Only the best of two runs counted today in the halfpipe at the US Snowboard Grand Prix at Northstar... and they could've just as well skipped the second. In a pipe markedly smaller than the 14- and 15-foot monsters featured in previous Grand Prix stops, speed and height were already in short supply for run one.

	Reilly

Then a raging snowstorm descended on the mountain for run two, slowing the flats and flattening the light. None of the top finishers could match their first run scores.

Staying smooth, fast and high was the key for those who walked with the money. For the women, Shannon Dunn was her regular strong presence, nailing a McTwist to a frontside 7 combo right in front of the stands.

"It was Ross Powers' 21st birthday yesterday....Despite relentless heckling from the announcers, Powers looked nothing-like a hopelessly hung-over slob, completely stabbing some huge grabs and inverts...."

Competing in her first Grand Prix, Autumn Rose wowed the judges with her smooth spins and took second. Kim Stacey carried flawless height throughout to run third. Despite an ultra-clean McTwist, Natasza Zurek suffered from inconsistency and trailed in fifth. Zurek hit two McTwists in run two but by that time it was too little, too late.

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It was Ross Powers' 21st birthday yesterday, and half the men's field had been out celebrating in the nearby casinos. The contest announcers made sure everyone in the crowd knew who was hopelessly hung-over, and who had bailed like cowards early.

"If you can't beat Ross Powers today," they announced, "you're never going to beat him." As it turned out, only one man could. It wasn't Tour Leader, Rob Kingwill, who won the previous two stops in Mammoth and Breckenridge. Kingwill never seemed to get fully amped in his first run, although he did yank a 900 and stuck in on the flats just before the finish.

	Dunn

Seth Wescott popped a double heli with huge amplitude and took the early lead. Rahn Klampert had a stellar run, smoking out a switch backside rodeo alley oop. Then it was birthday-boy Ross Powers' turn.

Despite relentless heckling from the announcers, Powers looked nothing-like a hopelessly hung-over slob, completely stabbing some huge grabs and inverts. But it was left to Mark Reilly to fly out of the pipe and pack. Reilly was in third place in the overall tour standings going into Northstar, but this win moves him into second behind Kingwill.

Two more days remain in this Grand Prix. Tomorrow it's the Doritos Loud Air and Style-Triple Air with the Boardercross Finals on Sunday.

Event Schedule
Thursday, February 10, Halfpipe Qualifier, 8:30am - 4pm
Friday, February 11, Halfpipe Finals, 11am - 1pm
Saturday, February 12, Boardercross Individual Timed Trials, 9 - 11am
Saturday, February 12, Doritos Loud Air & Style Triple Air, 2 - 4pm
Sunday, February 13, Boardercross Finals, 11am - 1pm

— Chaco Mohler , MountainZone.com Correspondent