Ski & Snowboard Club Vail notched a pair of top-10 finishes in the boys competition at the Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships Junior Jam Halfpipe presented by Clif Bar, which featured 18 snowboarders from around the world, all ages 14 and younger.
Edwards resident Kade Martin, after sitting in third for much of the competition, finished in sixth. The 13-year-old said his run was probably biggest and best he has ever landed.
“I’m really happy, since it’s my first year and I made the top 6,” Martin said.
Kade’s mother, Anne Martin, said Kade has been working hard to get to the Burton US Open.
“Seven days a week, getting up early, being on the mountain, trying to progress and do new things you’ve never done before, traveling to Europe and the southern Hemisphere, it’s a lot of commitment,” she said.
Hayden Tyler, who lives in Keystone and rides for Ski & Snowboard Club Vail, finished ninth, also landing one of the best runs of his life.
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Tyler is 12 and competed in the junior jam last year, where he also finished ninth.
“This year I landed a crippler 720, so I was really stoked on that,” he said.
Coach Ronnie Barr said he was impressed with the high degree of technicality Tyler showed in his runs. The crippler 720 is an inverted trick where the rider lands in the “switch” or un-natural stance.
“The crippler was super technical but also really big,” Barr said. “I’m proud of him for landing that one.”
The Burton US Open continues on Wednesday with slopestyle semifinals, taking place in Golden Peak and scheduled to start at 10 a.m.