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-The run and the size of the pipe, it looks really awesome,
and you've got some really good boarders.
-George.
GEORGE: Yeah.
-I've never seen one of these live
GEORGE: Really?
-No.
That number 14, he was like [WHISTLING].
Wow.
GEORGE: Watching these guys, and when they go up in the air
like that and they start doing their spins and all?
-It's crazy.
GEORGE: It just gets something going inside your soul.
It's like you're just happy for them, and you're happy for
yourself, because they make you feel good
watching them, you know?
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-Oh man.
He is shredding it.
INTERVIEWER: Have you ever done the US Open before?
ERIKA VIKANDER: I have not.
This is my first year trying to qualify for it.
NICK BADEN: I've been to the last
couple US Opens in Vermont.
The US Open for me is one of the best
competitions of the year.
JULIANNE BRACKETT: I have never been to an Open before.
It's going to be great.
The course is nice.
They fixed everything up.
I hope to make that top five and make it to
the actual US Open.
RYAN STASSEL: USASA Nationals was one of the first contests
I ever did.
I got first place there, and then from there someone was
like, dude, you need to go to the US Open.
So the next year, we looked into it.
Went there and did very poorly.
But I've going back ever since and just kind of been working
up the rankings.
I've made semifinals a couple of times.
But hopefully this year I'll make finals.
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DAVE YUNGWIRTH: It's crazy to see what we have now.
I mean, we're hosting the US Open qualifiers.
And we could never even get smaller events six years ago.
I never thought anything like this would come to this place.
JOEL RERKO: We've really been building up our program here.
I mean, it's been an awesome experience.
From like managing the terrain parks just to come in and
really get the support needed to build a program to host
events like this.
GRANT GILLER: Came through in the qualifiers.
Busted out the win.
I'm really hyped.
I've never won money before.
And this is a good spot to do it
GREG JOHNSON: Now that there's been a separation between the
US Open qualifier and the US Open, you can really reward
that group of individuals that might not make it past the
semifinals to even get in the finals.
Now they have their own legitimate contest.
IAN WARDA: I really think the possibilities are
endless here in Vail.
The venue here is so sick.
Just being at Golden Peak, you're right at the base of
the mountain.
And you look up, and you've got the half
pipe on your right.
Slopestyle course in your left.
The slopestyle course literally ends
right in the base.
So riders just come right down into the action.
Everyone's amped on being here.
They want to keep that US Open tradition alive and keep the
vibe, keep the soul of what the US Open
has always been about.
That hasn't changed since we've moved
from Stratton to Vail.
ANNOUNCER: And it looks like we do have a few poachers.
We might be in a new home, but some things never change at
the US Open.
PAT BRIDGES: I first went to the US Open in 1985.
And it changed my life.
To have everybody coming together for a
gathering like that.
And to have so many like-minded people.
That was the beauty.
Every year you knew you were going to be surrounded by a
couple hundred people that you could share your love of
snowboarding with.
NICK HAMILTON: I think I was probably in high school when I
shot that sequence at the Cage.
Everyone was just totally rowdy and shit faced in it.
Screaming at riders.
Harassing riders.
A couple riders were coming up, knocking one back.
Now on a pipe this big, 22 foot.
The margin of error between decking out and landing in the
tranny is so fine, you've got to be on your game.
Snowboarding is just different.
It's just progressed so much since then that that kind of
wild lifestyle element to contests is
just out the window.
MARK MCMORRIS: It's a memorable event for me.
And I think it's really cool that now we're in Colorado.
And it still has a really good feel.
But it's going to be, nonetheless, a crazy crowd and
really good for the riders.
TORSTEIN HORGMO: I grew up watching the US Open.
Bad ass event with bad ass fans.
Yeah, you just feel it.
You feel it for sure.
You don't get that everywhere.
MARK MCMORRIS: Change is always a good thing.
And I'm stoked to be a part of it.
And I'm going to try my very best this weekend and we'll
see what happens.
RYAN STASSEL: I ended up landing both my runs and
landed myself in fifth.
As long as I can make that top six, and make the overall and
get into the finals, I'll be so happy.
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GRANT GILLER: Practice went really well, but I fell in the
second wall ride, which is like, yeah, to fall on the
wall ride and then come through the
Jones was just a bummer.
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GRETCHEN BLEILER: I have to say, my very first day of
practice here at Vail was one of my most favorite days of
any of the Opens.
Right off the bat, the half pipe was perfect.
It was sunny.
The temperatures were a little warmer.
It was that perfect snow consistency.
It doesn't feel like a contest.
It just feels like snowboarding.
SCOTTY LAGO: I was kind of wondering how the vibe was
going to be.
Because usually the US Open, it's just so many kids.
And so many people trying to make it through
the rounds and stuff.
But I kind of like it.
It's more mellow.
You're not waiting in line forever to drop in.
But everyone still has a chance to qualify and to make
it to the big show finals.
SHAUN WHITE: It's going to bring more attention to the
event, and it's just something where, I don't know, it just
needed a little fresh blood.
A little fresh surroundings.
So I'm happy.
DANNY DAVIS: All these people bitching about it leaving the
East Coast, it's like, go do the Seven Springs one and then
come out here and ride good snow.
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[CHEERING]
GREG JOHNSON: Man, the Japanese kid, he's killer.
I was either head judge or judging X Games when Shaun was
10 years old, and he did every freaking trick that the pros
were doing at 10 years old.
We just went, wow.
This is the next thing.
The little kid from Japan is the next thing again.
ANNOUNCER: Yeah, give him a round, the 14-year-old
Japanese sensation.
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ANNOUNCER: [INAUDIBLE]
KELLY CLARK: The Open is very rider-focused.
Very rider driven.
Yes, it gets the exposure.
Yes, it gets the TV time.
And they're open to our feedback, and really catering
to the riders and to our needs, making it one of the
most progressive events out there.
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-One of the craziest and best things about the US Open is
they've have had a hand in letting the riders and the
judges and the officials shape it and mold it and form it for
the best of snowboarding.
And I think that's where their true legacy really lies.
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-Awesome.
-US Open!
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