lined-up to hit it. Halfpipe champs, Dunn and Kingwill were absent, apparently making sure their checks would clear.

"With the thrill of victory, however, comes the agony of going huge and inverted only to land tailbone first on the lip..."

After round one, halfpipe aficionados Cara-Beth Burnside and Mark Reilly were holding first place with scores of 21.20 and 25.50, respectively. Again, this mattered only if no one was able to beat 'em on the second run. In other words, consistency and conservatism was for naught; going for it, on the other hand, pays the bills. As such, similar twists of fate (an expression, not a new trick) occurred for both the men and women.

While Tara Dakides bailed into last place in the first round with a 4.30, she came back in round two, sticking a back flip and earning a 24.80 to steal victory from Burnside, who threw a solid 540 and another 21.20.

Likewise, Travis Parker, who not only didn't qualify for the halfpipe event but did so in dead last, ate it on his first run, earning a mere 7.60. Stepping up for his second stab at 5 large, he launched a front flip accordingly, earning a 25.60-to Mark Reilly's second 25.50 and Abe Teter's high-flying, row-myself-from-the-backseat-on-my-21st-birthday 24.60-to seal the Doritos Loud Air and Style Quarterpipe competition.

With the thrill of victory, however, comes the agony of going huge and inverted only to land tailbone first on the lip. Injuries included a compressed vertebra, blown knee, and countless bruises.

Nevertheless, the highly successful Quarterpipe exhibition event will follow the Grand Prix to both Northstar@Tahoe and Breckenridge Ski Resorts.

— Rob Reed, Sick and Tired for MountainZone.com