Zach Horowitz [click]

Ross Powers, the bold and young American, rises and spins above and takes Gold in the halfpipe in Park City, while Tricia Byrnes takes the top honors with clean, consistent amplitude and grace.

The halfpipe on Saturday went over well here. It wasn't the hugest fields we have seen, only about 23 guys and 18 girls, but by the time it got to the finals, "there was definitely some good runs throwing down that could have done good anywhere."

Local and American riders were definitely well accounted for and made up for most of the field. Chris Engelsman, who lives in Salt Lake City, had a huge first run in the quals and injured himself on the last hit. He initially reports that he has a third degree shoulder separation.

Ricky Bower, who just won the FIS World Championships Halfpipe and is a homegrown Park City boy, was showing big air and inverted magic. He threw two inversions in his qualifying run that easily advanced him to the "super-finals." Tommy Czeschin, from Mammoth, CA, arrived equally amped to show the Park City crowd that he can spin and maybe even win. Zach Horowitz, from Snowmass, CO, was dancing with the crowd and trying to please the judges with his methods of madness. And, of course, Ross Powers was looking fierce and going big in Utah.

In the ladies field, Tricia Byrnes, from Vermont and/or Connecticut, was sporting the World Cup points jersey and still gleeming from her second place finish last week in Europe at the ISF World Champs. Kim Stacy, landed back in the USA and was ready to play, easily grabbing a spot on the podium. Griselda Gonzalez, recently married, is now refered to as Griselda Skehan. She stepped up with a couple of runs that the judges applauded.

There were also European visitors on their way to the next FIS World Cup in Japan. The Swedish crew had Jonas Gunnerson, Magnus Sterner and Fredrik Sterner and the Danielsson brothers. Fredrik Sterner ended up going the distance to the finals, but fell short and took the fourth spot. Piotr Starowicz flew in from Poland and was launching and dazzling the crowd. Sabine Wehr-Hasler came from Germany and rode well to the finals. Doriane Vidal represented France and Anna Hellman came driving a Volvo on her way from Ikea and saying "go Sweden."

In the "super-finals," the top five men and top three women had two runs to work the crowd and the judges. The women went first and Tricia Byrnes' first run was all she needed to walk away with the cash. Kim Stacey boosted high enough to beat out Wehr-Hasler and take second. The boys were next to battle it out in the finals and Ross Powers showed his prowess.

His trademark run, with back to back 720's and a McTwist thrown in for good measure, put him snugly in first with a 46.3. Ricky Bower, the local boy, expressed inversions and cleanliness, but not enough to dethrone Powers' bigness and smoothness. Fredrik Sterner's amplitude and stlylie methods gave him a 43.0 and was sitting in second before the final run. In the final run, Tommy (Boy) Chezcin put together a strong performance landing his fakie 900 and moving in to second with a 44.3.

Ricky Bower put in another fine run but the judges thought Chezcin had a little bit more. Ross Powers' last run was impressive, with his peers in the crowd blissfully cheering his greatness. Powers was able to sneak in a switch 720 with a grab to propel him to a 47.4 and all the cash.

— Brent Brookler, Diggin the Wasatch for the Mountain Zone

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