"Despite the task at hand, during the eight-minute ride up, I sensed little in the way of nerves. Competitors excitedly discussed different lines, tactics, and tricks they had in mind. Veterans of Kings & Queens reassured new contestants, and jovial riders hyped up those feeling less certain of themselves. There was no vibe at all that these athletes were competing against one another, but rather that they were competing together -to push the possibilities of skiing and riding on the biggest stage imaginable."
"While I stared up at the hazy couloir, awaiting clear skies from the nature gods so the competition could get underway, I was met with a sense of disbelief. Were there actually people in the world crazy enough-and skilled enough-to launch themselves into this mammoth chute? How could one take that type of impact? How could someone huck themselves off something that looks like it could kill you? I don't know...but they did it."
"Snowboarder Sarka Pancochova kicked off the competition with a bang, airing into Corbet's, then sending a backflip in the middle of the couloir and a 720 on the crowd-pleasing money booter. A few riders later, it was Piper Kunst's -our eventual Queen-turn to huck herself off the lip. The crowd erupted as she became just the second woman ever to land a backflip into Corbet's."
Athletes, media, and ski patrol rode an early tram to the Top of the World at Jackson Hole. Twelve men and twelve women prepared to huck a 40-foot cliff into a 50° couloir at near-highway speeds. The ride up featured excited tactical discussion, veteran reassurance, and collective camaraderie rather than rivalry. Weather and disbelief about the chute’s danger preceded peak stoke. Competitors executed extreme tricks: Sarka Pancochova landed a backflip and a 720, and Piper Kunst became the second woman to land a backflip into Corbet's, earning a massive ovation despite an overcooked frontflip.
Read at SnowBrains
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