Kim Christiansen

Today was halfpipe qualification day. In the morning everybody here got dressed super warm, since a cold wind was expected. The morning started beautiful, with not one cloud around the four 13,000-foot peaks in the area. The stars were still visible in the morning around 6:30. That's when the girls woke up to go to the rider's office.

On the ride up, around 8:30, the whole mountain was still in the shade of the morning. Then, suddenly, sunlight hit around 9, when the girls were already in their qualification round. The temperatures rose, but not a lot. Everybody was dressed perfectly for this blue, cold sunny day here in Grindelwald. A lot or riders were complaining about the pipe yesterday, so it was reshaped. Some guys said it looked good today, which stoked Doug the pipe builder, who takes his job seriously.

" The girls got some amplitude, especially Dorian Vidal (FRA), who is dominating pretty much every comp she goes to this season...."

The girls got some amplitude, especially Dorian Vidal (FRA), who is dominating pretty much every comp she goes to this season. Satu Jarvella (FIN) former ISF World Champion ('95) took 13th place in the qualification, which sounds cool but is pretty crappy, since only 12 girls make it to the semi-finals, and even less at the finals. But Jarvella knows how it goes sometimes and took it easy and stayed at the top of the pipe for the boys' qualification. For the guys it was the top eight out of three heats, with about 25 guys in each heat. That's the new heat system that the European use now too, after it was proved useful in the States.

The guys were many and plenty of them actually deserve to be in the semi-final. But only 24 will go tomorrow. Friedl Kolar (AUT) made it, as did Sebu Kuhlberg (FIN). Xaver Hoffmann (GER), Gian Simmen (SUI) dominated the field today. Even Fredrick Kalbermatten (SUI) made it with his second run. His very best friend Nicolas Müller (SUI) decided to not compete after hitting a rock when we were riding a couple of days ago. Plus, the pipe just didn't look very good to him.

	Stine Brun Kjeldaas

Riders representing in the practice but not making it because of bailing or simply not earning enough points: Marius Sommer (NOR), Pascal Imhof (SUI), Jonas Emery (SUI), Heikki Soursa (FIN)

In the afternoon, the weather turned cloudy again and it looks like a warm front is coming, which will mean a cloudy day tomorrow. There were no incredible innovations today in the pipe, but nice stylish riding here and there. Tomorrow is going to be the dual qualification in alpine and the halfpipe finals. I hope to catch the gondola tomorrow morning, to be up there. My body is still a little exhausted from all the riding during the last three days. Now the riders' meeting is starting and I think there is free beer there or something. But I'm really going to talk and hang out a little before tomorrow.

— Nils, MountainZone.com European Correspondent