Annual Burton US Open hits Vail

The Burton US Open brings Olympic-hopeful professional snowboarders to Vail, Colo. for a weekend of intense competition. The annual showcase took place on Feb. 27-March 4 for the 35th year in a row.

For many that compete it’s a stop on the trek to win gold; a US Open title boasts major bragging rights for the winners. The events that took place were Women’s Slopestyle, Men’s Slopestyle, and both Men’s and Women’s Halfpipe Finals. The Open wasn’t just a snowboarding competition, it was a celebration for the snowboarding community.

Starting at the beginning of the week, slopestyle practices were in full swing. Both men’s and women’s practices were able to be viewed by the general public. After that, the Slopestyle Semi-Finals took place, alongside the Halfpipe Semi-Finals. Both the Slopestyle and Halfpipe courses were befitting of an Olympic-level competition, with five sets of jumps on slopestyle and a superpipe crafted by the ice gods for the halfpipe.

The competitors with favorable outcomes were Jamie Anderson and Spencer O’Brien in Women’s Slopestyle, and Sven Thorgren and Marc Mcmorris in Men’s Slopestyle. Overall, Anna Gasser and Marc McMorris reigned champions over both the slopestyles.

Anna Gasser, an Austrian native, remained in the spotlight after taking home an Open title, as she has been bestowed with the honor of progressing women’s snowboarding for young girls and elders alike. “I wanted to be able to compete with the boys, and it’s great to see girls throwing bigger tricks,” Gasser said. “I want to keep seeing the sport growing and gaining the respect it deserves.”

The Halfpipe Final welcomed a large crowd on Saturday, filled with many skiers and snowboarders who frequent Vail Resort. Shaun White and Chloe Kim pulled off amazing feats as they both took home US Open titles. Their aerial flow and precision set them apart from the rest of the competition.

During each of the evenings, Vail Village hosted free concerts to the public featuring the likes of Gramatik, Keys N Krates, and D.R.A.M playing for the after party. The atmosphere was white-hot and contagious. Attendees had everything from sick air to sick beats to keep them settled until next years’ winter event. Burton US Open had nothing but positive experiences while watching awe-inspiring snowboarding.