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SNOWBOARD - Steve Fisher 2nd at Arctic Challenge
// by Juliann Fritz - U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (435-647-2061) // April 5, 2004
TROMSO, Norway (March 31) – Minnesota native Steve Fisher (St. Louis Park, MN) landed one of the biggest runs of his career Wednesday to finish second in the Arctic Challenge halfpipe. Created by snowboarding legend Terje Haakonsen, the Arctic Challenge is a week-long snowboarding lifestyle event for riders who have qualified through the Ticket to Ride Series.The finish for Fisher caps a year that includes wins at the X Games, Joetsu, Japan World Cup, two stops of the Triple Crown and a second at the U.S. Open. “He (Fisher) did one of the largest backside 540's I've ever seen him do, followed by three large straight airs, to a large, grabbed, and stomped frontside 1080,” explained U.S. Snowboarding head halfpipe coach Bud Keene. “That run put him in the lead, and with five minutes left in the final jam, it looked as if it might hold - nobody else could touch Fisher's run.” No one but Chevrolet U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix champion Andy Finch (Fresno, CA), who lhit the top of the podium with a frontside air to McTwist, followed by a frontside corked 900, capped by a large backside air. In all four of the top six finishers were American riders including fifth place finisher Ross Powers (South Londonderry, VT) and U.S. Snowboarding rookie Mason Aquirre (Duluth, MN), who finished sixth. Aquirre’s run included a huge frontside air to an equally huge backside air, to a fronside 900 followed by a Mctwist to frontside 720. World Cup pipe champ Risto Mattila of Finland was third, while the host Terje Haakonsen finished fourth. Read more at http://www.ussnowboarding.org
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