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Czeschin shows top form, wins World Cup halfpipe
By Dennis Romboy
Deseret News staff writer
WHISTLER, B.C. — American snowboarder Tommy Czeschin served notice he's ready to take on the world. Now he just has to make the U.S. Olympic team.
Czeschin was poised Saturday to win his second World Cup halfpipe contest in two days until the snow that wouldn't stop shut him down.
He and a few of his teammates ventured to snowy western Canada for some "training" before the U.S. Olympic qualifications begin next weekend at Mammoth Mountain, Calif. He ended up shaking off a steady snowfall and some of the world's best riders to win Friday, and was on course to stand atop the podium again Saturday.
But snowboards started disappearing in the powdery halfpipe as quarter-size snowflakes piled up on Blackcomb Mountain all day, prompting International Ski Federation (FIS) officials to call off the meet after the first qualification run in which Czeschin had the highest score. He didn't seem to mind, but teammate Seth Wescott was "bummed."
"Actually, I was kind of hoping that they would run it (Saturday) because I think that in conditions like this it really proves who can ride and who has abilities to cope with the adversities of the weather and pull it together," said Wescott, Kingfield, Maine, who finished eighth Friday and was in the middle of the pack Saturday.
"It's snowboarding, so I figure we might as well do it in the snow, too."
Mounting snow in a halfpipe makes it difficult to maintain the speed needed for big tricks.
The soft-spoken Czeschin said he was "really happy" to win the Friday event, especially after getting off to a slow start last season due to knee surgery.
"This was first halfpipe contest of the year for me and the first training of the year also, so I just look forward to riding some more at Mammoth and getting some stuff dialed," he said.
Aspiring Olympians at home and abroad better watch out if this is how the "Machine" gets cranked up for a season.
"Tommy shows he's really riding in top form already," said U.S. snowboard coach Peter Foley.
The U.S. team had intended to stay at Mammoth this weekend but the halfpipe there wasn't ready. When a contest in Quebec was pushed up a week due to lack of snow, riders figured it was worthwhile to fly to Whistler for two days of competition.
"Some of them decided it would be good for their training to come here," Foley said. The women's freestyle team did not make the trip.
The driving snow, however, sent the men packing again.
Even though FIS officials rescheduled the halfpipe for Sunday, American riders opted to head back to California. At least a foot of snow fell Saturday, and weather forecasts call for more.
World Cup titles don't mean anything in terms of the U.S. Olympic team. That will be determined on the U.S. Grand Prix circuit.
"Right now that's my big focus, the Grand Prixs, and getting to the Olympics," said Czeschin, who lives at Mammoth.
Because the halfpipe is now set for Sunday, the parallel giant slalom was postponed to Monday. In addition to being a World Cup meet, it will serve as the first of five Olympic qualifiers for the U.S. alpine snowboard team.
E-mail: romboy@desnews.com
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December 9, 2001
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