By Lindsey Sine, USSA

MAMMOTH — There couldn’t be a more exciting and poignant story told in Grand Prix history that the one that unraveled at Mammoth Mountain on Wednesday. Danny Davis (Detroit, MI) put down a historic run in the name of friendship, and Kelly Clark (Mt. Snow, VT) laid it all on the line for her third Olympic team berth to each win the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix.

Davis led through both runs of the halfpipe competition, followed by Olympic champ Shaun White (Carlsbad, CA), and Scotty Lago (Seabrook, NH) in third.

Hannah Teter

Looking down on a crowd full of signs supporting Pearce and his recovery, Davis stood atop the 22-footer and channeled his friend, who remains hospitalized in Salt Lake City, before landing a monumental second run that included a landmark three double corks.

“I had Kev on my mind and right before every run I was making sure I had him in spirit. I know we’re sending vibes back to each other and it was good,” Davis said. “I asked Kev to help me through that one. He’s not up, but we’re mentally on the same wavelength now. He’s helped me through my runs and it’s been nice to have him.”

After he dropped the double cork cab 10, front 9, straight air, double cork front 10, switch double back rodeo, Mammoth’s spectators brought the noise and family and friends ran to the finish to embrace Davis, whose run was nothing short of epic.

It was the first time Davis had ever landed three double corks in one run.

“It was a decision by all. Jank [U.S. Snowboarding Halfpipe Head Coach Mike Jankowski] and Bow [U.S. Snowboarding Halfpipe Coach Rick Bower] helped me decide what tricks to do and we came up with a plan of just trying to land that third double cork,” Davis said. “I hadn’t landed it in practice, so it was a gamble but I landed it.”

As for the historic nature of his run, Davis shrugged it off saying, “It feels good. It’s snowboarding, it’s supposed to be fun so as long as I have fun then that’s what matters.”

For White, the second is a fuel to his fire as he heads into Saturday’s competition hunting for the win and an Olympic spot to defend his title.

“There was some great riding today. This was by far the heaviest contest I’ve ever been in and being at the top with one run to go, I pulled the trigger and went for it, never surrender,” White said.

In the women’s pipe Clark’s consistency and her overall riding quality were undeniable as she stomped a clean frontside air, backside 5, frontside 9, backside air, frontside 7, cab 7 for the win.

The gold medalist, who stuck a claim on her third Olympic Team spot, was reeling after her victory lap.

“I couldn’t be happier with my result today and it’s a privilege to be going to my third Olympic Games,” Clark said.

Being able to ride so solidly thus far in the season was a huge source of pride for halfpipe’s strongest woman.

“Being able to come out and win the first two Olympic qualifiers is great and everything now will be practice for me,” Clark said. “I’ve been getting ready for these qualifiers for a long time.”

At the end of it all, there was just one word Clark could think of to describe how she felt.

“It’s a pretty overwhelming thing and I would just say I feel privileged right now to be 26 years old and heading to my third Olympics. It’s a really incredible thing,” Clark said.

In the second place spot, Hannah Teter’s (South Lake Tahoe, CA) smooth style was a shout out to the world that she’s still going strong and, after not being able to compete due to injury at Copper’s Grand Prix, the Vermonter was happy to land her run.

“I feel really good. It’s nice to come back after having a slight injury in the first Grand Prix. I’ve been doing a lot of visualizing, and seeing everything in my head then just putting it out on the snow,” Teter said. “It definitely boosts it up bit to have a good result.”

And, if you guessed that her money has a one-way ticket to the village she sponsors in Africa through the production of her maple syrup and the donation of all her contest earnings, you guessed right.

“I’m excited to donate the money I won from second place to the kids and elevate the charity,” Teter said.

The exciting outcome of Wednesday’s pipe is going to be hard to beat, but the athletes have a shot to do it again on Saturday as they drop into the pipe at Mammoth for the third of five Olympic qualifiers. Stay tuned.

Mammoth Mountain, Jan. 5, Halfpipe

Men

1. Danny Davis, Detroit, MI, 49.20

2. Shaun White, Carlsbad, CA, 46.20

3. Scotty Lago, Seabrook, NH, 45.00

4. Louie Vito, Sandy, UT, 45.00

5. Elijah Teter, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 44.90

6. Greg Bretz, Mammoth Mountain, CA, 44.50

7. Jeff Bachelor, Canada, 43.50

8. Mathieu Crepel, France, 43.00

9. JJ Thomas, Golden, CO, 41.30

10. Jack Mitrani, Mammoth Mountain, CA, 40.30

Women

1. Kelly Clark, Mt. Snow, VT, 48.40

2. Hannah Teter, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 45.20

3. Holly Crawford, Australia, 44.40

4. Gretchen Bleiler, Aspen, CO, 42.50

5. Elena Hight, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 42.40

6. Maddy Schaffrick, Steamboat Springs, CO, 38.70

7. Ellery Hollingsworth, Stratton, VT, 31.00

8. Clair Bidez, Minturn, CO, 39.90